The Locarno Film Festival is pleased to announce the launch of a new project named Locarno Residency, with the support of Swiss Life: a tutorial pathway for young filmmakers working on their feature-length directorial debut. The Residency provides tutorial assistance and a first-feature development support screenwriting program, with both online sessions and in-person group workshops in Locarno. Candidates can apply until 2 May 2022.
Following up on the 9th edition of L’immagine e la parola, the Locarno Film Festival’s springtime event centered this year on the future prospects for images, the Festival continues its investment in the future with a brand-new initiative created for young filmmaking talents.
Dedicated as always to nurturing the professional skills of young creatives, the Festival decided in its 75th anniversary year to set up the Locarno Residency: a project which will support participants in developing their first full-length feature – a vitally important step in the career of every filmmaker. The initiative has been made possible by the support of Swiss Life which, as a partner of the short films section Pardi di domani, is keen to contribute to developing the careers of young talents making the jump from short to full-length format, and this new program will certainly foster the growth of participants through practical, hands-on assistance with their films.
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Daniela Persico, Locarno Residency Project Manager
Phase One of the project, open to a shortlist of ten participants selected on the basis of the submitted project and their career profile to date, will take place during the 75th edition of the Locarno Film Festival. From 4 to 7 August 2022, participants will be called to discuss the concepts for their respective films before a jury of film industry professionals. This jury will select three projects to continue on the Locarno Residency pathway.
The three finalists will join a tutorial pathway featuring multiple sessions both online and in-person, lasting one year. A first mentoring session on developing treatments for the films will take place from 5 to 18 December 2022 in Venice, at the prestigious venue of Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Switzerland in Milan. A second session, lasting for the whole of March 2023, will be held near Locarno at the Eranos Foundation in Ascona-Moscia, a place for peace and careful thought at which the screenplays will be worked on with the Residency tutors and with input from the artistic team of the Locarno Film Festival. During the final phase, the projects will be presented in the context of the activities of Locarno Pro during the 76th Festival in 2023, allowing the young directors to network with leading players in the film industry. The crowning moment will be the awarding of prizes that will contribute towards the completion of the winning feature-length projects.
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Submissions
Projects can be submitted for consideration for the Locarno Residency by candidates who are under the age of 40, of any nationality, and are for the first time making the transition to a new format – a film of over 60 minutes in length: first fiction feature, first full-length documentary, or first co-direction. Projects submitted will be assessed by the artistic team of the Locarno Film Festival, which will shortlist the ten initial candidates.
The deadline for submissions is 2 May 2022.
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