Contributor's Guide Industry Events – 25th Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (2021)

I.E.: C.G. Industry Events: Contributors’ Guide.

25th Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur The Short Film Festival of Switzerland 9–14 November 2021, kurzfilmtage.ch Main Sponsor

Media Partners

We thank the partners of our Industry Events for their support and for sharing their knowledge.

Swiss Film School Day Organized by

In collaboration with

Industry Lab Organized by

In collaboration with

Supported by

Writers’ Room Organized by

In collaboration with

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Supported by

Table of Contents Swiss Film School Day

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Industry Lab Keynote: Kathleen McInnis on Gender Equality (en) Swiss Industry Information: Fast & Furious Funding for Shorts? (de/en) Market Meetings Short Pitching Keynote Talk: Giona Nazzaro (Artistic Director, Locarno Film Festival) in Conversation with Eddie Bertozzi (head of the Pardi di domani selection committee, Locarno Film Festival) (en) Panel: Award Season (en) Panel: Reality and Fiction in Documentary Film (de/en) Workshop: Resilience in the Film Industry (en) Panel: The Future of Shorts – Film Circulation on the International Film Festival Network and the Impact on Global Film Culture (en) Writers’ Room FOCAL Script Coaching Introductory Talk: From an Idea to a Film – How to Pitch a Screenplay (en) Panel: The Self-Image of Screenwriters (de/en) Conversation: Collaboration in the Writers’ Room (de/en) Conversation: Who Will Play My Hero/ine? (de/en)

Contacts

Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender Head of Industry Events industry@kurzfilmtage.ch

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Inken Blum Industry Coordinator industry@kurzfilmtage.ch

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Swiss Film School Day Thursday, 11 November 2021, 11:00 / 12:00 / 14:30 / 16:30 Casino 2, Stadthausstrasse 119, Winterthur

Every year, Switzerland’s top five undergraduate courses (ECAL – Lausanne University of Art and Design; HEAD Geneva University of Art and Design; Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK; Lucerne School of Art and Design – Video/Animation) present themselves at the Swiss Film School Day on Thursday during Kurzfilmtage, showing a selection of recent short films. The jury of the Swiss Competition gives feedback to the students and awards the prize for the Best Swiss School Film, worth CHF 5000.– (donated by SRG SSR). The winner will be announced at 21:00 in the festival bar.

Admission to the Swiss Film School Day is free – a great opportunity to get a first glimpse of Kurzfilmtage! Access is only granted at the start of each film session.

The Swiss Film School Day is organized by Kurzfilmtage in collaboration with SRG SSR and the Federal Office of Culture.

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Session I 11:00–12:00 Pro Libertate et Foedere Alexandre Haldemann, Switzerland 2021, 28’5’’, colour, black & white, French, en SUB, fic

So weit, so gut / So Far, So Good Leon Schwitter, Switzerland 2021, 13’29’’, colour, Swiss German, en SUB, fic

Session II

Session III

Session IV

12:00–13:20

14:30–16:00

16:30-18:10

Rondinella / Little Swallow

Cosmic Liz and Ivy Rose

Phlegm

Nikita Merlini, Switzerland 2021, 24‘10‘‘, colour, Italian/German/English, en SUB, fic

Maria Lena Koen, Switzerland 2021, 16’9’’, colour, English/Swiss German, en SUB, doc

Jan-David Bolt, Switzerland 2021, 6’24’’, colour, without dialogue, fic

Sauna

Manchmal weiss ich nicht wo die Sonne / Sometimes I Don't Know Where the Sun

Esther

Anna Lena Spring, Lara Perren, Switzerland 2021, 4’17’’, colour, without dialogue, ani

Dobri Gosti / The Good Guest

Samantha Aquilino, Switzerland 2021, 3’50’’, colour, black & white, German/English, en SUB, ani

Ivan Petrovic, Switzerland 2021, 19’27’’, black & white, Serbian, en SUB, fic

Ana Scheu Amigo, Switzerland 2021, 19’20’’, colour, Swiss German, en SUB, doc

Un papillon / A Butterfly Tabarak Abbas, Switzerland 2021, 5’51’’, colour, French/English/Arabic, en SUB, doc/exp

Impériale / Imperial Coline Confort, Switzerland 2021, 22’13’’, colour, French, en SUB, doc

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Screen Time Dan Wenger, Switzerland 2021, 3’43’’, colour, without dialogue, ani

Mémoires de méduses / Memories of Jellyfish

Es muss / It Must

Morgane Frund, Switzerland 2021, 8’40’’, colour, black & white, French, en SUB, exp

Luca Marano, Jumana Issa, Schweiz, 18’66’’, colour, Swiss German, en SUB, fic

Industry Lab Fri, 12 November 10:00–17:00 Alte Kaserne Winterthur, Technikumstrasse 8, Winterthu

This year’s Industry Lab, titled «Industry Introspection / Branchenintrospektion», focuses on introspection and self-reflection. Various events address the selfmanagement and organization as well as the inner mechanics of the short film industry. By discussing production and distribution strategies, we aim to make these processes more transparent and to outline future paths.

EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE

PROGRAMME OF IN-PERSON EVENTS

Available from 26/10 until 30/11/2021 Keynote: Kathleen McInnis on Gender Equality (en) In 2020, Kurzfilmtage, the Short Film Conference, and the Festival du Court Métrage Clermont-Ferrand launched a survey to collect solid data on gender equality in the short film industry.

Since the start of the project, many festivals worldwide have contributed valuable information. These results will be presented at the beginning of the talk. Afterwards, Kathleen McInnis will speak about the developments in the film industry, about what has changed over the past ten years, and about her experiences advocating for equality.

9:30 Welcome / coffee & pastries

Speaker: Kathleen McInnis (industry strategist) Introduction by the initiators of the survey: Lotte Kircher (Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur), Niels Putman (Short Film Conference), Julie Rousson (Festival du CourtMétrage de Clermont-Ferrand)

10:00–11:15 Swiss Industry Information: Fast & Furious Funding for Shorts? (de/en) What funding measures exist in Switzerland that allow fast production processes for short films? Unlike the annual «Fast Track» competition by Zürcher Filmstiftung, the funding initiative «Collection Lockdown» by SRG/ SSR is not a recurring programme, but both are examples of projects that aim to realize existing ideas quickly.

