France’s Celine Sciamma Set For Next
Screenwriter-director Celine Sciamma (“Tomboy,” “Girlhood”), a leading figure of a vibrant distaff director generation in France, will present a workshop dedicated to multi-platforming and virtual reality at Next, the Cannes Film Market’s new digital revolution film forum.
Running May 13-22, Next’s second edition will host a series of morning round tables at Cannes’ Palais des Festivals Salle K aimed at giving an overview of today’s challenging film landscape.
As just announced, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos will talk Friday week at a Next In Conversation Q & A about the impact of new distribution models on film finance and production.
Fruit of a partnership between the Cannes Film Market and Europe’s leading digital content market, Cross Video Days, a Cinema and Transmedia Pitching Session, will host five projects selected for their innovative, multi-platform and transmedia condition and use of digital tools to enrich the audience experience.
Produced by France’s Ankama Animation and sold by Indie Sales, toon project “Dofus,” helmed by Anthony Roux and Jean-Jacques Denis, is based on a vidgame about Joris, aged 10, who lives in the majestic city of Bonta.
A co-production between Armenia’s HY Pictures and Sweden’s Apricot Stone, “A Song for Nola,” directed by Emil Mkrttchian and produced and written by Hasmik Hovhannisyan, turns on a teenage girl that travels from her hometown to Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, where she finds her lost father.
Montreal-based Charles-Stephane Roy’s “VFC” represents a narrative multiplatform project about emotional relationships with music, turning on Sylvania, a 40-years-old neuro-cognitive scientist dealing with people suffering from musical disorders.
“One of Next’s main goals is to be a hub in the market where you not only do business but redefine business,” said Next manager Clara Massot.
“To do that we need to be constantly at the forefront of the fast-changing film industry by gathering and giving voice to the innovators and groundbreaking companies,” Massot added.
A round-table, aimed at maximizing the potential of crowdfunding in production projects, will be moderated by Domenico La Porta, editor in chief at Cineuropa. Speakers include Slated’s Colin Brown, Kickstarter’s Dan Schoenbrun and Sophie Kuno at Touscoprod.
In a nascent European digital landscape, where arthouses industries need ever more attractive exciting arthouses, the session on cinema innovation in the digital Experience Economy will bring together some of the most dynamic exhibitors who demonstrate new ways of renewing audiences for films, including Tim League, CEO at Drafthouse Films, and Chilean Gonzalo Lamela, exec director at Ecocinema.
Next’s Special Sessions are partly a talent showcase, while offering expert advice on crowdsourcing, crowdfunding and new initiatives such as the TransAtlantic Call for Interactive Projects featuring three multiplatform projects co-financed by regional fund Wallimage.
After just one edition, Next has rapidly grown to adapt to market demands on learn far more about the future of cinema. “We started it as an experiment last year and we quickly realized it was a necessity after receiving such a great response,” said Massot.
“It’s our permanent attitude to try to anticipate professionals’ demands, so the main change this year is to provide a wider arena in order to host many more members and activities.” Conference room Palais K offers a capacity of 150 persons vs. 75 last year.
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