Press Releases  ·  22 | 07 | 2020

StepIn 2020 Online Edition in partnership with Variety.
Registrations are now open.

StepIn is one of the most renowned international think tanks imagining and discussing the way forward for the film industry. Selected film professionals get together to relate their experiences, to inspire and get inspired by one another, and to brainstorm ways to bring about new behaviours, practices, and business models.

As is the case everywhere, in 2020 our participants will not be able to meet in person in Locarno. Still, we feel that what the world is going through now requires more than ever this process of confrontation and debate. And so, for this reason, Locarno Pro decided to turn digital hosting a number of virtual events, including an online edition of StepIn, open to all industry participants, extending our collaboration to Variety.

The StepIn 2020 virtual event will be hosted in the Variety Streaming Room, consisting of three 50-minute sessions taking place during the first three days of Locarno Pro (5-7 August, each starting at 5pm Central European Time). These will deal, respectively, with the future of the theatrical distribution, the state of independent film production, and the future of film festivals and markets.

Each session will be moderated by one of the key journalists from Variety and will involve top international speakers from varied sectors of the film industry. These discussions will therefore have a significance to the present moment, stemming directly from the ever-shifting experience of those on the ground. This debate is more crucial now than ever before.

You can now register for StepIn via this link: variety.com/locarnoprostepin

 

The Sessions in the Variety Streaming Room:

August 5th – 5pm (CET)

Session 1: The Future of Theatrical Releases.

A look at how the exhibition and distribution community is facing the current challenges and evolving for success.

Speakers
Elissa Federoff, President of Distribution, NEON

Allison Gardner, CEO, Glasgow Film

Laura Houlgatte, CEO, International Union of Cinemas

Vincent Quek, President, Anticipate Pictures

Mikey Schwartz-Wright, Agent, United Talent Agency

Moderator 
Manori Ravindran, International Editor, Variety

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August 6th – 5pm (CET)

Session 2: The State of Independent Film Production.
An exploration into how the current social justice revolution and COVID-19 disruptions are merging to influence the future of indie film production.

Speakers
Daniel Battsek, Director, Film4

Nisha Ganatra, Director (Late Night, The High Note)

Alexandra Lebret, Managing Director of the European Producers Club

Kasi Lemmons, Director/Writer (Harriet, Self-Made, Talk to Me)

Soumya Sriraman, President, Britbox

Rodrigo Teixeira, Producer RT Features (Call Me By Your Name, Port Authority, The Lighthouse)

Moderator
Nick Vivarelli, International Correspondent, Variety

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August 7th – 5pm (CET)

Session 3: The Future of Film Festivals and Film Markets. 
A look at how film festivals and markets will evolve in the future, looking at global storytelling trends and changing viewing habits of movie-goers.

Speakers
Alberto Barbera, Director, Venice Film Festival

Lili Hinstin, Artistic Director, Locarno Film Festival

Tabitha Jackson, Director, Sundance Film Festival

Jérôme Paillard, Executive Director, Marché du Cannes

Sarah Schweitzman, Agent, CAA Film Finance & Sales Group

Moderator

Leo Barraclough, International Features Editor, Variety

 

Here more information on StepIn 2020


www.locarnofestival.ch

 

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