How important is it, in turn, to invest in long-term planning? What measures of promotion and funding exist for the sustained development of short films?

What are the pros and cons of these two approaches – «fast and furious» versus «calm and composed»? And what implications and experiences need to be taken into account?

Speakers: Matthias Christen (BAK), Julia Krättli (Zürcher Filmstiftung), Patrizia Pesko (Ciné Forom), Nadine Adler Spiegel (Migros Kulturprozent), Sven Wälti (SRG, SSR) Moderator: Lucie Bader (Cinébulletin)

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11:30–13:00 Market Meetings The Market Meetings offer filmmakers and international professionals an opportunity to network and discuss ideas for potential projects.

12:15–14:00 Short Pitching Kurzfilmtage invites Swiss filmmakers to pitch their ideas for short films to Swiss producers and thus meet with potential (co-)production partners.

Fiction, documentary, and animation projects are eligible.

14:00–15:00 (also available online) Keynote Talk: Giona Nazzaro (Artistic Director, Locarno Film Festival) in Conversation with Eddie Bertozzi (head of the Pardi di domani selection committee, Locarno Film Festival) (en) With its Pardi di domani section, the Locarno Film Festival boasts a long tradition in the field of short films.

Alongside the international and national competitions, the newborn Corti d’autore strand renews the festival’s mission of promoting the short form, showcasing short works by established filmmakers. But how can short films be successfully integrated and valued within the context of a larger, feature-oriented A-list festival?

15:15–16:45 (also available online) Panel: Award Season (en) Awards such as the Oscars or the European Film Awards (EFA) are often mentioned in connection with the success of a short film. But what is the best thing to do when a short film is selected for a qualifying festival and thus becomes eligible for nomination?

When is the right time to launch a campaign? How does a nomination benefit the creators’ future projects?

How can festivals support filmmakers in the awards race, and what investments are worthwhile?

SWISS FILMS is presenting a panel with seasoned filmmakers and experts.

Speakers: Joël Jent (producer/ director/screenwriter, Aaron Film), Catherine Lyn Scott (publicist, London Flair PR), Justin Pechberty (producer, Les Valseurs, Paris/Bordeaux), Kim Magnusson (producer and Head of Creative & Development, Scandinavian Film Distribution, Copenhagen) Moderators: Laura Daniel (Consultant Film, Talent & Awards, SWISS FILMS), Sylvain Vaucher (Consultant Short Films, SWISS FILMS)

15:15–16:45 Panel: Reality and Fiction in Documentary Film (de/en) When it came out that the multiaward-winning documentary «Lovemobil» contained staged scenes, the film was immediately withdrawn from circulation because the director had failed to designate those scenes as such. The case fuelled an intense debate about documentary filmmaking, especially about what makes documentaries «true» and where they border on the fictional. Yet this debate is anything but new – the status of documentary film between fact and fiction has always been ambiguous, making documentaries easy targets for attack. It is not by chance, then, that artistic documentary filmmaking has brought forth numerous forms, which continue to productively redefine documentary’s relation to reality.

Perhaps, what this debate needs most is a precise terminology.

Speakers: Margrit Tröhler (professor of film studies, UZH), Daniel Sponsel (artistic director and general manager DOK.fest München), Tizian Büchi (curator and director) Moderator: Hannah Pilarczyk (editor, DER SPIEGEL)

15:15–16:45 Workshop: Resilience in the Film Industry (en) The issues of mental health and stress management have never been as present as they are today. Resilience has long become a buzzword, not just in expert circles. The pandemic-induced challenges and obstacles of the home office have put additional pressure on filmmakers. Maintaining inspiration while struggling to meet tight deadlines and budgets, coordinating teams, and staying flexible has become a true balancing act! This workshop offers tips on how filmmakers can nevertheless remain relaxed and keep their cool.

Workshop facilitator: Bettina Grunwald (resilience coach) 15:15–16:45 Panel: The Future of Shorts – Film Circulation on the International Film Festival Network and the Impact on Global Film Culture (en) The «Film Circulation» project examines how films move through the festival landscape, tracking the circulation of several thousand films after their festival premiere. This collection of data forms the basis for a new method of mapping the festival runs of films. Skadi Loist will present the results of the research project and reveal some of the trends for short films. After the presentation, there will be time to discuss the results, as well as potential follow-up projects and co-operations.

Speaker: Skadi Loist (professor, Filmuniversität Babelsberg) Moderator: John Canciani

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Keynote: Kathleen McInnis on Gender Equality (en) Available from 26/10 until 30/11/2021

In 2020, Kurzfilmtage, the Short Film Conference, and the Festival du Court Métrage Clermont-Ferrand launched a survey to collect solid data on gender equality in the short film industry. Since the start of the project, many festivals worldwide have contributed valuable information. These results will be presented at the beginning of the talk. Afterwards, Kathleen McInnis will speak about the developments in the film industry, about what has changed over the past ten years, and about her experiences advocating for equality.

Speakers Kathleen McInnis (USA), industry strategist Kathleen McInnis (See-Through Films) works with emerging world cinema filmmakers to help them merge their creative and business development via their films on the premiere film festival circuit. Her festival experience includes Aspen ShortsFest, Palm Springs ShortFest, and Slamdance as festival director, as well as TIFF and Seattle as a programmer. She is a strategic publicist for films premiering at top-tier festivals, as well as producer for unique narratives and documentary films. She currently curates the SIFF New Works-in-Progress Forum.

Introduction by the initiators of the survey Lotte Kircher (SUI), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur After working at Berlinale and Filmfest Munich, Lotte worked as head of industry at Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur. She is an executive board member of SWAN, the Swiss Women’s Audiovisual Network, and the co-founder of the Questionnaire on Gender Equality in cooperation with Short Film Conference and Clermont-Ferrand. Lotte is based in Winterthur and moderates and hosts panels with a focus on mental health, sustainability, and gender equality.

