Full Breakdown
Cannes Market Showcases New Voices: “Quest for Love” and the BFI’s Great 8 Line-up
5/7/2026, 9:07:23 PM
Core Event – Cannes Market Highlights Emerging Films
In May 2026 the Cannes Market will feature two distinct but thematically linked programmes: the international-sales launch of Rooney Mara’s upcoming feature “Quest for Love,” written and directed by Antonia Campbell-Hughes, and the British Film Institute’s Great 8 showcase of eight first- and second-time filmmakers. Both initiatives foreground female and non-binary creators and aim to connect the projects with global buyers.
Key Figures & Production Partners
- Rooney Mara – Oscar-nominated actress, also serving as executive producer on “Quest for Love.”
- Antonia Campbell-Hughes – Irish actress-writer-director; previous features include *It Is in Us All* (SXSW) and *High End*.
- HanWay Films – International sales agent for “Quest for Love,” handling Cannes negotiations.
- WME Independent – North-American sales representative.
- Screen Ireland and Luxembourg Film Fund – Co-funders of the film under a 2023 initiative for female and non-binary filmmakers.
- British Film Institute (BFI) – Organizer of the Great 8 programme, funded jointly with the British Council.
- Great 8 filmmakers – Ray Panthaki (*In Starland*), David Turpin (*Ancestors*), Fateme Ahmadi (*Daughter of Eden*), Billy Lumby (*FLORID*), Shalini Adnani (*Our Share of Sand*), Tom Nicoll (*Salvation*), Bertil Nilsson (*MASC*), and others.
Data & Statistics – Scale of the Initiatives
- The Great 8 showcase is in its ninth year and presents eight titles to international buyers.
- “Quest for Love” is part of a joint Screen Ireland–Luxembourg Film Fund programme launched at Cannes in 2023 to support female and non-binary filmmakers.
- HanWay Films will launch international sales for the film at the Cannes Market, while WME Independent manages North-American rights.
Official Statements & Responses
- HanWay Films confirmed it has boarded “Quest for Love” and will begin international sales activities at Cannes.
- The BFI announced that the Great 8 titles will be screened online for buyers starting 8 May, with each filmmaker introducing unseen footage.
- Representatives from Screen Ireland noted that the 2023 initiative “aims to amplify under-represented voices in global cinema.”
Why It Matters – Supporting Under-Represented Creators
Both programmes illustrate a concerted effort to diversify the pipeline of auteur-driven cinema. By positioning “Quest for Love” alongside the Great 8 slate, the Cannes Market underscores the commercial viability of stories centered on complex female protagonists and emerging talent from varied cultural backgrounds. The coordinated sales push also signals confidence that international distributors are seeking fresh narratives beyond traditional studio fare.
What’s Next – Market Activity and Future Screenings
During the Cannes Market, “Quest for Love” will be shopped to potential financiers and distributors, with a view toward festival premieres later in 2026. The Great 8 films will be presented to buyers, followed by potential acquisition deals and subsequent festival circuits, including possible slots at Cannes Official Selection, Berlin, and Toronto.
Verbatim Quotes
1. “Cinema has created many magnetic and iconic characters who dance on the edge of subversion and violence, from ‘American Psycho’ to ‘Silence of the Lambs,’ but few are women,” — Gabrielle Stewart, CEO, HanWay Films
2. “Antonia and Rooney have a very clear vision to challenge us with Maris, who tears through Paris on her ducati: enigmatic, beautiful, violent and a mother.” — Gabrielle Stewart, CEO, HanWay Films
3. “The ruthlessly unsentimental but alluring Maris (Rooney) tears into Paris, with her estranged ten-year-old son Maxy. Raised around her recently deceased father’s euthanasia work, she’s unsure if she’s even capable of feeling love. Setting up home in the charming Marais neighbourhood, she explores her capacity for human connection with Maxy, who desperately craves his mother’s love. Magnetic and funny, Maris easily draws people into her orbit, but her nocturnal habits hint at a dangerous violence that lurks beneath the surface. Unlike his amoral mother, Maxy knows right from wrong – and he’s clever enough to use her tricks against her to survive. Maris re-ignites a relationship with Alex, a devoted old flame whose growing love for Maxy forces her to make a deadly choice between mother and son.” — Official synopsis, *Quest for Love*
4. “ANCESTORS Ireland, UK Drama Director/writer: David Turpin Producers: Miranda Ballesteros, David Collins, Eamon Hughes Cast: Éanna Hardwicke, Jessica Reynolds, Jack Wolfe, Rupert Everett, Christina Hendricks Production: Screen Ireland, Yellow Moon, Northern Ireland Screen, Samson Films, Lunatica Sales: Mister Smith Synopsis: A love story, a noir mystery and a metaphysical fable, Ancestors follows Beau (Éanna Hardwicke) as he searches 1980s London for his missing friend, Tiny (Jack Wolfe).” — Official synopsis, *Ancestors*
6. “Synopsis: When 12-year-old Maya returns to rural India to reconnect with her estranged father, an accident linked to his illicit sand mining operation forces her to confront the dark truths beneath her family’s legacy Shalini Adnani is a Chilean-born, Indian-origin writer and director based in London.” — Official synopsis, *Our Share of Sand*
