Let’s talk about a question I get all the time — what film festivals actually help sell your movie?
Now, if you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve said again and again that film markets, not festivals, are where the real sales happen. That’s where distributors and sales agents make actual deals. But this time, I want to zoom in on the few film festivals that really help sell your movie — the ones that can boost credibility and open real doors for you.
Most Festivals Don’t Lead to Distribution Deals
Here’s the thing most filmmakers don’t realize: even if you get into a big-name festival, that doesn’t guarantee a deal. You could land a spot at Sundance or Toronto, have an amazing screening, and still walk away with no offer.
It’s not that your movie isn’t good — it’s just how the system works. Maybe a handful of movies at those top festivals get a bidding war going, but the majority, and I’m talking over 80%, leave without a distribution deal. So just getting in doesn’t mean you’ve “won.”
Why Some Festivals Still Matter
Now, that doesn’t mean festivals are useless. Far from it. When a sales agent or distributor sees that your film was an official selection at a major festival, that instantly gives your project credibility. It tells them this film has been vetted and recognized at a high level.
If you walked up to me at the European Film Market and handed me a flyer that said Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival, I’d immediately look at your movie differently. It carries weight. It tells me your film has gravitas — that seal of approval from one of the world’s most respected festivals.
The Festivals That Actually Help Sell Your Movie
So, which festivals have that kind of power? These are the ones that make people take notice. In my opinion — and remember, this comes from someone who runs a sales and distribution company — these are the A+ film festivals that truly matter:
- Cannes Film Festival
- Venice Film Festival
- Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
- Telluride Film Festival
- Sundance Film Festival
- South by Southwest (SXSW)
- Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)
- Tribeca Film Festival
If your movie plays at any of these, buyers, sales agents, and distributors will take it seriously. These festivals are on another level. They don’t just give you prestige — they give you leverage when it comes to selling your movie.
Genre Festivals Are the Exception
Of course, there’s an important exception — genre film festivals.
If you’ve made a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy film, there are specific genre fests that carry huge weight in that world. Festivals like Sitges or Fantasia are legendary for those kinds of movies. Getting into one of those can help you sell your film within that niche just as effectively as the top-tier general festivals do for mainstream projects.
So while the A-list festivals give you credibility across the industry, genre festivals give you credibility inside your lane — and that’s just as valuable when you’re talking to the right buyers.
Focus on Strategy, Not Luck
At the end of the day, the big takeaway is this: don’t assume a festival will sell your movie for you. The market is still where the deals happen. But if you can get that “official selection” laurel from one of the top-tier or genre-specific festivals, it adds real value to your pitch. It opens doors, gets you meetings, and can make the difference when you’re trying to close a distribution deal.
So target the festivals that actually matter — and use that recognition strategically to help you sell your movie.