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Niels Putman (BEL), Short Film Conference Niels Putman is a Belgian film journalist & critic, distributor and curator/ programmer living in Antwerpen. He holds a Master’s degree in film studies and visual culture and a Master’s degree in audiovisual arts. Niels is the editor-in-chief of Kortfilm.be – the only magazine in Flanders dedicated to short films – and the editor-in-chief as well as a co-founder of Talking Shorts. He also works as a distributor for Avila and is the managing director of Short Film Conference. Niels is affiliated with Torino Short Film Market as their communications manager and is part of the Leuven International Short Film Festival selection committee. His work as a freelance film journalist has been published in several Belgian outlets, such as Filmmagie, Etcetera, and De Morgen. He’s a member of the Belgian Film Press Union, the Ensor Academy, and FIPRESCI. Julie Rousson (FRA), Festival du Court-Métrage de Clermont-Ferrand Julie Rousson holds a Master’s degree in cultural project production, which she completed with a thesis about the impact of the internet and the digital revolution on the short film industry. She permanently joined Sauve Qui Peut le Court Métrage, the association behind the Clermont-Ferrand Int. Short Film Festival, in 2015 after several years of working for the festival on a project basis. She is a member of the international competition selection committee as well as the coordinator of the Pop-Up & #SHORT programmes and the industry events at the Short Film Market, especially Euro Connection and relations with administrative institutions. She has also been a board member of Short Film Conference since 2021.

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Swiss Industry Information: Fast & Furious Funding for Shorts? (de/en) 10:00–11:15

What funding measures exist in Switzerland that allow fast production processes for short films? Unlike the annual «Fast Track» competition by Zürcher Filmstiftung, the funding initiative «Collection Lockdown» by SRG/SSR is not a recurring programme, but both are examples of projects that aim to realize existing ideas quickly. How important is it, in turn, to invest in long-term planning? What measures of promotion and funding exist for the sustained development of short films? What are the pros and cons of these two approaches – «fast and furious» versus «calm and composed»? And what implications and experiences need to be taken into account?

Moderator Lucie Bader (SUI), Cinébulletin Lucie Bader has been the publishing director of Cinébulletin since 2014. She is a film lecturer at the University of Fribourg and at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies (CTLS) in London. She is also a member of national and international film juries and of the Swiss Film Academy.

Speakers Matthias Christen (SUI), BAK Matthias Christen has been head of film funding at the Federal Office of Culture since 2016. He studied history, geography, and sociology at the University of Bern, and holds a CAS NPO management from the University of Fribourg. From 2010 to 2013, he was an academic associate and project manager at the Universities of Berne and Zurich. From 2013 to 2016, he coordinated the transition from Erasmus to Erasmus+.

Julia Krättli (SUI), Zürcher Filmstiftung Julia has been the managing director of the Zurich Film Fund since 2019.

Previously, she managed a company for visual communication that she had co-founded, working with film, illustrations, visualization, and gamification. Their customers included large international firms. She holds a degree in art history and German philology from the University of Basel, as well as a degree in culture management from the University of St. Gallen.

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Patrizia Pesko (SUI), Ciné Forom Patrizia graduated from the Università Cattolica in Milan with a film history degree in 1997. From 1993 to 1999, she worked in the press office of the Locarno Film Festival. From 1999 to 2008, she was a commissioning editor for fiction, animation, and documentary at RSI – Radiotelevisione svizzera (Swiss Television SRG SSR). From 2003 to 2006, she was a member of the shorts selection committee at the Locarno Film Festival. From 2008 to 2012, she was consultant for Swiss films and crossmedia projects at the SRG SSR headquarters in Bern. Since April 2012, she has been the deputy secretary general and head of film funding at Cinéforom – Fondation romande pour le cinéma (regional film fund for the French-speaking part of Switzerland).

Nadine Adler Spiegel (SUI), Migros Kulturprozent Nadine Adler Spiegel manages the Migros-Kulturprozent Story Lab, a new laboratory for audiovisual narrative formats founded in 2021. She has been working for Switzerland’s largest private cultural funding institution for seven years.

Previously, she conceived and ran marketing campaigns for various distributors and production companies. With her background in film studies and German literature, her career has also included numerous engagements at film festivals, in cinemas, and in editorial teams.

Sven Wälti (SUI), SRG SSR Since 2012, Sven Wälti has been head of coproductions for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR in Bern. He is in charge of the «Pacte de l’audiovisuel», a national coproduction agreement between SRG SSR and independent Swiss producers. He is also a member of the Federal Film Commission (EFiK) and of ARTE’s programme committee.

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Market Meetings 11:30–13:00

The Market Meetings offer filmmakers and international professionals an opportunity to network and discuss ideas for potential projects.

Film Festival Representatives Aleksandra Ławska (POL), Short Waves Festival Aleksandra studied Danish philology and cultural studies at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. Since 2018, she has been heavily involved in projects at the Foundation of Cultural Education Ad Arte in Poznan, Poland. She has worked on multiple interdisciplinary projects, including educational activities such as workshops with students, teaching film programming, and the production of cultural events. Since 2019, she has been head of programming at the Short Waves Festival. She also cooperates with Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) in Montreal as a preselection committee member.

Anne Gaschütz (GER), Filmfest Dresden Anne grew up in Dresden, Germany, and later studied film in the UK. Upon returning to Dresden, she worked in film production at the Dresden-based production company filoufilm and later as a production manager on numerous short films.

She joined the selection committee for the International Competition of Filmfest Dresden in 2013 and became the festival’s co-director in 2020. She is one of the initiators of the online platform Talking Shorts. Anne joined Locarno’s Pardi di domani section in 2021.

Eddie Bertozzi (SUI), Locarno Film Festival Eddie Bertozzi holds a PhD in film studies from SOAS University of London. He served as programme manager of the Venice Critics’ Week from 2009 to 2020 and has been a programmer at Filmmaker Festival in Milan since 2017. In 2021, he joined the Locarno Film Festival as head of Pardi di domani selection committee and advisor for the competition sections. He has also worked as a buyer for feature film distribution since 2014. He is a member of the Union of Italian Film Critics and the European Film Academy.

