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RecDek House at Cannes - supporting the indie industry in all its forms
RecDek is about independent entertainment discovery. Curate your film and tv watchlist across all platforms, from opinions that matter to you. RecDek House is for the do-ers of the indie film world, our events supports the industry across all the major markets.
As always, Cannes came in a whirlwind, and without a single studio movie gracing the croisette. Although there was a 25 year anniversary midnight screening of The Fast and The Furious including a tearful Vin Diesel.
The market itself this year started sluggish but picked up momentum by the finale with real sales breathing life back into proceedings. A24 won heated competition for Jordan Firstman's Club Kid (roughly $17M), a comedy set in gay nightclub that feels very, wholesome. Netflix went on shopping spree: landed animated In Waves, circling The Black Ball starring Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close, grabbed Léa Seydoux's Gentle Monster (both awards contenders?). Warner Bros' fresh specialty division Clockworks chased Park Chan-wook's The Brigands of Rattlecreek - a Western revenge tale with Matthew McConaughey, Austin Butler, Pedro Pascal, Tang Wei, scripted by Bone Tomahawk's S. Craig Zahler. It didn’t feel like deal flow was record-breaking but there’s an emphasis on calibre over numbers which suggests the indie sector is spotting some recovery.
Speeches at RecDek House
RecDek House was alive with 500+ through our doors over the weekend, a really wide variety of industry hanging out, finding new collaborators and discovering the power of serendipity.
It was amazing to be part of many fruitful discussions about how we as an industry support each other to get work made and seen. There was something in the air this year. A conviction to support storytelling and find new ways of getting films financed and distributed. Although AI, technology and D2C distribution loom ever larger, there seems to be a certainty that nothing will change from well told stories made with conviction backed up by the art of the craft. IP remains at the forefront of what holds value, how these new tools can serve filmmakers best is the question we are all now exploring.
Also, I’ve absolutely no idea who this is but amazing effort making it to RecDek House in this rather splendid outfit!
We could not do what we do without the support of our partners, including Imgn, who are giving RecDek community 6 months free usage! Imgn empowers producers, line producers, production managers to plan their productions in minutes (script breakdowns, schedules, shot lists, coverage, location scouting and a ton more) it’s the production tool of the moment.
Give it a go - free for 6 months - sign up, drop your script in, and you’re away.
And now, to THE BIG SCREEN HACK CANNES our not-so-secret-side-quest to bring traditional filmmakers and AI creators together to see what can be made in just 48 hours, the competition is soon to reach its final conclusion…
Over the weekend before Cannes we had 56 teams putting their creative brains together to create 1 short film each - the theme - INTO THE UNKNOWN. Here’s a peak:
Then, 12 judges voted for a shortlist of 14 films which we screened in Cannes, Salle 6 of the Cineum to be precise, last Monday the 18th.
There we announced 1 winner - huge congratulations to Lilies from MujaStudios, as well as 2 runners up. As well as the awards from our partners that made The Big Screen Hack possible:
Now the final award is open for your vote!
Checkout all the films, including award winners, and vote for your favourite film at:
bigscreenhack.com/vote
Voting will close this Friday midnight. Many congratulations to all the participants and winners so far. Congratulations are also in order for Takeshi Miki who won our builder track, checkout his tool he made in 2 days - demo below…
Aaron and Ed with Takeshi Miki in Cannes - the winner of our builder track!
AND HOW ABOUT THE FILMS THEMSELVES THIS CANNES?
Fjord – Cristian Mungiu won his second Palme d'Or. Romanian couple Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve move with five kids to Norwegian village. Religiously conservative parents clash with secular neighbours, accusations of child mistreatment fly. It's characteristically fraught Mungiu - David Ehrlich calls it a “tangled drama” and Matt Neglia says it's one of his most intelligent works. Neon's handling distribution.
