Cinema in the digital age comes under the spotlight at Cannes next month with the forum Cinema: Towards The Audiences Of Tomorrow.

The Opening Forum, organised by the Marche Du Cannes and in collaboration with Screen International, will focus on the evolution of audience practices and the ties between cinema creation and new promotional and broadcast platforms.

Film industry representatives, new media experts, journalists and sociologists will discuss how the digital economy is shaping new roles for directors, producers and distributors while offering opportunities to creators and audiences.

Guest speakers will include Adrian Sexton, EVP Digital, Participant Productions, Thomas Hoegh, CEO, Arts Alliance Media, François Yon, founder and partner, Films Distribution, Neeraj Roy, CEO, Hungama Mobile and Michael Gubbins, editor of Screen International.

Issues under the spotlight will include how has the digital revolution changed the way films are selected, watched and interpreted; the impact of Web 2.0, DVD-HD, VoD and mobile media among others on cinema; and how tomorrow's marketplace will cope with the rapid evolution of different types of business models and films.

The event, to be moderated by Colin Brown, editor-in-chief of Screen International, takes place at the Salle Buñuel (Palais des Festivals), on Wednesday May 16 from 2:30pm to 5:30pm.

The conclusions of the Opening Forum will be reported by Philippe Dana to the European Ministries of Culture on the occasion of the European Day taking place on Saturday May 26.