Florian Fernandez (FRA), Cannes SFM Florian coordinates and curates a variety of events (first features and short film projects, pitches, workshops, tutoring sessions, meetings, panels, etc.) of Cannes Court Métrage’s Rendez-vous Industry, a five-day forum organized by the Festival de Cannes. Florian is also part of the Encounters Film Festival pre-selection team and has collaborated on the European Short Pitch reading committee as well as the Short Film Lab training programme.

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Giulio Vita (ITA), La Guarimba Film Festival Giulio (born in Italy in 1988) grew up in Venezuela. He studied journalism in Caracas and cinema in Madrid. He deals with communication and cultural management in all phases: from the conception to the implementation of projects that have a positive social impact. He is an expert in turning good ideas into excellent realities.

Hilke Doering (GER), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen Hilke Doering has been the head programmer of the International Competition at Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen since 1996.

Jason Anderson (CAN), Toronto International Film Festival Jason Anderson is a film programmer, writer, and lecturer based in Toronto.

He is the programmer for Short Cuts, the Toronto International Film Festival’s annual showcase of short-form cinema, and the programming director for Aspen Shortsfest, one of the premier short film festivals in North America. A longtime film critic and journalist, he contributes to such publications as Uncut magazine, Cinema Scope and Sight & Sound. He also teaches a course on film criticism at the University of Toronto.

Jukka-Pekka Laakso (FIN), Tampere Film Festival Jukka-Pekka Laakso has been the festival director of Tampere Film Festival since 2002, sharing the responsibility for strategic planning and programming with a co-director. He has been a member of more than 60 juries at film festivals.

Jukka-Pekka also acts also as the executive director for Pirkanmaa Film Centre, a local non-profit in Tampere that runs an art-house cinema, distributes films in Finland, and works extensively with media education. Jukka-Pekka is a member of the European Film Academy.

Julie Rousson (FRA), Festival du Court-Métrage de Clermont-Ferrand Julie Rousson holds a Master’s degree in cultural project production, which she completed with a thesis about the impact of the internet and the digital revolution on the short film industry. She permanently joined Sauve Qui Peut le Court Métrage, the association behind the Clermont-Ferrand Int. Short Film Festival, in 2015 after several years of working for the festival on a project basis. She is a member of the international competition selection committee as well as the coordinator of the Pop-Up & #SHORT programmes and the industry events at the Short Film Market, especially Euro Connection and relations with administrative institutions. She has also been a board member of Short Film Conference since 2021.

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Miguel Dias (PRT), Curtas Vila do Conde In 1993, Miguel founded Curtas Vila do Conde – International Film Festival, where is currently director and programmer. He is also the director of Agência – Portuguese Short Film Agency for the promotion, sale, and international distribution of Portuguese short films, and the director of Solar – Cinematic Art Gallery. He has produced several short films, and works as curator of short films, contemporary Portuguese cinema retrospectives, and film events. Miguel is also a programmer for the Short Film Day in Portugal and was a producer in the film department of Porto 2001 – European Capital of Culture.

Nora Gerwig (GER), Berlinale Generation Nora Gerwig studied literature, art, and media at the University of Konstanz. After finishing her master’s degree in 2015, she started to work for the Berlin International Film Festival. As head of programming for the Berlinale Generation short films, she focuses on short films that explore the worlds and lives of children and teenagers. Based both in Berlin and Tehran, she is also a curatorial advisor to German film projects in Iran.

Rich Warren (GBR), Encounters Rich Warren is the CEO for Encounters, the UK’s leading short film, animation, and immersive moving image celebration. Based in Bristol, the festival discovers, supports, and develops new talent, providing a platform for emerging and established filmmakers from around the world, and continues to be a unique meeting place for the industry.

Sanne Jehoul (GBR), Glasgow Short Film Festival Sanne is the programme director at Glasgow Short Film Festival, Scotland’s leading short film event, which she joined in 2014. She is also part of the team at Square Eyes, a Vienna-based sales and festival distribution agency, where she works across short films and publicity. She regularly freelances as a curator and writer, and in recent years, was a programmer and producer for Document Human Rights Film Festival in Glasgow. She sits on the advisory board of Femspectives (Glasgow) and the board of trustees of Glasgow Artists’ Moving Image Studios.

Simone Bardoni (ITA), Concorto Film Festival Simone is the artistic director of Concorto Film Festival in Italy. He graduated in film studies and film criticism and has been involved with cinema and programming since 2012. He also works as a professor of cinema studies, film critic, and film curator. Concorto is one of the most important short film festivals in Italy, located in Piacenza and Pontenure since 2002.

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Stefano Knuchel (SUI), Locarno Academy Stefano Knuchel is a documentary filmmaker whose works have been selected for major international festivals. In 2011, he created the Locarno Filmmakers Academy, which selects 20 promising young filmmakers of international cinema each year. Many of the participants have since established themselves on the international circuit. In 2019, he also created BaseCamp for the Locarno Film Festival, a place where 200 young people from all over the world and from different art forms meet to offer a new perspective on cinema.

Sven Schwarz (GER), Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg Sven is the managing director of the Hamburg International Short Film Festival, organized by Kurzfilm Agentur Hamburg, which also has their own distribution departments. He joined the festival in 2010, and also curates special programmes and thematic screenings. Sven is also a member of the Hamburg-based artist group A Wall is a Screen, which produces and curates short film events all over the world.

Buyers/Distributors Anna Leimbrinck (GER), Kurzfilmagentur Hamburg The Kurzfilm Agentur Hamburg (KFA) promotes both the distribution and public awareness of short films. Key areas are theatrical distribution, worldwide sales, the organization of the Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg and Mo&Friese Junges Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg.

Since 2014 Anna Leimbrinck works in the sales department that manages worldwide rights of around 250 high quality international shorts of all genres and subject matters. She is responsible for worldwide sales as well as acquisitions.

Ben Vanendaele (BEL), Radiator IP Sales Ben is a versatile producer, sales agent, and distributor. He’s based in Brussels, where he studied film editing at the Rits School of Arts. He is the founder of two companies: the production company Bekke Films and Radiator IP Sales, which has represented, distributed, and sold a total of 100 short films and several feature films to date. The films have been selected and awarded at multiple international film festivals, including Berlinale, Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, Sundance, SXSW, Locarno, and Venice. Ben is also an alumnus of Berlinale Talents, the Zurich Masterclass, and a member of European Film Academy.

