Guillaume Esmiol has spent the past several years quietly remaking the Cannes Marché du Film in his own image — which is to say, in the image of someone who came up not through traditional film sales but through tech and finance innovation. He began his career in business development and digital media innovation roles at French network TFI, and did a stint at corporate start-up studio Wefound before succeeding Jérôme Paillard as head of the Cannes Market, taking over as sole boss in 2023.
Under his direction, the Marché has expanded beyond its core role as the world’s leading market for buying and selling independent films, to include a sprawling schedule of 250 panels and events covering everything from private equity financing to artificial intelligence and, new this year, the creator economy.
Ahead of the 2026 edition, Esmiol sat down with The Hollywood…
