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

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.

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)

PROGRAMME OF IN-PERSON EVENTS

9:30 Welcome / coffee & pastries

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)

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