Open Call Cannes 2024

PRODUCERS NETWORK (May 15-20, 2024)

The Producers Network welcomes more than 400 producers from all around the world for a series of meetings and unique events specifically designed to create opportunities to build your peer network and get international co-production projects off the ground.

Admission requirements:
Registration is restricted to producers whose main activity is production and who have produced within the last four years at least one feature-length film commercially released in a theater or commercially distributed on global video streaming platforms. Screenings during festivals will not be accepted as commercial distribution. These professionals must provide proof of personal credits as a film producer (and not only their companies). Official documents may be required as proof to complete the request.

Five producers will be selected as part of the Swiss delegation. The selection will be made by SWISS FILMS in collaboration with Zürcher Filmstiftung, Cinéforom and the Federal Office of Cuture (FOC).

What to submit:

• 1 letter of motivation
• 1 portfolio of upcoming projects looking for coproductions
• 1 CV / track record

The portfolio should not exceed 10 pages and should be less than 1 MB in size. Language: English

SWISS FILMS supports the selected producers by contributing to travel expenses and accommodation costs via its Talent Support.
Send your application to: opencall@swissfilms.ch
Contact for further questions: SWISS FILMS, Andreas Bühlmann

• More information

SPOT THE COMPOSER

Spot the Composer is the Marché du Film’s unique program designed to connect professional film composers with feature film directors and producers in Cannes. Every year, this program brings together 10 international composers for personalized one-on-one meetings to match them with film projects in various stages of development or production. Beyond these meetings, Spot the Composer enriches the experience with exclusive conferences, case studies and networking events.

As Country of Honor, Switzerland will have a special slot for 2 composers from Switzerland benefiting from the same program offer as the 10 selected international composers in this program. The selection will be made by SONART.

Further, Swiss composers can also be selected amongst the 10 international composers. We recommend every Swiss composer to officially submit via Spot the Composer. Submissions start by mid-Febrary.

Requirements:

• Composer from Switzerland or primarily working in Switzerland
• Confirmed composer, with at least ten movies as the main composer, including at least two feature-length films.

What to submit:

• 1 letter of motivation
• 1 CV / track record

SONART and FONDATION SUISA will support the selected composers by covering travel expenses and accommodation.
Send your application to: opencall@swissfilms.ch
Contact for further questions: SWISS FILMS, Fatuma Osman

• More information

GOES TO CANNES

Call for application for directors/producers with a project

The Marché du Film offers renowned festivals the possibility to showcase their selection of original work-in-progress titles looking for sales agents, distributors or festival selection.
In the frame of the Country of Honour events, a Swiss Showcase will feature 4-5 feature-length fiction films with strong international potential as work-in-progress.

Only Swiss productions officially recognised by the FOC are admitted to the Guest of Honour programme. The projects can be either directed or codirected by Swiss filmmakers, produced or coproduced (in majority) by Swiss producers.

Requirements:

• Creative, cinematic, author-driven feature fiction films, with strong international potential.
• The projects must be in more or less advanced editing stage, with the possibility of preparing a 10 minute excerpt of the film for the Showcase (not an extended trailer, and preferably not a selection of scenes).
• The projects should be aiming at a finalization in the 6 to 10 months following Cannes.
• The projects should be interested in priority in securing festival selections and/or a sales agent, some potential gap financing or late co-producer, and, more generally, key international exposure & visibility.
• The 4-5 selected works-in-progress should not have been presented anywhere else in rough-cut stage outside of their country of production or on any major film market.

What to submit:

• 1 letter of motivation
• 1 portfolio of the project (timelines, financing, content)
• 1 CV / track record

Partner of the Swiss Showcase is Solothurn Film Festival. The selection is decided in collaboration with the festival.
SWISS FILMS supports the selected producers / directors proportionately (max. 2 people per project) by contributing to travel expenses and accommodation costs via its Talent Support.
Send your application to: opencall@swissfilms.ch
Contact for further questions: SWISS FILMS, Andreas Bühlmann

• More Information

CANNES DOCS (May 16-21, 2024)

Call for application for producers with a project

Each year, Cannes Docs partners with a number of institutions and organizations from different parts of the world to showcase curated selections of docs-in-progress in the final stages of post-production and aiming to hit the circuit within a few weeks or months.

The showcases of docs-in-progress are primarily designed for decision makers looking for new titles, in particular festival programmers and sales agents. The projects are also generally in search of post-production funding or general gap financing, and sometimes still open to co-production opportunities. All the showcases are composed of four projects, each presented in the form of a pitch and a 10-minute excerpt of the rough cut.

The Swiss Showcase (docs-in-progress) in collaboration with the festival  Visions du Réel, will take place on Sunday, May 19, 2024.
Only Swiss productions officially recognised by the FOC are admitted to the Guest of Honour programme. The projects can be either directed or codirected by Swiss filmmakers, produced or coproduced (in majority) by Swiss producers.

Requirements:

• Creative, cinematic, author-driven feature documentary films, (over 60 min in duration) with strong international potential.
• The projects must be in more or less advanced editing stage, with the possibility of preparing a 10 minute excerpt of the film for the Showcase (not an extended trailer, and preferably not a selection of scenes).
• The projects should be aiming at a finalization in the 6 to 10 months following Cannes.
• The projects should be interested in priority in securing festival selections and/or a sales agent, some potential gap financing or late co-producer, and, more generally, key international exposure & visibility.
• The 4 selected docs-in-progress should not have been presented anywhere else in rough-cut stage outside of their country of production or on any major doc market.

What to submit:

• 1 letter of motivation
• 1 portfolio of the project (timelines, financing, content)
• 1 CV / track record
• a teaser or trailer of the project, or one or more extracts to get an idea of the project

The selection is decided by Visions du Réel in collaboration with Cannes Docs and SWISS FILMS.
SWISS FILMS supports the selected producers / directors (max. 2 people per project) by contributing to travel expenses and accommodation costs via its Talent Support.
Send your application to: opencall@swissfilms.ch
Contact for further questions: SWISS FILMS, Charlotte Ducos

• More Information

EFP – PRODUCERS ON THE MOVE

Each year, SWISS FILMS suggests a Swiss participant for the programme PRODUCERS ON THE MOVE initiated by the European Film Promotion
Deadline for applications: February 28, 2024

The PRODUCERS ON THE MOVE programme in Cannes gives 20 promising emerging European producers from 20 European countries a platform and the opportunity to build and enlarge their international network. Participants will meet potential co-production partners and sales companies in one-on-one meetings and take part in project pitching, case studies, social events and a comprehensive promotional campaign.

The programme consists of a three-day online pre-festival and on-site networking events during the Cannes Film Festival.
It is open to European producers who

• have experience with at least one international co-production
• have not yet been majority producers on more than three international co-productions

Send your application to: opencall@swissfilms.ch
Contact for further questions: SWISS FILMS, Fatuma Osman

The suggested Swiss producer is selected by SWISS FILMS in accordance with the EFP guidelines. SWISS FILMS supports the producer by contributing to travel expenses and accommodation costs via its Talent Support.

• More Information