Christine Vachon, the legendary U.S. indie film producer behind “Far from Heaven,” “Boys Don’t Cry” and HBO miniseries “Mildred Pierce,” will deliver a masterclass at Locarno Pro, the expansive industry program of the Locarno Film Festival.
Further masterclasses will be given by Katriel Schory, an architect of the modern build in Israel cinema as executive director of the Israeli Film Fund for 20 years; and by Lucius Barre, the renowned international film publicist who has represented early crossover films by Pedro Almódovar, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Atom Egoyan, Johnnie To and Tom Tykwer.
Neon Distribution will be the subject of a panel presentation on original-language film distribution in the U.S. Locarno Pro will also host four keynote speeches on the status of the film industry today, from its audience to audiovisual consumption in the post-pandemic era, to social impact in the film industry.
Channelled via StepIn and U30, the latter for young professionals, Locarno’s 2022 think tank focus will turn on film financing today and streaming platforms, structural changes and the transformation of some key industry professions, film markets and industry events in the hybrid era and, again, social impact in the film industry.
Confirming its highly popular industry screenings, which allow sales agents to screen movies selected for Locarno over its first weekend, Locarno Pro has now in place all of its major initiatives.
These range from a First Look pix-in-post showcase dedicated to Germany, titles to be announced later this month, to Match Me!, a relaxed but intense networking forum, mostly for emerging producers seeking to broaden their roster of potential co-production partners from around the world.
Featuring projects from now five countries – France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria – Alliance 4 Development will take in Mo Scarpelli’s anticipated “A Song That Slays” and “Der Fleck,” co-produced by Switzerland’s Michela Pini.
Locarno’s Open Doors project springboard and talent hub focuses for the first year on cineastes from smaller territories in Latin America, sometimes in the throes of rapid industry expansion.
An Industry Academy workshop will offer once more intensive training in international sales, marketing, traditional and online distribution, exhibition and film programming – a market focus which sets it apart from many industry initiatives.
A unique runoff the year Locarno Pro Heritage Online offers a database of classic and library films, some set to be highlighted at this year’s Festival.
For those who can’t attend Locarno, the festival is offering the chance to discover the variety of projects and professional opportunities through the Locarno Pro Online reserved area.
Source: Read Full Article