When the world’s entertainment power brokers descend on Cannes for MIPCOM, the real deal-making often happens after the panels end. This year, cultural strategist Unik Ernest is betting on that after-hours energy with a curated series designed to turn convention-floor handshakes into cross-industry collaborations.
Guests at a Unik Ernest Group Event
Winnie Harlow at Unik Ernest Group Event
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will.I.Am at Unik Ernest Group Event
Guests at a Unik Ernest Group Event
A three-night invitation-only series extends the conversations of the global entertainment marketplace into curated cultural experiences on the French Riviera
The world needs more beautiful stories, and Culturin will harness the power of storytelling, technology, and cultural insights to amplify local cultures on a global stage.”— Unik Ernest NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, October 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Global cultural strategist and entrepreneur Unik Ernest is assembling leaders from entertainment, media, sports, music, technology, business, and the creator economy for the Culturin Cannes After Dark Series, a three-night run of invitation-only gatherings scheduled for October 12–14 at ELVA in Cannes, France, timed to coincide with MIPCOM Cannes.
MIPCOM, held October 12–15 at the Palais des Festivals, ranks among the entertainment industry’s premier global content marketplaces, drawing more than 10,600 executives and decision-makers from the international television, streaming, and content sectors. The annual event brings together over 3,300 buyers and 1,500 exhibitors from more than 110 countries, all converging to develop, finance, acquire, sell, and distribute content for worldwide audiences.
Set against that expansive industry backdrop, the Culturin Cannes After Dark Series aims to move the marketplace’s momentum beyond the exhibition halls, offering a more intimate setting where executives, creators, entrepreneurs, artists, and cultural leaders can forge connections that cut across industries and national borders.
The programming kicks off Monday, October 12, with the Welcome to Cannes Party, co-hosted by Piers Morgan Uncensored CEO Rashida Jones and Propagate Content COO Drew Buckley. The opening night is designed to greet the international creative community while spotlighting the individuals shaping the future of media, entertainment, and storytelling.
Tuesday, October 13, marks the global debut of Cinemalistics at MIPCOM Cannes, with an evening hosted by Anthony E. Zuiker, David Freeman, Donovan Leitch, Unik Ernest, and Doug Scott. The event gathers leaders from film, television, media, technology, and culture as Cinemalistics is introduced to the international entertainment community.
The series wraps Wednesday, October 14, with a Disco Night Closing Party, offering guests a final evening of music, hospitality, and connection along the French Riviera.
All three events are scheduled at ELVA, 13 Rue Docteur Gérard Monod, 06400 Cannes, France, and are strictly guest-list only.
Beyond the parties themselves, the series offers a glimpse into the larger ambition of Culturin, the cultural platform Ernest founded to link people, places, and organizations through experiences, storytelling, and technology. Culturin operates at the crossroads of culture, travel, hospitality, and media, crafting cultural programming and experiences for global communities, brands, and institutions.
“The world needs more beautiful stories, and Culturin will harness the power of storytelling, technology, and cultural insights to amplify local cultures on a global stage. Cannes brings together people from virtually every corner of the global entertainment business. Culturin After Dark is about creating the kind of environment where those worlds can meet more organically, relationships can develop, and conversations can become meaningful collaborations,” said Ernest.
For more than two decades, Ernest has built a career around precisely those intersections.
Haitian-born and Manhattan-based, Ernest is a cultural strategist, entrepreneur, and connector whose work spans hospitality, entertainment, brand partnerships, cultural diplomacy, philanthropy, and global experiences. Throughout his career, he has built connections among artists, executives, brands, governments, and corporations through partnerships across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. His work includes parties, promotions, and special events for Nike, Valentino, JetBlue, and NBCUniversal.
Through Lokee Worldwide Productions, the global event production and consulting company he founded, Ernest has developed experiences at the intersection of entertainment, hospitality, and culture, with work surrounding major global moments, including the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance, and the Grammy Awards. His broader portfolio has included campaigns, activations, and experiences for international brands and organizations across luxury, entertainment, travel, technology, and lifestyle.
His work has also extended into talent and cultural partnerships, connecting globally recognized artists and personalities with brands, venues, and international events. Across his ventures, Ernest has built a business model around a central belief: culture can serve not simply as an expression of identity, but as a powerful bridge between people, industries, and markets.
The Culturin Cannes After Dark Series brings that philosophy to MIPCOM, using hospitality as a vehicle for cultural exchange and creating spaces designed to encourage connections among people who may otherwise operate in entirely different industries.
Culturin is building a global ecosystem combining curated cultural experiences, destination storytelling, events, and media to help brands, tourism organizations, institutions, and communities share authentic local culture with global audiences.
About Unik Ernest
Unik Ernest is a cultural strategist, entrepreneur, and steward of legacy-driven projects. With more than two decades of experience across hospitality, creative industries, and social impact, Ernest transforms visionary ideas into culturally authentic, globally resonant institutions.
He bridges culture, commerce, and youth empowerment, designing spaces, programs, and partnerships that honor heritage while delivering sustainable impact. His portfolio spans cultural strategy, hospitality, global event production, brand partnerships, talent, philanthropy, and cultural diplomacy.
Through ventures including Culturin and Lokee Worldwide Productions, Ernest has built platforms and experiences designed to connect people across industries, communities, and borders while demonstrating the role culture can play in building relationships, creating economic opportunity, and shaping enduring legacies.
Culturin, founded by Ernest, is a global culture and experience platform connecting people, places, and organizations through authentic cultural experiences, storytelling, and technology. Drawing on decades of collective experience across hospitality, entertainment, and international event production, Culturin develops curated cultural programming around major global moments and creates opportunities for brands, institutions, destinations, and communities to engage audiences through meaningful cultural exchange.
Culturin’s team brings collective experience in developing and producing events surrounding some of the world’s most prominent international gatherings, including the Super Bowl, the Oscars, Davos, the Cannes Film Festival, and the United Nations General Assembly. Its growing ecosystem encompasses curated events, cultural experiences, content, and technology designed to help local stories and traditions reach global audiences.
To learn more about Unik Ernest, visit UnikWorld.com.
Media Contact
Alisha Magnus-Louis
The Hyphenate Group
Media@thehyphenategroup.com
Alisha Magnus-Louis
The Hyphenate Group
Why it matters: As global content marketplaces become increasingly crowded and digital, curated in-person gatherings like this one are emerging as critical spaces for relationship-building and cross-sector dealmaking. Ernest’s approach signals that culture, hospitality, and personal connection are becoming just as valuable as programming slots in the modern entertainment economy.
