Miralot, a new film festival submission platform, has launched in Berlin ahead of the Marché du Film in Cannes, aiming to streamline the festival process for filmmakers.
Backed by Industry Veterans
Founded by Moritz Schneider and Justus Timm, Miralot receives backing from former Disney chief Roger Crotti, Dennis Ruh, former director of the Berlin Festival's European Film Market, and Joe Pawlas, ex-Netflix marketing officer. Crotti, Ruh, and Pawlas are key advisors and shareholders, contributing their industry expertise to the venture.
Schneider's extensive experience includes co-founding the Swiss agency Cut-Up and heading Festival and Sales at Zurich University of the Arts. Timm, responsible for operations and finance, previously developed a successful B2B platform.
Addressing Filmmakers' Challenges
With over 15,000 festivals globally, filmmakers face high costs and complexity in submissions. Miralot, encompassing 5,500 curated festivals across 80 countries, offers a solution by matching filmmakers with relevant festivals. Schneider emphasizes that the goal is to provide strategic insights previously accessible only to established distributors.
According to Timm, the platform closes the gap in reaching audiences by offering filmmakers a comprehensive map for festival submissions. Miralot's data-driven approach enables filmmakers to discover and submit to festivals suitable for their work, improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Positive Reception and Global Reach
Indian director-producer Deepti Chawla praises Miralot for simplifying festival discovery, while Bangladeshi filmmaker Mashroor Parvez appreciates its structured strategy. The platform's dataset, built on historical and live data, further refines its matching system, assisting filmmakers in navigating festivals strategically.
Miralot is already in use by filmmakers from over 50 countries, covering various project types. It also aids film students in understanding festival circuits, as noted by Steve Reverand of Prague Film School.
Future Prospects
Miralot's potential to transform festival submissions is recognized by Crotti, who sees it as a paradigm shift in film distribution. Ruh adds that the platform's analytical approach aligns with his professional focus on festival strategy.
By providing filmmakers with tailored festival recommendations, Miralot aims to make the submission process more effective, helping films find their right audience globally.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/film/global/miralot-festival-submission-platform-cannes-1236743886/
