Filmmakers Academy: Interview with Simona Volpe and Elias Bötticher
The Locarno Filmmakers Academy is a ten-day programme for young filmmakers. This year, Story Lab participants Simona Volpe and Elias Bötticher took part. What were their impressions? In this interview, they reflect on their time at the Academy.
What were your initial thoughts and feelings as you began the Academy?
Simona Volpe:
‘I travelled to Locarno for the Academy full of anticipation. Most of all, I was looking forward to meeting filmmakers from all over the world and hearing about their work. The comprehensive programme also sounded promising right from the start.
Elias Bötticher:
Anticipation was certainly the prevailing feeling in the run-up to the Academy. I was eager to get to know the other participants and open myself up to mutual exchange, shared discovery and inspiration. Although I’d studied the programme, my main focus was on making personal connections and gradually gathering ideas for potential project-related initiatives.’
What did the programme entail during the ten days?
Simona Volpe:
The programme mainly involved getting to know the participants in the Academies, watching films and engaging in discussions with the filmmakers during the masterclasses. In between, we always had time to browse through the film programme ourselves, go for a swim or simply take in our shared impressions together.
Elias Bötticher:
The time was well balanced between busier days spent in front of the big screen and days when we could also take a dip in the cold Maggia. We had the chance to get to know one another at the various Academies and were provided with a range of safe spaces where we could chat with brilliant filmmakers and ask them direct, specific questions about films we’d watched beforehand. In the evenings, we usually got together over a cold drink, either by the lake or at the nearest networking event.
What role does an organisation such as the Academy play in the careers of filmmakers?
Elias Bötticher:
A framework like this can open many doors, even if it may seem unremarkable at first glance. The fact that so many young filmmakers from all over the world can get to know one another over several days in a structured yet informal way strikes me as very valuable. I struggle with a lot of inhibitions, and I believe the Academy can help to break them down.
Simona Volpe:
You have the opportunity to engage in conversation with both young and experienced filmmakers within an intimate setting that would be difficult to create under other circumstances. As the participants are filmmakers who already have international experience in the industry and are well-connected, I see it as very valuable to reflect on my own perspectives through theirs, to make new contacts and to broaden my own creative practice. The exchange is so diverse, whether it’s about a research process, networking or simply sharing life experiences. Inspiration and professional development are inevitable.
Was there a particular moment during your time at the Academy when your perspective changed?
Simona Volpe:
The Filmmakers Academy boosted my confidence as a filmmaker and provided me with a great deal of new inspiration. The masterclass with Alessandra Sanguinetti was one of the most inspiring experiences of all. Her approach to her work, modesty, and passion were very motivating for me and many others in the room. Most of us found the opportunity to ask her questions extremely enriching. I am very grateful for this experience.
Elias Bötticher:
All participants at the Filmmakers Academy had the opportunity to present a previous piece of work at a public screening in Locarno. The first screenings took place a few days after we’d had a chance to get to know one another. I was very impressed by how telling a personal story through film can change the way others perceive you.
How did you find the exchanges with the other filmmakers?
Elias Bötticher:
First and foremost, honest and inspiring. These exchanges aren’t just about discussing moving images, but also about different realities of life, living apart in different political realities, and yet finding so many common ground.
Simona Volpe:
It was very enriching; we all got on very well right from the start. The exchange with the other participants was, at times, the best experience during the Academy. Getting to know their backgrounds, their academic and professional experiences, but also their life experiences, was very valuable and motivating. Especially because, as a Swiss filmmaker, you bring a completely different perspective to the table. Coming from a small country makes it very important to recognise and reflect on one’s own privileges, but also one’s limitations. Although, unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to present my own film, I still found it wonderful to see the others’ work, to find out which projects are premiering at the major festivals, and to get to know the people behind them. Looking back, I realise that it would have been significant to have been able to present my own work in this context as well.
What did you learn at the Academy that will stay with you?
Simona Volpe:
Definitely all the friendships and future collaborations. Meeting great filmmakers and exchanging ideas in an intimate setting. The Academy served as a source of motivation and a confidence boost, encouraging me to believe in my own films, explore new places, work with new people and continue to expand my network.
Elias Bötticher:
That may only become clear over the coming months. The film La ilusión de un verano sin fin is still very much on my mind these days – the touching relationship between two close friends and cousins, and the beautiful, almost wistful perspective of the photographer and director. Not putting too much pressure on myself, yet still approaching people in a relaxed way – that’s something I’ll continue to jot down in my notebook.
