It’s that time again, young film writers! We’re now accepting entries for the fifth annual Locarno Film Festival Critics Academy, a workshop for aspiring film critics offered during the festival (August 3-13), produced in partnership with Indiewire and with support from Film Comment magazine and the Swiss Alliance of Film Journalists. The program, which has a U.S. component that takes place during the New York Film Festival, is designed to nurture promising film critics and journalists through coverage opportunities at festival screenings and events.
First launched during the 2012 Locarno Film Festival, the Critics Academy features candid discussions with working critics and other members of the industry and has proven to be a valuable platform for young writers hoping to launch their careers. Past participants have gone on to write for a wide range of publications, including The Atlantic, Brooklyn Magazine, Film Comment, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, Hyperallergic, Inc., LA Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, National Review, New Republic, The New York Review of Books, Paper magazine, The Paris Review, Remezcla, Vice, The Village Voice, Vulture, and more, and several have written books or are involved in film programming.
The Critics Academy will be comprised of 10 young international critics (four of whom will be selected by the Swiss Alliance of Film Journalists) who will work under the guidance of editors from Indiewire and leaders at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The participants will cover the festival with film reviews, articles on sidebar events, in-depth reflections on the various program sections, and interviews with the festival’s guests.
While there is no specific age limit for applicants, the ideal candidate should have completed at least two years of college or have finished their academic studies no more than five years ago. They should also demonstrate a genuine interest in film criticism and journalism as a career goal.
Applications will be accepted from today through Monday, May 9 at midnight and selected candidates will be notified by Friday, May 27. All applications must include a completed version of the form found here.
Applications must also include the following:
- Motivational letter (300 words or less): Describe who you are and why you’re interested in this particular opportunity. If the applicant has produced any work beyond written criticism (such as podcasts or video essays), it is strongly encouraged to mention it here.
- Curriculum Vitae (one page): The most recent version of the applicant’s résumé.
- Three articles or film reviews written in English (Swiss participants may submit articles in German, French, or Italian): Please refrain from including lengthy academic papers or other scholarly materials that may not give an accurate reflection of the applicant’s capacity to succeed in this workshop.
Please send the individual components of your application as a series of attachments to [email protected]. You may also reach out to Eric Kohn with any questions surrounding the application process at [email protected].