Flavio Armone (ITA), Lights On Flavio Armone graduated in cinema history and, soon after, started working at film festivals. In 2015, he co-founded Lights On, a company that supports emerging filmmakers from all over the world, following them from the first steps in shorts to feature films. The movies distributed by Lights On have premiered at some of the most prestigious festivals worldwide, including Cannes Film Festival, Semaine de la Critique, Berlinale, Sundance Film Festival, Locarno Film Festival, and Quinzaine des Réalisateurs.

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Hidde de Vries (NLD), Kapitein Kort Hidde has been involved in distributing short films to film festivals since 2015 with his festival distribution company Kapitein Kort, with which he obtained a considerable number of selections at leading festivals. Kapitein Kort mainly works with students and those who are making their first, second, or third film.

Films aimed at young audiences, films with an LGBTQ+ theme, and short documentaries that transcend the genre are prominent in his catalogue.

Lorenza Tuan (GB), Shorts TV Lorenza is a cinema lover with 8 years of experience in acquiring, producing, and programming high quality content for TV and digital platforms. Based in London as an acquisition executive for Shorts International, she is always in the lookout for fresh stories and quality filmmaking for their global distribution to over 130 million households.

Sydney Neter (NLD), SND Films SND Films is a boutique sales agency founded in 1994. Selling short films, features, and one-hour docs. They are proud to be the exclusive agents for all of Bill Plympton’s animated shorts outside the USA, as well as other animated gems, such as «Ink» and «See Me». They also represent a great deal of high-quality LGBTQI shorts, like the Lithuanian «I Was Max» and «Jeremiah» from the US. The latest documentaries include the Venice premiere «Sad Film», the Annecy premiere «Dans la nature», and the fun Dutch «Pavement Party», as well as a biopic on Omar Sharif.

Other participants to be announced.

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Short Pitching 12:15–14:00

Kurzfilmtage invites Swiss filmmakers to pitch their ideas for short films to Swiss producers and thus meet with potential (co-)production partners. Fiction, documentary, and animation projects are eligible.

In preparation for the pitching sessions, participants receive professional pitching training with Norma Giannetta in the morning.

Pitching Coach Norma Giannetta (SUI), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur Norma grew up in Basel and now lives in Zurich, where she obtained an MA in f ilm and media studies from the University of Zurich. She is a freelancer in many fields within the film industry, including production, distribution, and promotion, as well as working as an editing and script coach. She has worked for several distributors, promoting especially Swiss documentary features. At Kurzfilmtage, Norma curates youth programmes and is in charge of the pitching training, among other things.

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Keynote Talk: Giona Nazzaro (Artistic Director, Locarno Film Festival) in Conversation with Eddie Bertozzi (head of the Pardi di domani selection committee, Locarno Film Festival) (en) 14:00–15:00 (also available online)

With its Pardi di domani section, the Locarno Film Festival boasts a long tradition in the field of short films. Alongside the international and national competitions, the newborn Corti d’autore strand renews the festival’s mission of promoting the short form, showcasing short works by established filmmakers. But how can short films be successfully integrated and valued within the context of a larger, feature-oriented A-list festival?

Speakers Giona Nazzaro (SUI), Locarno Film Festival Giona has been the artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival since 2020.

Previously, he was the general delegate of the Venice International Film Critic’s Week (2016–2020) and a member of the artistic team at IFFR – International Film Festival Rotterdam. He is a member of the European Film Academy and David di Donatello Academy. In the past, he worked with the Federal Film Commission in Switzerland and as a programmer and curator for Visions du Réel Nyon (2010–2020). He has also programmed for the Torino Film Festival, Festival dei Popoli (Florence, Italy), and the Festival Internazionale del Film di Roma. Giona is the author of books and essays on Hong Kong cinema and postmodern action films and regular contributor for the daily newspaper il manifesto and the weekly Film Tv. He also published a collection of short stories (2010) and the chief critic for the monthly music magazine Rumore. He curated the art exhibition Il di/segno del cinema – The De/Sign of Cinema (Cagliari, Italy).

Eddie Bertozzi (SUI), Locarno Film Festival Eddie Bertozzi holds a PhD in film studies from SOAS University of London. He served as programme manager of the Venice Critics’ Week from 2009 to 2020 and has been a programmer at Filmmaker Festival in Milan since 2017. In 2021, he joined the Locarno Film Festival as head of Pardi di domani selection committee and advisor for the competition sections. He has also worked as a buyer for feature film distribution since 2014. He is a member of the Union of Italian Film Critics and the European Film Academy.

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Panel: Award Season (en) 15:15–16:45 (also available online)

Awards such as the Oscars or the European Film Awards (EFA) are often mentioned in connection with the success of a short film. But what is the best thing to do when a short film is selected for a qualifying festival and thus becomes eligible for nomination? When is the right time to launch a campaign? How does a nomination benefit the creators’ future projects? How can festivals support filmmakers in the awards race, and what investments are worthwhile?

Moderators Laura Daniel (SUI), Consultant Film, SWISS FILMS Laura Daniel studied German, film studies and philosophy at the University of Zurich and New York University and obtained a CAS in innovation and change from the University of Basel. She joined SWISS FILMS in 2010 and was responsible for developing the Award & Talents department. Laura also served as managing director of the Swiss Film Academy from 2010 to 2013. Prior to that, she worked for a sales agent as well as for various film festivals and production companies.

She has chaired the board of Schweizer Jugendfilmtage since 2021.

Sylvain Vaucher (SUI), SWISS FILMS Sylvain Vaucher (*1977) studied history and aesthetics of film, as well as journalism at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), receiving his MA in 2004. He then collaborated with the Festival Tous Ecrans (now GIFF) in Geneva from 2004 to 2005. Since 2006, he has been working for SWISS FILMS, the promotion agency for Swiss filmmaking, where he has been in charge of the international promotion of Swiss short films. He was also involved in media relations until 2013, and since 2014, he has been organizing Swiss short film programmes. Since 2016, Sylvain has been a consultant for short films at SWISS FILMS.

