Cannes International Film Festival has partnered with TikTok in a bid to attract a more diverse audience.
In a statement, TikTok said the move aims to unite cinematographers and creators from around the world, and give audiences a closer look into the festival.
Users of the app will be able to watch interviews with actors and red carpet events at Cannes on TikTok. It is notable that, in 2018, the curators of the festival had banned red carpet selfies for causing disruption. So this new partnership is a significant step for the festival.
Thierry Fremaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival, said, “With this collaboration – which is part of a desire to diversify the audience – we’re looking forward to sharing the most exciting and inspiring moments from the Festival and seeing the Festival reimagined through the lens of TikTok creators and its community.”
TikTok is a video-sharing social media application that allows users to create, edit, and share short-form video clips accompanied by music. The application, which was launched internationally in 2017, peaked within just a few months, becoming one of the fastest-growing apps. TikTok’s reach is the highest among youngsters, and creators from the platform have entered the entertainment industry as well. Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio, who are among the most-followed creators on the platform, have branched out into acting and singing.
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Ahead of the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, TikTok has launched a global competition called ‘TikTok Short Film’, where eligible creators are invited to share their own short films with the TikTok community.
Three winners will be selected by a jury and awarded a cash prize as well as a trip to the festival. Original submissions can be made until April 8, and these will be judged across three categories, namely Grand Prix, Best Script, and Best Editing.
While the competition is open to all countries, India stands automatically eliminated, owing to its ban of TikTok that has been in place since 2020.