{"id":199140,"date":"2025-10-03T08:56:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T08:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/199140\/"},"modified":"2025-10-03T08:56:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T08:56:10","slug":"lyons-classic-film-market-expands-with-ai-platforms-global-reach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/199140\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0Lyon’s Classic Film Market Expands With AI, Platforms, Global Reach\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThe International Classic Film Market<\/a> (MIFC<\/a>), the world\u2019s only market dedicated to restoring and promoting heritage films, returns to Lyon alongside the Lumi\u00e8re Film Festival for its 13th edition expected to draw a record number of participants.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAll our indicators are up, both in terms of newcomers and international participants,\u201d co-head Ana\u00efs Desrieux told\u00a0Variety.<\/p>\n

\n\tThree high-profile guests of honor underscore the festival\u2019s global reach: Andrea Kalas, VP of Media and Archival Services at Iron Mountain, Justine Ryst, YouTube\u2019s France chief, and Ga\u00ebtan Bruel, the new head of the France\u2019s film board CNC.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnother sign of the market\u2019s growing industry pull comes from U.K.-based Park Circus, which joins this year as an official partner. The company handles global distribution of heritage titles for major U.S. studios as well as British and European libraries. CEO Douglas Davis will join Studiocanal\u2019s Pauline Saint-Hilaire and Mk2 Films\u2019 Benoit Claro for a roundtable on building international distribution strategies for heritage film.<\/p>\n

\n\tTechnology remains a hot topic, notably the use of AI in classic film preservation and restoration, with a focus this year on subtitling and dubbing. The debate will bring together heritage film conservation outfit Vectracom, Phont, a start-up specialised in so-called \u201cemotional subtitling,\u201d and translators\u2019 representatives.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNo one at the table is opposed to progress, but the real challenge is to ensure that this innovation truly qualifies as such for the whole ecosystem,\u201d said Desrieux. Co-head G\u00e9rald Duchaussoy added \u201csubtitles are not neutral \u2013 subtitling is a creative activity that shapes how films are understood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tNew tools will be on display at the Classics Innovation Corner, where startups such as Phont, AI-powered search and licensing platform Refractio, and distributor-oriented CN Films will present their tech.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnother key theme is the growing role of streaming services in the circulation of heritage cinema, which Ryst is sure to address as she spotlights YouTube\u2019s 20th anniversary.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThere is a great heritage offer on YouTube, with access to films, archives and programs dedicated to classic films, and content creators engaging whole new audiences,\u201d said Duchaussoy.<\/p>\n

\n\tCase studies will feature Sooner \u2013 the new merger of French streamers Universcin\u00e9 and Filmo \u2013, heritage film platform LaCinetek, and entertainment site Allocin\u00e9, which is launching a dedicated service, Allocin\u00e9 Classique. \u201cThanks to these platforms, the films are not just being preserved, they are being reintroduced to audiences in the digital era,\u201d Desrieux noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tFrom digital strategies to face-to-face deal-making, circulation remains a priority for organizers, with initiatives like the popular Re>Birth program, now in its third edition. The showcase pitches either recently restored titles carrying the Lumi\u00e8re Classics label or works seeking restoration partners for 10-minute sessions followed by one-to-one meetings aimed at sparking deals.<\/p>\n

\n\tHungary provides an inspiring example as country of honor thanks to its strong track-record in preservation and circulation through events such as the Budapest Classic Film Marathon. MIFC regular Gy\u00f6rgy R\u00e1duly, head of the Hungarian National Film Archive, will be among the guests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tOther highlights include debates on the new AgoraEU program, Europe\u2019s audiovisual heritage policy, and the power of curated retrospectives, with this year\u2019s tributes to Martin Ritt and Konrad Wolf illustrating how restorations drive a second life in theaters, festivals, on TV and platforms. France\u2019s arthouse exhibitors\u2019 association, AFCAE, which marks its 70th anniversary, will examine the future of classic film on the big screen.<\/p>\n

\n\tAs always, there will be the market\u2019s staple sessions, from catalogue holders\u2019 previews to distributors\u2019 line-ups and dedicated events for exhibitors.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfrican cinema will also take the spotlight with a showcase of the new podcast series \u201cCineastes d\u2019Afrique,\u201d celebrating pioneers of African filmmaking.<\/p>\n

\n\tLooking to the future, a new European student workshop will bring together some 40 students from six universities to work with professionals in the heritage field. \u201cWe want to help the next generation build connections that will shape the sector\u2019s future,\u201d said Desrieux.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor Duchaussoy, the workshop reflects the market\u2019s broader mission: \u201cHeritage cinema is not just about looking back,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about imagining the future, with new professionals, new technologies and new audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAs Desrieux summed up, \u201cOur goal is to give the heritage sector a stronger international framework and profile. That means bringing players together, questioning our practices and creating real business opportunities around the circulation of classic films.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe MIFC runs in Lyon over Oct. 14\u2013Oct. 17.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The International Classic Film Market (MIFC), the world\u2019s only market dedicated to restoring and promoting heritage films, returns…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":199141,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[182,181,507,114855,114857,114856,114858,74],"class_list":["post-199140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-artificial-intelligence","tag-ai","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-artificialintelligence","tag-classic-film-market","tag-lumiere-film-festival","tag-lumiu00e8re-festivalu2019s-intl-classic-film-market","tag-mifc","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}