Speakers Joël Jent (SUI), Aaron Film Born in 1983, Joël studied film, political science, and social/economic history at University of Zurich, graduating with an MA in 2010. Since 2003, he has produced several shorts, documentaries, and feature films, including «Baghdad in My Shadow» and the 3D doc «Iraqi Odyssey», as well as the short films «Bon Voyage» and «Facing Mecca» (Student Academy Award winner 2017). Since 2019, Joël has been working as an independent screenwriter and filmmaker.

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Catherine Lyn Scott (USA), London Flair PR 15 years ago, entertainment publicist Catherine Lyn Scott founded London Flair PR in Los Angeles, and a few years later, she opened the London office.

Working on both sides of the Atlantic, she has helped clients receive 17 Oscar nominations, 5 Academy Award wins, 6 BAFTA nominations, and a BAFTA win. Her films have starred actors like the late Sir John Hurt, Melissa Leo, and Catherine Deneuve. Through London Flair PR, she creates publicity campaigns for actors like Billy Zane, Jeremy Swift, and Oscar-winner Rachel Shenton. They also talent wrangle for film festivals and events.

Justin Pechberty (producer, Les Valseurs, Paris/Bordeaux)

Kim Magnusson (producer and Head of Creative & Development, Scandinavian Film Distribution, Copenhagen)

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Panel: Reality and Fiction in DocumentaryFilm (de/en) 15:15–16:45

When it came out that the multiaward-winning documentary «Lovemobil» contained staged scenes, the film was immediately withdrawn from circulation because the director had failed to designate those scenes as such. The case fuelled an intense debate about documentary filmmaking, especially about what makes documentaries «true» and where they border on the fictional. Yet this debate is anything but new – the status of documentary film between fact and fiction has always been ambiguous, making documentaries easy targets for attack. It is not by chance, then, that artistic documentary filmmaking has brought forth numerous forms, which continue to productively redefine documentary’s relation to reality. Perhaps, what this debate needs most is a precise terminology.

Moderator Hannah Pilarczyk (GER), DER SPIEGEL After jobs at taz and NEON, Hannah (*1977 in Hamburg) has been an editor in the cultural department at SPIEGEL/SPIEGEL ONLINE since 2009. She is also on the advisory board of the German film critics’ association, of the Marburg camera awards, and of Haus des Dokumentarfilms (Stuttgart). Her publications include «Ich hatte die Zeit meines Lebens. Über den Film ‹Dirty Dancing› und seine Bedeutung» (Ed.).

Speakers Margrit Tröhler (SUI), professor of film studies Margrit Tröhler is Professor Emeritus of film studies at the University of Zurich.

Her fields of research include documentary and essay films, the intersection of fiction and non-fiction in film theory and practice, film aesthetics and visual culture, and the history of film theory (mainly French and German).

Daniel Sponsel, DOK.fest München Daniel Sponsel studied photography at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg and film at the University of Television and Film in Munich. He has worked as a director and cinematographer on many documentary films. He now lectures at various institutes and universities and has written several publications on the theory and practice of documentary Film. Since 2009, he has been the director of DOK.fest Munich.

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Tizian Büchi, Curator / Director Tizian graduated from the University of Lausanne in history and aesthetics of cinema and from the Institut des Arts de Diffusion (IAD – Belgium) in directing. He works as a distributor for the Zurich-based company Look Now!, as a teaching assistant in the film department of HEAD Geneva, and as a programmer for various festivals, including Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF), Locarno Film Festival, and currently Solothurn Film Festival as well as Kurzfilmtage. After the «On avait dit qu’on irait jusqu’en haut» and «La saison du silence», «L’îlot» is his first feature film.

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Workshop: Resilience in the Film Industry (en) 15:15–16:45

The issues of mental health and stress management have never been as present as they are today. Resilience has long become a buzzword, not just in expert circles. The pandemic-induced challenges and obstacles of the home office have put additional pressure on filmmakers. Maintaining inspiration while struggling to meet tight deadlines and budgets, coordinating teams, and staying flexible has become a true balancing act! This workshop offers tips on how filmmakers can nevertheless remain relaxed and keep their cool.

Workshop facilitator Bettina Grunwald (GER), resilience coach Bettina Grunwald is a positive activist for more joy of life, holistic health, and higher energy, as well as the founder of BEmotions. Always working in the healthcare sector, she ignored her own health for a long time, until a stroke of fate gave her a wake-up call for a new life. Today, she trains and coaches people who want to achieve more in their personal development and motivates people as a passionate outdoor fitness trainer. «Life is like riding a bicycle – to keep your balance you must keep moving».

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Panel: The Future of Shorts – Film Circulation on the International Film Festival Network and the Impact on Global Film Culture (en) 15:15–16:45

The «Film Circulation» project examines how films move through the festival landscape, tracking the circulation of several thousand films after their festival premiere. This collection of data forms the basis for a new method of mapping the festival runs of films. Skadi Loist will present the results of the research project and reveal some of the trends for short films. After the presentation, there will be time to discuss the results, as well as potential follow-up projects and co-operations.

Moderator John Canciani (SUI), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur John Canciani is the artistic director of Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and a programmer at Kino Cameo in Winterthur. He has curated numerous programmes with short and feature films, including Blow-Up, der voyeuristische Blick, Tattoo im Film, Independent Cinema USA: 9/11, Who’s Afraid of the Public?, Heavy Metal, Moving Art II – O Cinema Where Are Thou?, as well as retrospectives of George Mélies, Ivan Ladislav Galeta, H.R. Giger, Christoph Girardet & Matthias Müller, Jan Soldat, Kim Ki-duk, Hans-Christian Schmidt, and others. He holds an MAS in curating.

Speaker Skadi Loist (GER), Filmuniversität Babelsberg Skadi is Assistant Professor for production cultures in audiovisual media industries at the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf in Potsdam, Germany, with a research focus on film festivals, circulation and distribution, queer film culture, fair labour, and diversity and sustainability in screen industries. Skadi co-founded the Film Festival Research Network in 2008, has worked with queer film festivals, and is an editorial board member of NECSUS: European Journal of Media Studies.

