Market Notes

TIFF’s first formal market attracted more buyers, but deal activity depended on available rights, prepared projects, and existing relationships. FilmTake examines what the debut delivered and what remains to be proved as negotiations continue toward AFM.

TIFF 2026 has the infrastructure, buyers, and exhibitor scale of a formal film market. The question now is whether Toronto can improve deal velocity in a more selective acquisition environment.

TIFF 2026 expands Toronto into financing, packaging, presales, works in progress, and a new September transaction window between Cannes and AFM.

Starz’s Universal Pay-2 exit highlights the risks of output deals and the growing importance of title-level rights valuation.

Reported European interest in Lionsgate highlights the value of studio libraries, platform scale, and film rights that can travel across markets.

Streaming licensing is becoming more selective as platforms price films by window, territory, exclusivity, performance history, and platform utility. The market has not stopped buying films, but buyers now need clearer economic justification for each rights acquisition.

Streaming licensing is becoming more selective as platforms price films by window, territory, exclusivity, performance history, and platform utility. The market has not stopped buying films, but buyers now need clearer economic justification for each rights acquisition.

Netflix’s Cannes acquisitions reveal how streamer strategy has moved from broad international buying to selective rights deals built around awards potential, animation, stars, theatrical corridors, and global platform value.

Cannes 2026 shows a more disciplined film rights market, where buyers still value prestige but increasingly demand audience clarity, commercial positioning, and downstream value.