Industry Office

The mission of the Locarno Film Festival’s Industry Office, under the direction of Nadia Dresti, is to facilitate networking and exchanges among world film industry attendees at the event, with the prime aim of supporting producers and agents of titles presented at the Festival, helping them to find appropriate sales or distribution partners.

This year will see the launch of a special attraction for film professionals attending the Festival: the Industry Days, from 7 to 9 August. The idea is to create an ideal networking environment, with a program of Industry Screenings, plus debates and round tables focused on production and distribution issues. The Industry Badge, a special accreditation reserved exclusively for certain specific categories of attendees, will offer a range of benefits, including a personalized corporate profile of the accredited company in the Industry Guide, as well as use of the Industry Lounge – the ideal venue for business meetings, with free wi-fi access.

Our partnership with the Europa Distribution network continues this year, stronger than ever, keeping us in touch with its 80 member distributors across Europe. Their presence at Locarno is designed to strengthen the ties between the auteur productions selected for the Festival and distribution partners who are concerned to foster the same kind of quality filmmaking.

Since 2003 the Industry Office and Open Doors (this year devoted to central Asia) organize Open Doors Factory, a co-production workshop granting the filmmakers selected by Open Doors concrete assistance by organizing personal meetings with producers who are interested in their specific region. This professional support is also given to the Cannes Festival’s Cinéfondation film schools sidebar.
In all these various initiatives, the Industry Office has been able to count from the outset on the loyal support of two partners: European producers’ associations ACE (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen) and EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs).
This year the Industry Office can also count on the collaboration of another producer's association, the European Producer Club.

Again as part of the Open Doors program, the Locarno Festival will this year for the first time be showcasing the Indian film industry, in tandem with the National Film Development Corporation of Mumbai. Six screenwriters have been invited to Locarno, selected from a vast number of applicants. This initiative will be implemented by the Binger Filmlab, an Amsterdam-based film training facility. The guests from India will be taking part in the professional and social engagements organized by Open Doors.