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Writers’ Room Sat, 13 November

10:00–17:30 Alte Kaserne Winterthur, Technikumstrasse 8, Winterthur Kurzfilmtage’s annual Writers’ Room is a networking platform for Swiss and international authors.

This year’s Writers’ Room focuses on screenwriters’ writing process as well as their rights and their self-image. The event aims to present the creative mechanisms and legal frameworks of developing and marketing stories, and to inform participants about useful networks.

Individual meetings FOCAL Script Coaching During Kurzfilmtage, FOCAL offers free coaching sessions for selected short film projects. The sessions last 60 to 90 minutes and will be scheduled in advance with the script coaches Christa Capaul, Uwe Lützen, Maria Brendle, and Nora Longatti.

PROGRAMME 9:30 Welcome / coffee & pastries 10:00–11:15 Introductory Talk: From an Idea to a Film – How to Pitch a Screenplay (en) Most film projects start out with a script – but how does the script become a film? The introductory talk is dedicated to the significance of the pitching process in the development of a film project. In which phase of development are screenplays pitched, how are stories developed in collaboration with directors and producers, and how are scripts presented to TV programmers and streaming services?

Speakers: Olga Lamontanara (Head of Coproduction Forum, European Short Pitch) Moderator: Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender

11:30–13:00 (also available online) Panel: The Self-Image of Screenwriters (de/en) While hardly any film lacks a screenplay, there is often a lack of appreciation for the work of the authors – both contractually and during the production process. In recent years, however, writers’ self-image in this respect has started to change. In various countries, authors have launched initiatives to make their voices heard, among them «Kontrakt 18» in Germany and «Paroles de scénaristes» in France. Screenwriter Stefan Staub will talk to authors from Germany and Switzerland about these initiatives and about the potential opportunities they offer to the local film industry.

Speakers: Marianne Wendt (screenwriter and showrunner, Kontrakt 18), Christa Capaul (screenwriter, board member of ARF and Scénario), Maya Fahrni (FOCAL, head of the screenplay division) Moderator: Stefan Staub (screenwriter)

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13:00–14:00 Writers’ Room Lunch 14:00–15:30 Conversation: Collaboration in the Writers’ Room (de/en) What does collaboration in the writers’ room actually look like? Who is in charge, and what are the procedures?

How are the processes structured into phases of creative exchange and implementation? And how much can authors contribute their own ideas?

Béla Batthyany, author behind the successful Swiss series «Wilder», talks about the challenges and joys of collaboration.

15:45–17:15 (also available online) Conversation: Who Will Play My Hero/ine? (de/en) Screenwriters develop characters and endow them with personality traits and a physical appearance. Sometimes, they already have certain actors in mind when writing their scripts, yet they are rarely involved in casting the roles. In the final conversation of the day, screenwriters and a casting agent talk about who has a say in selecting actors and about the luxury of being able to choose them.

Speakers: Béla Batthyany, Marianne Wendt, Nora Leibundgut (casting director, Glaus Casting)

Speaker: Béla Batthyany Moderator: Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender Moderator: Monika Schärer

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FOCAL Script Coaching Individual meetings During Kurzfilmtage, FOCAL offers free coaching sessions for selected short film projects. The sessions last 60 to 90 minutes and will be scheduled in advance with the script coaches Christa Capaul, Uwe Lützen, Maria Brendle, and Nora Longatti.

Script Coaches Christa Capaul (SUI) Christa Capaul, screenwriter and script editor, trained at UCLA, PILOTS, and in classes taught by Frank Daniel, Linda Seger, Jürgen Wolff, John Vorhaus, and others. She writes scripts for TV and theatrical movies, sitcoms, series, and docufiction, of which a few dozen have been produced. She also works as a script coach and consultant for shorts, features, and animated films (freelance, FOCAL, HSLU, Drehbuchwerkstatt München), and as a lecturer.

Uwe Lützen (GER) Uwe Lützen is a screenwriter, script consultant, playwright, and storyteller. He was born in Germany, survived the «culture clash» of migration, and grew up in Switzerland. He attended the universities of Zurich and Amsterdam and holds a Master’s degree in film studies and German literature. He has a background in theatre and made his way into movies with «Dead Fucking Last», a «rad yet racy» (NZZ) comedy. He is based in Zurich and Berlin and is represented by Verlag der Autoren, Frankfurt/Main.

Maria Brendle (SUI) Maria Brendle is an award-winning director and scriptwriter based in Zurich, Switzerland. She received her bachelor’s degree in film from the Zurich University of the Arts and her master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience from the Academy of Neuroscience (aon) Cologne. Maria graduated from the renowned Drehbuchwerkstatt Munich. Her films had multiple international festival successes and qualified twice for the Academy Awards® for Best Live Action Short.

Nora Longatti (SUI) Nora Longatti (born 1989 in Biel) studied fine arts and photography at UMPRUM Prague and ZHdK Zurich. Since then, Nora has worked as an independent filmmaker and artist. Her short film «Bloc B», featuring residents of the satellite town La Bourdonnette in Lausanne, won the award for the best school film at Kurzfilmtage in 2019. Her last short film, «Chute», won the Pardino d'Oro at the Locarno Film Festival and the Golden Puffin at RIFF this year.

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Introductory Talk: From an Idea to a Film – How to Pitch a Screenplay (en) 10:00–11:15

Most film projects start out with a script – but how does the script become a film?

The introductory talk is dedicated to the significance of the pitching process in the development of a film project. In which phase of development are screenplays pitched, how are stories developed in collaboration with directors and producers, and how are scripts presented to TV programmers and streaming services?

Moderator Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender (GER), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur Gabriela studied German, film/television/theatre studies, and history in Frankfurt, Berlin, and Paris. She has worked as a producer for several film production companies. She worked as film curator and programme advisor for the Berlinale Forum, the Goethe-Institut, and the Solothurner Filmtage. She is also an author, moderator, editor, script consultant, and dramaturgical advisor. As of this year, she is the head of Industry Events at Kurzfilmtage. She lives with her family in Berlin.

