Michel has uncanny nose for the Cannes competition. In 2016, he arrived at Cannes as the producer of both ELLE and TONI ERDMANN. Last year he backed both YOMEDDINE and CAPERNAUM, continuing an association with Arab cinema that includes MEKTOUB, MY LOVE, JAHILYA and APATRIDE. On his slate for this year is another Palme d’Or contender IT MUST BE HEAVEN as well as MEKTOUB MY LOVE: INTERMEZZO. Setting an annual target of five movies a year from different countries, Merkt normally puts up between 10-20% of a film’s budget.