Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland Announces Spring Academy 2025 Call for Applications

The Locarno Film Festival, in partnership with the CISA Film Academy and the Ticino Film Commission, has announced the call for applications for its Spring Academy 2025. Scheduled from February 23 to March 3, 2025, this immersive nine-day workshop will be mentored by acclaimed French filmmakers Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel.
The workshop, titled Tomorrow, invites six young filmmakers from around the world to create short films based on the theme “Demain, il y aura quelque chose de nouveau” (“Tomorrow There’ll Be Something New”). Under Poggi and Vinel’s guidance, participants will collaborate with professional and non-professional actors from the Ticino region in Switzerland, navigating both theoretical and practical aspects of filmmaking.
The final short films will premiere during a special evening at the 78th Locarno Film Festival, taking place from August 6 to 16, 2025. This opportunity continues the festival’s legacy of nurturing emerging talent, following the success of past workshops led by notable filmmakers such as Béla Tarr, Michelangelo Frammartino, and Radu Jude.
Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel are celebrated for their innovative storytelling. Poggi, born in Corsica in 1990, studied in Paris and Corsica, while Vinel, born in Toulouse in 1988, studied editing at Fémis. Their notable works include Tant qu'il nous reste des fusils à pompe (As Long as Shotguns Remain), winner of the Golden Bear at the 2014 Berlinale, and Jessica Forever (2018), which screened at TIFF and Berlinale. Their latest feature, Eat the Night, was shown at the Cannes Film Festival's Directors’ Fortnight in 2024.
Applications for the Spring Academy are open to directors under the age of 35 who meet specific criteria:
- Prior film school attendance or advanced filmmaking training.
- At least one publicly screened short film.
- Proficiency in English and French.
- Availability to attend the workshop in person.
Supported by RSI Radiotelevisione Svizzera and Hotel du Lac, the Spring Academy exemplifies the Locarno Film Festival’s dedication to fostering the next generation of filmmakers while engaging with the vibrant artistic community of Ticino, Switzerland.
Aspiring filmmakers are encouraged to apply and contribute their unique vision to this celebration of storytelling and cinematic innovation.