Following a highly successful first edition in 2026, the Japan IP Market will return to the Marché du Film, strengthening connections between Japanese rights holders and international industry players

The Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes and TIFFCOM (Tokyo International Film Festival Content Market) will once again co-organize the Japan IP Market  in Cannes for a second consecutive year, from  14  to  15 May 2027.

The announcement was made at TIFFCOM during the conference “Beyond Country of Honour: Building the Next Global Partnerships with Japan,” featuring Alexandra Zakharchenko, Head of Industry Programs at the Marché du Film, among the speakers.

Launched in May 2026 as part of Japan’s Country of Honour activities at the Marché du Film, the Japan IP Market brought leading Japanese rights holders together with international industry professionals through pitch sessions, targeted one-to-one meetings and industry discussions. Participating companies included Kadokawa, Shochiku and Toei Company, while guest speakers included Tetsu Fujimura (Executive Producer of One Piece, Founder/CEO of Filosophia, Inc.). The initiative will return in 2027, building on the success of its launch to further expand creative collaboration and business opportunities between Japan and the global film community.

“The success of Japan, Country of Honour showed what can happen when a focused national presence creates lasting opportunities for the industry. The Japan IP Market is one of those outcomes: a collaboration that extends beyond a single edition and gives Japanese intellectual properties greater access to international partners,” says Guillaume Esmiol, Executive Director of the Marché du Film. “I’m delighted that we are continuing this work with TIFFCOM to create more opportunities for rights holders to connect with international producers and partners, develop new adaptations and bring their stories to global audiences.”

“The Japan IP Market is about creating the right conditions for  business opportunities between Japanese rights holders and international companies,” says Alexandra Zakharchenko, Head of Industry Programs at the Marché du Film. “By bringing them together in Cannes, we can help turn growing interest in Japanese content into concrete adaptation deals and acquisitions, while fostering new collaboration opportunities.”

“Our partnership with the Marché du Film, the world’s largest film festival market, plays a significant role for Japan’s audiovisual industry. Meeting the international professionals who gather there and creating together with them is the key to nurturing Japanese IP into global content,” says Yasushi Shiina, Executive Adviser, UNIJAPAN / CEO, TIFFCOM. “I am grateful to the Marché du Film for its focus on Japanese IP and for co-organizing the Japan IP Market with us once again next year.”

“At the inaugural Japan IP Market, we experienced the enthusiasm of producers and partners worldwide for Japanese IP,” adds Kaori Ikeda, Managing Director, TIFFCOM. “Through the continued partnership linking Cannes in May with the Tokyo IP Market in October, we are pleased to offer more professionals the opportunity to meet Japanese rights holders directly and discover the rich diversity of Japanese IP.”

Further details on participating companies and the 2027 program will be announced in the coming months.

About Marché du Film
The Marché du Film, the business hub of the Festival de Cannes, is the world’s largest international gathering of film professionals, bringing together over 16,000 participants from around the world, including sales agents, producers, distributors, festival programmers and film institutions. Each year, the market hosts more than 1,500 exclusive screenings, 4,000 projects in development and 250 industry events, providing a platform for the global film community to connect, accelerate business, spark new collaborations and explore the latest trends and innovations shaping the industry.
Website: www.marchedufilm.com