All of a Sudden – Ryusuke Hamaguchi's first film outside Japan. Virginie Efira runs Parisian elder care facility, Tao Okamoto's theatre director battling cancer. They become friends. THR reckons only Hamaguchi could fold workplace study, female friendship, and mortality meditation this elegantly. Jessica Kiang at Variety calls it "the rarest type of film, great enough to remind you what life can be." Both actresses share the Best Actress award.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – Jane Schoenbrun's third feature. Hannah Einbinder directs horror reboot, discovers original "final girl" Billy (Gillian Anderson) living as recluse. They connect. Described as a hot mix of sex, death, VHS and junk food - what’s not to love. Another instant cult classic from Schoenbrun.
La Gradiva – Marine Atlan's debut won Critics' Week. 145 minutes following French teenagers and teacher on Pompeii/Naples school trip. Jordan Mintzer announces "arrival of formidable new talent." Rewarding for patient audiences - subtle character study, anthem to youth, quite funny, consistently stunning visuals.
Fatherland – Paweł Pawlikowski won Best Director. Black and white period drama, novelist Thomas Mann returns to Germany 1949 with actress/journalist daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller) after 16 years exile. Only 80 minutes but so well formed, and brimming ideas and heartbreak.
We also hosted our first ever “Pretty Quick Questions But The Answers Don’t Have to Be (Quick)” over at Misfit Haus, the aim here was really to get a sense of what various sectors of the industry are seeing in no more than 12 minutes. Expect more from the format in the future.
Ed with Director/Producer Giles Alderson
With that the only thing that remains is to say a final thank you to our sponsors for being such epic supporters and part of what we are building here at RecDek.
Legends, the lot of ya.
South Asians at Cannes is a collective bringing together South Asian creatives, execs, filmmakers, and leaders across film, TV, storytelling, and culture. They amplify South Asian representation and collaboration at Cannes. Partners include Box Office Guru Media, RASA Film Group, South Stack Studios, Khan & Kumar Media, Lotus Visual Productions and more. The group are committed to building visibility, opportunity, and global connection for South Asian voices in entertainment.
Hosted by:
Rohit Bhayana & Chandrani Ghosh (RASA Film Group)
Sharib Khan & Vikas Kumar (Khan & Kumar Media)
Anjana Gopakumar (South Stack Studios)
Hariqbal Basi (Entertainment Attorney / Producer)
Neeraj Churi (Lotus Visual Productions)
Aizzah Fatima (Actor / Filmmaker)
Rohi Mirza Pandya & Gitesh Pandya (Box Office Guru Media)
Misfit our indefatigable long time allies and collaborators: Misfit. Love everything about everything that AJ and the gang do, a gloriously eclectic collection of businesses and social enterprises spread across the planet. They build, invest in and manage companies with a heart beat. iykyk.
Do Things Right Media DTRM is a bespoke film and television production company focused on commercially driven, filmmaker-led storytelling with an emphasis on elevated genre, emerging voices, and globally marketable content. Through strategic packaging, financing, and production partnerships, DTRM develops projects designed to bridge festival credibility with wide audience appeal.
LOOKBOOK ENTERTAINMENT is a global film production and distribution company with strong foundations in the USA, Canada, South America, and Europe. Our operations are organized into three key divisions: sales & distribution, theatrical acquisitions, and original programming.
Spaceman Films is an Ontario-based film & TV production company supporting projects from development to delivery. We pair creative insight with production logistics – plus deep expertise in Canadian financing, tax credits, staffing, labour relations, and post-production supervision.
Up Light Academy was created to bridge that gap between learning and launching. Whether you are building your first slate or preparing to present your next project, Up Light Academy provides the knowledge, feedback, and professional pathways needed to grow a sustainable career.
First Slate International is a full-service film sales company specializing in both domestic and international distribution. With a deep understanding of the global marketplace, we connect filmmakers with the right buyers, maximizing a film’s reach and revenue potential. First Slate International is committed to elevating great storytelling on a global scale.
Catch you soon.
Ed
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