To Go or Not to Go Theatrical, That Is the Question

Every year, the Locarno Film Festival and the prestigious American magazine Variety, both major reference points for the international film industry, team up to organize StepIn, a series of encounters devoted to the future of the audiovisual medium and the strategies one can come up with in that context. 2020 is no exception, with three 50-minute conversations on August 5, 6 and 7. All three discussions are free of charge (registration required), and available on the Variety Streaming Room platform. The first of these encounters, taking place today at 5 PM, is about the future of the cinematic experience, specifically theatrical exhibition. This very topical subject is steeped in uncertainty, with five major guests to address it: Elissa Federoff (President of Distribution of NEON), Allison Gardner (CEO of Glasgow Film), Laura Houlgatte (CEO of the International Union of Cinemas), Vincent Quek (President of Anticipate Pictures) and Mikey Schwartz-Wright (a talent agent at United Talent Agency). Manori Ravindran, International Editor at Variety, will moderate the talk. The next two days will focus on the future of production, and then festivals and markets. It’s a triple matter that Locarno 2020 – For the Future of Films decided to deal with head-on, by embracing online viewing while also retaining the importance of theaters, with physical screenings and initiatives aiming to support independent cinemas in Switzerland.

Click here to register for the discussion