An amazing opportunity for graduated Directors from The Icelandic Film School at the Les Arcs Film Festival

Hrafnkell Stefánsson, the Dean of the Screenwriting- and Directing department, has announced a new cooperation with the Les Arcs Film Festival that is held each year in the french Alps. Film School Village is an exciting venue for graduated students from the main film schools in Europe and now The Icelandic Film School will be directly participating and choosing a graduated director to send on its behalf. Hrafnkell told us more about this great opportunity.

The film festival Les Arcs has invited one graduated film director from our school to the Film School Village, a co-production market for full length films, to be held from the 16th to the 19th of December this year. The chosen student will receive airfare to the festival, accommodations, meals, a pass to the festival itself along with a ski pass, and an opportunity to pitch his film to potential producers. Added to that the director can bring his own producer that will be receiving the same package, only excluding the airfare.
This is the first time that one of our students gets this invite and we truly hope that this cooperation will continue for years to come.

How did this cooperation start ?

We have been increasing international cooperation for the last few years, since we joined CILECT, the international association of film schools, and there we are in a group with the best 140-150 film schools in the world. It is a certain stamp of quality on what we teach, and our graduated students, and opens door to occasions such as this. For an example we held a script workshop with our students and FAMU.

What is the Film School Village ?

Film School Village is a co-production market for recently graduated students from film schools, and the premise is that they have graduated within the last two years. At the market the participants get a chance to introduce a full length film in progress. That includes a pitch, various networking options, workshops and direct meetings with producers. There are approximately 300 producers that participate in the market and therefor many opportunities to find the right contacts for each project. Added to that the participants get to enjoy the festivals screenings, along with the events and a ski pass.

What are you looking for in a participant ?

We are looking for a director that has a full length film on the drawing board. At least a detailed treatment, but of course the further along the project is, the better. A committee within the school will go over the projects we get and decide on which is chosen.

Who is eligible to enter ?

Students of The Icelandic Film School who have graduated from May 2015 until today. Which means that students beginning their 4th semester this fall are also eligible. I know of quite a few graduated students that have exciting projects in the works, some of whom were conceived of in their studies at the Film School and I am very excited to see which students and project apply.

How should the participants enter and when is the last possible date to send the pitch?

The project must be sent at the latest on August 31st, a detailed treatment and a page on the status of the project, and a committee within the school will go over the projects and choose one to be sent to the venue. Applications should be sent to the email address hrafnkell@kvikmyndaskoli.is and we will announce the chosen one around the middle of September.