From Cannes to DC to Spain to Taiwan...

Cannes has been like a zoo. It's like a fish market, except they're selling films and people wear nice clothes. Did I ever mention how uncomfortable I am in a suit? It reminds me of my telecom days, but I'll be back in my jeans after tomorrow. Being in the Cannes film market is humbling. While Captain Abu Raed has gotten tons of attention at the festivals, here at the market, it is one of a million other films. Just walking up the street, your senses get overloaded with giant billboards for multi-million dollar marketing campaigns for films from all over the world. And here we are, little ol' Jordan. It's a reminder that we are an independent film from the independent world competing with a zillion other independent films fighting for buyers' time and money.

But it is very comforting that we are in the hands of Fortissimo Films, and their reputation is gold, which makes me feel great every time I hear that from people when they ask me about who's selling the film. I got to meet Wong Kar Wai (In the Mood for Love) at the after party last night. Fortissimo is handling his film Ashes of Time. We're in great company. It just takes time for "foreign" films to make their way around the world.

We just sold Captain Abu Raed to Spain and Taiwan and have a slate of territories in negotiation that you will hear about soon enough.

Shooting Stars is distributing the film across the Arab world, and we will be opening in the United Arab Emirates at the end of June and will move on the Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bahrain... and the rest of the Middle East after that. I will announce the date in the next blog.

In the morning I head to Washington DC for a private special screening that I'm really looking forward to.

And then back to LA so I can get back to writing.