Speaker Olga Lamontanara (SUI), European Short Pitch After experiences at BAM, New York, and Scuola Holden, Turin, Olga was part of the team launching TorinoFilmLab in 2008, where she worked first as project manager, then as head of communication until 2018. Since 2019, she has been a producer at Cinédokké, Lugano, and she collaborates with 8horses, Zurich, on international co-productions. In 2020, she was appointed Head of Coproduction Forum for the short film initiative European Short Pitch and also became a producer at Amka Films.

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Panel: The Self-Image of Screenwriters (de/en) 11:30–13:00 (also available online)

While hardly any film lacks a screenplay, there is often a lack of appreciation for the work of the authors – both contractually and during the production process. In recent years, however, writers’ self-image in this respect has started to change. In various countries, authors have launched initiatives to make their voices heard, among them «Kontrakt 18» in Germany and «Paroles de scénaristes» in France. Screenwriter Stefan Staub will talk to authors from Germany and Switzerland about these initiatives and about the potential opportunities they offer to the local film industry.

Moderator Stefan Staub (SUI), screenwriter Stefan Staub (*1980 in Bern) studied journalism, film studies, and social psychology at the University of Zurich. He worked in promotion and press relations for Frenetic Films, as well as in programming and coordination for Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and the Solothurn Film Festival. In between, he trained as a screenwriter at Drehbuchwerkstatt Munich. Since 2014, he has been working as a freelance screenwriter.

Speakers Marianne Wendt (GER), Kontrakt 18 Marianne Wendt is a Berlin-based creator, screenwriter, and showrunner. Her drama «Reformation» (2 x 90 mins, 2017) was broadcast on BBC Four and ZDF. She co-created the six-part drama series «Eden» (SWR/Arte France), which premiered in the official competition of Series Mania and won the Grimme Preis in 2020. Her «Irish Crime Series» (4 x 90 mins, ARD/Degeto) was screened in 2020/2021. Marianne works as creator/showrunner on the eight-part drama series «Neumatt» (Zodiac/SRF), which premiered at ZFF 2021.

Christa Capaul (SUI), screenwriter Christa Capaul, screenwriter and script editor, trained at UCLA, PILOTS, and in classes taught by Frank Daniel, Linda Seger, Jürgen Wolff, John Vorhaus, and others. She writes scripts for TV and theatrical movies, sitcoms, series, and docufiction, of which a few dozen have been produced. She also works as a script coach and consultant for shorts, features, and animated films (freelance, FOCAL, HSLU, Drehbuchwerkstatt München), and as a lecturer.

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Maya Fahrni (SUI), FOCAL Maya Fahrni studied German, English, and art history at the University of Zurich.

From 2008 to 2019 she worked as a programming manager for Swiss Television, supervising and developing numerous TV films, feature films, and TV series. As a freelance script and story editor, she has been advising production companies and authors on the development of screenplays and series concepts since 2019.

Since autumn 2021, she has been responsible for the national advanced training program in scriptwriting at Focal.

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Conversation: Collaboration in the Writers’ Room (de/en) 14:00–15:30

What does collaboration in the writers’ room actually look like? Who is in charge, and what are the procedures? How are the processes structured into phases of creative exchange and implementation? And how much can authors contribute their own ideas? Béla Batthyany, author behind the successful Swiss series «Wilder», talks about the challenges and joys of collaboration.

Moderator Monika Schärer (SUI) Monika Schärer is a journalist, producer, and presenter. Since 1989, she has hosted cultural programmes on National Swiss Radio and Television, interviewed many celebs from the film world, and produced and directed her own documentaries with Topicfilm. At the Solothurn Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, and other film events, she holds master classes and film talks.

Speaker Béla Batthyany (SUI), screenwriter Béla studied psychology and film studies in Zurich and Paris. He later graduated from the ZHdK film college in Zurich. Today, he is an author and editor at the documentary film department of Swiss Television (SRF) and a screenwriter, creator, and head writer of the successful Swiss TV series «Wilder».

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Conversation: Who Will Play My Hero/ine? (de/en) 15:45–17:15 (also available online)

Screenwriters develop characters and endow them with personality traits and a physical appearance. Sometimes, they already have certain actors in mind when writing their scripts, yet they are rarely involved in casting the roles. In the final conversation of the day, screenwriters and a casting director talk about who has a say in selecting actors and about the luxury of being able to choose them.

Moderator Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender (GER), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur Gabriela studied German, film/television/theatre studies, and history in Frankfurt, Berlin, and Paris. She has worked as a producer for several film production companies. She worked as film curator and programme advisor for the Berlinale Forum, the Goethe-Institut, and the Solothurner Filmtage. She is also an author, moderator, editor, script consultant, and dramaturgical advisor. As of this year, she is the head of Industry Events at Kurzfilmtage. She lives with her family in Berlin.

Speakers Béla Batthyany (SUI), screenwriter Béla studied psychology and film studies in Zurich and Paris. He later graduated from the ZHdK film college in Zurich. Today, he is an author and editor at the documentary film department of Swiss Television (SRF) and a screenwriter, creator, and head writer of the successful Swiss TV series «Wilder».

Marianne Wendt (GER), Kontrakt 18 Marianne Wendt is a Berlin-based creator, screenwriter, and showrunner. Her drama «Reformation» (2 x 90 mins, 2017) was broadcast on BBC Four and ZDF. She co-created the six-part drama series «Eden» (SWR/Arte France), which premiered in the official competition of Series Mania and won the Grimme Preis in 2020. Her «Irish Crime Series» (4 x 90 mins, ARD/Degeto) was screened in 2020/2021. Marianne works as creator/showrunner on the eight-part drama series «Neumatt» (Zodiac/SRF), which premiered at ZFF 2021.

Nora Leibundgut (SUI), Glaus Casting Nora (*1983 near Zurich) studied sociology and film studies at the University of Zurich, receiving her MA (Swiss Cinema Network) in 2011. Since 2012, she has worked as a casting director with Corinna Glaus Casting on projects such as «Neumatt», «Frieden», «Platzspitzbaby», «Wolkenbruch», and «Die göttliche Ordnung». Since 2016, she has increasingly served as casting director, with projects including «Spagat», «Facing Mecca», and «Tatort Zürich».

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