European Film Streamer Sooner, Cannes Critics’ Week Unveil Partnership

France-based streaming platform Sooner and Critics’ Week have announced a new partnership bolstering the parallel Cannes section’s Next Step program, which supports directors as they move onto their first feature-length film.

The new partnership was announced as the latest round of Next Step participants arrive in Paris for meetings with producers and sales agents about their upcoming projects, following a week-long development workshop in Normandy.

Under the accord, Sooner will sponsor the Next Step Prize, worth €2,500 and including an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival.

Dedicated to independent films and series, Sooner was created out of the merger of French platforms Filmo and Universcine.

“Sooner has a real focus on arthouse cinema and for us it’s very interesting to have a connection with this type of platform,” said Critics’ Week and Next Step manager Thomas Rosso told Deadline.

“It’s very attentive to authors, filmmakers and young filmmakers, and in particular to short films, because there are quite a few short films on the platform. They want to connect with young talents from all over the world, since it really corresponds to their identity.”

Launched in 2014 by Cannes Critics’ Week, Next Step, supports the first feature films of directors who previously showed their shorts in the section focused on emerging filmmaking talents.

“In discussions with Critics’ Week about the Next Step award, it became clear that our shared values should be reflected in a partnership for the 2026 edition,” said Sooner exec Denis Rostein, CEO of its Le Meilleur Du Cinéma strand.

Ten participants are participating in the 12th edition of Next Step including include France-based Irish-British filmmaker Róisín Burns, whose short film Wonderwall played in the section this year, and Estonian director Anna Hints, who is best known for the 2023 documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood.