Film festivals are cultural events that concentrate on promoting films to film fans and movie professionals. Film markets are trade events where business is conducted (finding distributors, selling films to different territories, etc.).
Film festivals can be combined with Film markets and, this trend is increasing in the industry across the world, simply because it’s more convenient to go to one place and to find everything under one roof, i.e. in Cannes, Berlin, Sundance.
If your film hasn’t found a distributor at the film festival (I’m talking about feature films here 
since there really is not much point in attending a film market with a short movie because it costs way too much money to be present at the market), you can either try to find sales agents to represent your film at the various film markets or represent your film personally.
When you attend the film market, you will need to rent exhibition space and a screening room from the organisers and try to sell your film. Film markets are not a cheap event to attend since you have to pay loads of money for exhibition space or screening room, promotional materials, advertising etc.
They are most commonly attended by distributors, buyers from various countries, cinema owners and sales agents. If you have a distributor, you don’t have to worry about visiting film markets since your distributor will take care of everything.
Below is a list of the key Film Markets:
JANUARY
Sundance Film Festival – Park City, Utah, USA
FEBRUARY
Berlin International Film Festival – Berlin, Germany
MAY
Cannes International Film Festival and Market Festival de Cannes – Cannes, France
JUNE
Los Angeles Film Festival – Los Angeles, California, USA
JULY
Comic-Con International – San Diego, California, USA
COMIC-CON is a vast and still growing force in the Sci-Fi and comic-book driven film genre. It brings together a significant consumer audience and a growing contingent of exhibitors and producers.
SEPTEMBER
Toronto International Film Festival – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OCTOBER
MIPCOM – TV International TV & Video Market – Cannes, France
MIPCOM provides essential decision-makers in the TV and audio-visual content industry with the only forum to network, discover future trends and achieve commercial success on a global level. MIPCOM offers you critical market knowledge and access to the right companies and people. Over five days in Cannes you can do business on a worldwide level.
TIFFCOM Asian Market – Tokyo, Japan
TIFFCOM has launched a new Japanese and Asian entertainment film festival and market in conjunction with the Tokyo International Film Festival. The organisers are the Ministry of Economy, Visual Industry Promotion Organization and Japan Institute of Development and Promotion Picture. Exhibits include films, TV programs, animation, publications, video games, character goods, comics, etc.
NOVEMBER
American Film Market – Santa Monica, California, USA
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