Cannes 2026 hosted a conversation about how to bring culturally specific stories to a global marketplace. IndieWire teamed with the American Pavilion to stage Local to Global Storytelling, a talk sponsored by Gold House that unpacked funding and greenlight dynamics for international projects.
Moderated by Christine Yi, Gold House’s chief brand officer, the panel brought together Bao Nguyen, Jake Casey, and Zach Glueck to discuss how projects rooted in particular cultures can still reach wide audiences while navigating Hollywood’s funding machinery. They described a dual goal: stay true to the story’s origin and tailor its packaging for investors and distributors.
Key takeaways for financing specificity
Glueck argued that placing a project in a familiar genre can widen its appeal. He noted that investors often think in terms of potential sales, and a clear genre framework helps translate a culturally specific idea into a trailer-ready pitch.
Casey stressed authenticity as the engine of a good film. He said audiences sense when a project is built from genuine artistic impulse rather than engineered to fit a market, and that honesty tends to yield stronger engagement and heritage storytelling.
Nguyen illustrated how he leverages simple loglines to convey deeper themes. He cited his BTS documentary and a Vietnamese short, The Dream is a Snail, as examples where a specific premise can feel universal once explained succinctly yet remains uniquely local in execution.
The group emphasized that successful financing requires both clear storytelling and smart packaging—ensuring the project can be pitched from logline to distribution plan with confidence. The full panel is available to watch in the video above.
Gold House describes itself as a cultural ecosystem that unites Asia-Pacific creators with funders and partners to advance tomorrow’s leaders. The nonprofit supports investments, research, and programs that push for authentic, inclusive portrayals across the industry.
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