The Cannes Market islaunching a new initiative intended to make its activities relevant toproducers, as well as the usual ranks of sales agents and distributors.

It is launching ProducersNetwork, Le Reseau Des Producteurs, which will act as both an informationsource and a highly-structured meeting place for producers.

It says that the movereflects growing demand from the industry and the changing shape of thefestival. "This is already taking place in an informal way in the InternationalVillage, which is becoming the real heart of the festival," said market chiefJerome Paillard. "It fits perfectly with the way that the festival wants todevelop its role."

The market aims to compile acatalogue of company profiles, producers and their projects. This will becomplemented by additional information on the sort of contact they are seekingto compete their projects. The catalogue will also list in one place the manyconferences, seminars and other events organised by different institutional andprivate bodies during the festival.

Throughout the festival themarket will also play host to a series of breakfast meetings for up to 200producers at the Plage Des Palmes. At the breakfasts producers will be seatedaccording to the themes they have expressed in interest in learning more about,and tables will be hosted by consultants, guest speakers or industryexecutives. Bilateral relations and co-productions are expected to be recurringtopics.

The market will chargeEuros335 for the catalogue and breakfast package including market and festivalregistration. Admission will be limited to producers who have made at least onefeature film.

Rotterdam's CineMart projectmarket has already joined the initiative and the market expects to sign up alarge number of national institutions as partners.