The planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount through Skydance is generating significant discussion across the film industry and will be examined at the upcoming Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. Industry professionals have been debating the deal’s implications across studio lots, company headquarters, and film festival gatherings, including at the recent Karlovy Vary festival.
The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival will address industry consolidation and related challenges through its Locarno Pro industry program running August 6-11 as part of the broader festival taking place August 5-15. Markus Duffner, director of Locarno Pro, noted that the merger announcement emerged as the team was planning this year’s programming. While the deal initially appeared as a separate development, organizers determined it aligned coherently with existing program themes exploring structural changes reshaping the industry.
Locarno Pro, which combines educational sessions, business activities, and networking opportunities, will use its flagship StepIn program to explore how power structures, human capital, politics, artificial intelligence, and data-driven systems are transforming independent cinema. The opening roundtable will focus on pressures facing independent filmmakers, including streaming platform influence on creative decisions, expanding use of algorithms and AI in decision-making processes, and industry consolidation through mergers and acquisitions.
The festival positions Locarno Pro as a platform for identifying and addressing challenges specific to the European film industry through dialogue on innovation and social impact. Organizers emphasize investing in emerging talent and providing resources for those committed to cinema as both artistic expression and a catalyst for societal change.
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