The Locarno Industry Academy is a training programme launched at the Locarno Festival in 2014 that aims to help young professionals expand their network of contacts in the areas of international sales, marketing, traditional and online distribution, exhibition and programming (festivals, film clubs and cinematheques).

The programme offers a unique opportunity for new generations to understand the challenges of the industry and connect with established professionals.

The Industry Academy has also expanded significantly on the international stage, offering workshops in partnership with film festivals and renowned institutions such as Thessaloniki IFF in Greece, Film at Lincoln Center in the U.S., MC Distribution and BCP in Beirut and recently the Realness Institute in South Africa.

In Latin America, the Industry Academy has been present in Chile with Australab, in Mexico with Morelia IFF, in Panama with Panama IFF, and in Brazil for 5 years, 3 of which in association with BrLab. This year, for the 5th edition of the workshop in Brazil, we have the support of Spcine, Projeto Paradiso and a media partnership with LatAm Cinema.

Over the last decade, with the development of Brazilian film and its frequent presence in international festivals, a new interest in the film industry has emerged, mainly as a means of reaching the international market. With new technologies competing for space in movie theaters and new content formats that have started to be produced today, the independent film industry needs to constantly reinvent itself. We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has also reinforced this need for change and restructuring.

The Industry Academy in Latin America has become a not-to-be-missed meeting for young professionals in the Latin American film industry and an essential connection among professionals in the region. After 3 editions in association with BrLab, we are proud to foster this much-needed dialog between a great diversity of industry professionals and their producers and creators.

In 2020, for the first time the Academy’s events in Latin America took place in digital format, which was a good opportunity to form a heterogeneous group and also experience decentralization. This year we have a group of 12 young professionals from all over Latin America who reflect the growing need for a training that is adapted and committed to the film industry in this continent, in addition to the need to understand and promote independent cinema in all its diversity.