How to Get Paid at International Film Markets: Invoicing, FX and Getting Your Money Home

Stop losing money after the deal: how indie producers and sales agents actually get paid at film markets in 2026

You closed a sale at Unifrance or a similar market — congratulations. Now the hard part begins: invoicing an overseas buyer, avoiding hidden FX and bank fees, and repatriating your hard-earned euros, dollars or other currencies without losing a nasty slice to fees and bad rates. This guide gives practical, market-tested steps and scripts you can use right now at Rendez‑Vous Paris (Jan 2026) and every market after.

Quick summary — the 5-step playbook (read first, act now)

• Decide invoice currency up front and put it in your offer/contract (EUR, USD, or buyer currency).
• Offer 2–3 payment rails (OUR SWIFT wire, Wise/Payoneer/Airwallex, Escrow/LC for big deals) and state who pays intermediary fees.
• Use multi-currency business accounts to avoid immediate conversions and buy time for a good FX rate.
• Negotiate fee language ("All bank and intermediary charges borne by payer" or OUR) and get an MT103 or payment advice.
• Hedge or time conversion with a forward or limit order for large receipts — fintechs now offer SME hedging in 2026.

Why this matters more in 2026

Recent trends changed the payments landscape for international content deals:

• Markets like Unifrance (Jan 2026) show growing cross-border activity — more buyers from 40+ territories means more currencies and more FX headaches.
• Bank rails improved: many banks completed ISO 20022 upgrades and expanded SWIFT gpi adoption in 2024–2025, making tracking easier but not cheaper.
• Fintechs expanded SME hedging and multi-currency accounts in late 2025 — so you can now get forward contracts and limit orders without a bank relationship.
• Consolidation among distributors/sales agents (2025–26) means some counterparties will have in-house treasury tools — indie producers must be savvy to avoid being on the losing side of FX.

Start at the market: what to agree before you leave the table

At a market like Rendez‑Vous Paris you’ll secure verbal terms. Convert those into crystal-clear commercial terms immediately — it prevents disputes and hidden costs later.

1. Confirm currency and payment terms

Use one sentence in your offer and follow-up email: who pays and in what currency. Short scripts work best:

"We confirm licence fee of EUR 40,000, payable by wire to our EUR account within 30 days net. Payer to cover all intermediary/bank charges (OUR)."

If the buyer insists on paying in their local currency, accept only if you can receive and hold that currency in a multi-currency account or the buyer accepts a price adjusted for conversion costs.

2. Offer payment rails (best practice: 2–3 options)

• OUR SWIFT wire to your bank IBAN (best if buyer accepts; it limits your bank’s incoming deductions). Include IBAN, BIC/SWIFT, beneficiary name and address, and purpose/reference.
• Wise/Payoneer/Airwallex business account details — faster and cheaper for many currency pairs, and useful when buyers can’t or won’t use OUR wires.
• Escrow or Letter of Credit (LC) for sizeable license fees or pre-sales where trust is low. LCs add banking costs but remove payment risk.

3. Include a fee allocation clause — don’t rely on custom

Sample clause: "All bank charges (sending, intermediary and receiving) will be borne by Buyer. If Buyer sends funds net of charges, Seller will invoice Buyer for any shortfall." If the buyer objects to OUR, try SHA but recalculate expected net receipts.

Invoicing: the fields that stop later headaches

An invoice is a legal and accounting document — get it right. Missing details are the top reason funds get delayed or misapplied.

Must-have invoice elements for international film deals

• Invoice number and date
• Clear buyer and seller details (legal company name as on bank account)
• Contract or PO reference and territory/licence details
• Amount and currency of the invoice
• Bank details (IBAN/BIC for EUR; account number/SWIFT for others), or fintech account details
• Payment terms (NET 30, etc.) and late payment penalties if relevant
• Statement on bank charges and preferred OUR/BEN/SHA option
• Tax treatment (VAT, withholding tax (WHT) if applicable) and any required withholding certificate

Add a short line requesting an MT103 or SWIFT confirmation for the payment. That single request saves hours of back-and-forth when a payment appears missing.

Fees to expect — realistic ranges and how to reduce them

Know where the money disappears. Here are common fee lines and typical magnitudes in 2026.

• Sending bank fee: US banks often charge $20–40; European banks €10–30. Buyer may cover these if you agree OUR.
• Intermediary/correspondent fees: On USD rails these can be unpredictable — $15–80 depending on routing.
• Receiving bank fee: €0–30 — sometimes larger for non-residents or special accounts.
• FX spread: Traditional banks: 1.5–4% above mid-market. Fintechs: 0.2–1.2%. For small sums fintechs win; for very large sums consider brokered forwards.
• Platform fees: PayPal/Stripe/Payoneer can charge 2–5% + fixed per transfer for cross-border receipts.

Case study: a real-world example (numbers matter)

French producer sells a territory licence to a Polish buyer for EUR 30,000 but buyer insists on paying in PLN. Options:

1. Buyer wires PLN through bank (buyer bank fee 0, intermediary 40 PLN, your bank charges EUR 15 to convert and receive). Bank conversion spread 2.5%.
2. Buyer pays to your Wise PLN account. Wise fee = 0.7% plus a small fixed amount. You hold PLN in Wise and convert to EUR later at better rates.

