Locarno Residency

The Locarno Residency aims to offer support and guidance in what is an important key rite of passage for many filmmakers, their first feature. The Locarno Film Festival has always stood out as a place of discovery for new talents, and in line with its mission intends to offer young filmmakers an opportunity to receive assistance in developing a full-length feature, in the shape of online sessions and in-person group discussions.

Phase One of the initiative, open to ten participants who will be selected by the artistic team of the Locarno Film Festival on the basis of the film projects submitted and their career profiles to date, will take place during the 77th edition of the Festival in August. Each participant will be able to discuss their film concepts with a jury of three film industry personalities, who will then pick out three projects: two international and one Swiss.

The three selected participants will go on to Phase Two, a tutorial pathway featuring both online and extended in-person sessions, lasting one year. A first mentoring session on the treatments will take place in the winter season and a second session will be held in the Spring; both locations will be announced shortly and participants travel and accommodation expenses will be covered for both sessions.

What to expect from the Locarno Residency

10 participants selected for phase one

• 3-day stay during the 77th edition of Locarno Film Festival
• Accreditation for all screenings
• Networking with industry attendees

3 participants selected for phase two

• An individual tutorial pathway to assist the development of your project
• Two tailored online sessions catered to your needs
• An in-person session in the Winter, with a food allowance and all travel and accommodation expenses fully covered
• A second in-person session in Spring, with a food allowance and all travel and accommodation expenses fully covered
• Mentoring throughout the program by dedicated tutors
• Meet with key industry players and take part during sessions in events organized by Locarno Film Festival in the Spring
• Participation in Locarno78 for the final session, where your project will be highlighted by Locarno Pro amongst key industry professionals

The winning project will receive

• CHF 5.000