Cannes Critics’ Week has revealed the jury for its Next Step program’s €2,500 ($2,835) development prize, with three key industry figures set to select the most promising debut feature project from the talent incubator.
Priscilla Bertin, producer at Silex Films; Stefano Centini, producer at Volos Films; and Gabor Greiner, head of acquisitions at Films Boutique will determine the winner at a ceremony scheduled for May 20.
The Next Step workshop, Cannes Critics’ Week’s talent development initiative, is simultaneously expanding its reach in 2025 with new international partnerships. The program, which annually shepherds Critics’ Week short film directors toward their feature debuts, has inked a deal with Brazil’s Projeto Paradiso to include a Brazilian filmmaker in its upcoming cohort. The foundation, backed by the Olga Rabinovich Institute, aims to strengthen the presence of Brazilian voices in the prestigious development workshop.
Joséphine Bourgois of Projeto Paradiso said: {As an initiative dedicated to fostering the careers of emerging talent in Brazil, Projeto Paradiso believes in the transformative power of professional training and international connections. We are thrilled to launch this partnership with Next Step, which offers a unique opportunity for up-and-coming Brazilian filmmakers to participate in a workshop that sets a new standard for excellence and creativity in the field.”
Meanwhile, Next Step II — the program’s fall session pairing six filmmakers with three composers — is relocating to Fabbrica Culturale Casell’arte, a creative residence in Venaco, Corsica. The initiative continues with support from French industry heavyweights SACEM and CNC.
Thomas Rosso, director of Next Step, described the Corsica residence as “a wonderful setting conducive to research and experimentation for the young filmmakers and composers taking part.”
Géneviève Lodovici of Fabbrica Culturale Casell’arte added: “With La Semaine de la critique [Critics’ Week], we share the same interest in emerging cinema, in this new generation of filmmakers who represent the vital forces of contemporary creation. It’s essential to provide a specific framework and support for these films from the earliest stages of development.”
Following its December 2024 workshop session at Moulin d’Andé and Paris, Next Step will award its prize to the most promising debut feature project at the May ceremony.
Meanwhile, Polish filmmaker Dawid Bodzak has scored a two-week residency at Moulin d’Andé-CECI (Centre des Écritures Cinématographiques) to develop his feature project “Episode.” The residency includes consultations with industry professionals.
Eight filmmakers participated in the most recent Next Step workshop held Dec. 8-13, 2024, presenting their debut feature projects. For the third consecutive year, the workshop maintained its partnership with the Morelia Film Festival, hosting a Mexican filmmaker among the participants.
The week-long intensive program at Moulin d’Andé and Paris offered participants guidance from international consultants on screenplay development, directorial approaches, production considerations, and market strategies. SACEM-supported sessions with composers helped filmmakers explore musical dimensions for their projects, while SACD facilitated a networking day at Maison des Auteurs, connecting participants with French industry professionals.
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