The Industry Office has joined forces with the Locarno Summer Academy to launch the pilot project Industry Academy (8 – 12 August), an educational, multi-disciplinary program for young industry professionals.
The Industry Academy will be a place where a group of nine young European professionals starting out in the areas of distribution, exhibition, sales and marketing, will meet with seasoned industry professionals. They come from six different countries: Belgium (Damien Le Délézir, Europa International; Vanessa Jarlot, O’Brother), Denmark (Peter Ahlén, Trust Nordisk), France (Océane Portal, Under The Milky Way), Spain (Espinar Gabriel Sanz, The Film Agency), Switzerland (Meryl Moser, Cinerive SA; Frédérick Herren, Cinepel SA; Yves Blösche, Filmcoopi) and UK (Oliver Charles, Peccadillo Pictures).
This initiative intends to fill an existing gap (very few European film schools have an industry section or even dedicate significant modules to this sector of the film industry) and be a very practical shortcut to the industry world with a strong international dimension.
Mentors and participants will talk about their respective professions and the challenges and changes they face, discuss concrete case studies, confront their points of views on specific issues and explore together new, innovative approaches in terms of sales, exhibition, distribution (including new platforms) and marketing strategies.
Confirmed guests include Susan Wendt (Trust Nordisk), Nicholas Kaiser (Memento Films International), Anne Delseth (Directors' Fortnight), Lane Kneedler (AFI Fest), Michel de Schaetzen (O’Brother), Pierre-Alexandre Labelle (Under the Milky Way), Yves Moser (Cinerive SA), Mary Nazari (Pioner Cinema).
The 3-day intensive workshop will include synergies with the main activities of the Industry Days such as Step In, the Carte Blanche, its industry screenings, networking Happy Hours as well as with the Open Doors Coproduction Lab and the Filmmakers Academy.
“I sincerely hope this project will be inspiring to these junior professionals, make them realize the important role they play in the career of films and filmmakers and encourage them to join forces and become creative entrepreneurs because their professions have never been so fascinating, open to innovation and new opportunities than today, lucky them!” says Sophie Bourdon, Locarno Industry Consultant at the origin of this initiative.
Marion Klotz, longtime Festivals Manager and Acquisitions Executive at Memento Films International, and since July of this year freelance consultant, will be the Coordinator of the program and the Tutor of the group.
“We hope the industry academy will be a mini-lab giving prominence to exchanges and small group discussions rather than an academical teaching session. We want to nurture our discussions about the future of distribution and sales by ideas, thoughts and experiences of both beginners and experts!” says Marion Klotz.
This Pilot Project has been designed in close cooperation with Europa Cinemas, Europa Distribution and Europa International.