Net result: bank wire route could cost ~€825 (2.75% FX + €15 fees); fintech route ~€210 (0.7%); difference = ~€615 saved by using a fintech and multi-currency account. That’s the kind of margin you don’t want to give away.

Repatriating funds: timing, taxes and treasury moves

Repatriation isn’t just about conversion — it touches accounting, tax and cashflow planning.

1. Document everything for tax authorities

Keep contracts, invoices, bank statements, and MT103 messages. For royalties or licence income, check withholding tax (WHT) in the buyer’s country and obtain certificates if reduced under a tax treaty. Poor documentation can delay transfers and trigger audits.

2. Hold in currency, convert strategically

Use multi-currency accounts to hold receipts until you get a better FX rate. Fintechs now offer tools to set limit orders (convert when EUR/PLN hits X). For larger receipts, use forward contracts to lock a rate.

3. Use hedging products when sums are material

In 2026, several fintechs and non-bank FX brokers provide forward contracts and options to SMEs — with transparent pricing and no bank-size minimums. Hedge if the receipt represents a large portion of your annual revenue.

4. Repatriation fees: pick the right partner

• For small/medium sums: Wise, Revolut Business, Airwallex, Payoneer — low spreads and competitive fees.
• For large sums (>$50k): specialist FX brokers or your bank’s corporate desk can offer better outright rates and hedging.
• For urgent/complex flows: banks still offer traceable SWIFT gpi receipts and compliance support, which may justify higher fees.

Red flags, scams and mistakes I see at markets

• Buyer claims to have wired but provides no MT103. Ask for it before releasing materials or final delivery.
• Buyer asks you to receive funds to a third-party account — never accept unless contractually clear and audited.
• Accepting local-currency payment without a plan to handle conversion and fees — always have a fintech or bank account that receives the currency.
• Letting a distributor change the invoice payee after the fact — insist on signed amendment and fresh bank details with KYC checks.

Negotiation lines and scripts you can use at Unifrance or any market

Short, clear scripts reduce negotiation friction and look professional.

• On currency: "We price in EUR; if you prefer local currency, we’ll provide a reconfirmed invoice reflecting the conversion costs."
• On fees: "We require OUR (sender pays) for bank wires. If Buyer will not accept OUR, Seller will invoice Buyer for any shortfall due to bank charges."
• On proof: "Please send MT103 as payment confirmation. We release delivery material after verification."
• On escrow: "For upfronts > €50k we require escrow or confirmed LC — we can share recommended providers."

Tools and providers to consider in 2026 (what I use and recommend)

Pick a combo of bank + fintech. Typical stack in 2026 for indies:

• Primary bank account (local) for payroll and taxes
• Wise Business for multi-currency receipts and small conversions
• Airwallex or Revolut Business for larger cross-border receipts and cards
• OFX, XE or a regulated FX broker for forwards/large conversions
• Escrow / trade finance provider for big pre-sales or unfamiliar buyers

Post-payment checklist — what to do the moment funds arrive

1. Obtain MT103 / payment advice and reconcile to invoice number.
2. Confirm net amount credited; if short, immediately contact buyer to resolve or invoice shortfall.
3. Save all documentation for tax filing and potential WHT refund claims.
4. If holding the foreign currency, set limit/stop or forward order if you plan to convert later.
5. Record the transaction in your accounting system with FX reference rate and realized gain/loss.

Final tips from sales agents and producers at Rendez‑Vous Paris (real experience)

At the 2026 Rendez‑Vous many sales agents shared the same lessons: be proactive on currency, set clear payment rails in the contract, and don’t assume the buyer’s bank will cover correspondent fees. One Paris-based agent told me they now include a standard FX schedule in their offer: a table showing net receipts under OUR vs SHA vs BEN for different currencies — buyers respect the transparency and accept OUR more often.

Advanced strategies for recurring international sellers

• Centralize receipts into a single multi-currency account for your sales arm — pooling improves negotiating power with FX brokers.
• Use rolling forwards to smooth FX risk across multiple deals.
• Negotiate partial payments in EUR or USD for critical costs (e.g., postproduction, festival obligations) to reduce currency mismatches.
• Work with a tax advisor about treaty benefits to reclaim withholding taxes where possible.

Wrapping up: a one-page checklist you can use today

• Agree invoice currency and payment rail at the market.
• Send a proforma/invoice with clear bank/fintech details and a fee clause.
• Request MT103 and set expectations on release of materials.
• Use a multi-currency account to hold receipts if buyer won’t pay in your currency.
• For receipts > €50k, get pricing from an FX broker and consider a forward.
• Keep all docs for tax and WHT recovery.

Execution wins here. A few minutes of clarity up front will keep thousands in your pocket and months of headaches out of your calendar.

Call to action

If you’re heading to Unifrance or another market this year, get our free one-page invoicing and payments checklist tailored for film markets — it includes copy‑and‑paste invoice clauses, OUR/SHA wording, and a quick FX cost calculator. Sign up on greatdong.com or contact your sales agent peer group and share this checklist before you negotiate your next deal.

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