[Commlist] Locarno Film Festival Documentary Summer School

Please find details below for the 2021 Locarno Film Festival Documentary 
Summer School run in association with IMeG and USI (Università Italiana 
Svizzera). PLEASE NOTE. This year we are offering a number of places at 
the summer school for students attending Locarno for the film festival 
and we are also offering places to take part entirely online. For 
further details please contact
(documentarysummerschool /at/ gmail.com)
or consult the following websites:

https://www.locarnofestival.ch/it/LFF/about/locarno-young/documentary-summer-school.html


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Content

Now in its 22nd edition, the Documentary Summer School (DSS 2021) is 
jointly organized by the Institute of Media and Journalism (IMeG) of the 
Università della Svizzera italiana and Locarno Film Festival, in 
collaboration with the Semaine de la critique. The DSS will take place 
from 9th to 14th August, and it will explore different research and 
production relevant issues concerning documentary cinema. Given the 
great pervasiveness with which currently images and representations 
spread, for some years, the DSS has decided to focus on the theme of 
ethics in documentary filmmaking. Given the relevance of the topic, this 
year a privileged space will be dedicated to the intertwining of ethics, 
gender, documentary. Are there ways to communicate that can reduce 
rejection, distrust, offenses, and misunderstandings? What kind of 
audiovisual representations – such as documentaries, reportages - could 
build bridges among people, and what other kinds are at risk of dividing 
people? The respectful coexistence between people different in culture, 
sexual choices, origin, and religion is becoming an issue of crucial 
importance in many countries. Based on this, the DSS 2021 will address a 
central area of reflection: the narrative choices filmmakers make to 
represent the "other" who is perceived as different, for some reason.

Guests

This year's DSS lectures will be offered online. The DSS’s main topic – 
Ethics and documentary filmmaking - will be addressed across different 
lectures:
•	The ethics of representing the other - introduction and main issues – 
delivered by Cristina Lasagni, professor of Cinema and Documentary at 
Università della Svizzera Italiana and DSS Scientific Director.  • 
Participatory cinema and documentary – delivered by Andrea Segre, 
award-winner filmmaker who has directed over twenty films of documentary 
and fiction genre.  •	Ethics and Gender – delivered by Rula Jebreal, 
award-winning journalist, novelist and screenwriter. Her first book 
Miral, translated in 15 languages was made into a film and won the 
UNICEF Protection of children award.  •	Ethics of film funding – 
delivered by Nevina Satta, CEO Sardinia Film Commission.  •	2 Q&A with 
directors selected by the Semaine de la Critique  More guests will be 
announced soon!

Virtual Screenings
The DSS 2021 will also offer private virtual screenings of films from 
the Locarno Film Festival and from the filmography of the DSS guests. 
The selected films will be connected to the daily lectures and will be 
used to support and feed the discussions. Analyzing films through the 
contribution of scholars and filmmakers, the DSS 2021 will discuss the 
ethics of documentary filmmaking, the eventual ethics guidelines used by 
filmmakers and how these guidelines helped them keeping up with the 
challenges posed by the new media landscape. At least two of the private 
screenings will be devoted to the viewing of films in the selection of 
the Semaine de la critique followed by a live Q&A with the director of 
the film.

Format
This year's DSS  lectures  will be offered in a hybrid format.
We offer places for up to 42 students in the fields of film, media, and 
communication. PhD students, but also graduate and undergraduate 
students, and emerging filmmakers are eligible to apply.

Students attending Locarno for film festival (2 options)

1. Option WITH accommodation in Locarno
We have 6 places for students that attend the Locarno Film Festival. The 
participation fee is 470 CHF and covers:
•	Online lectures  •	2 virtual Q&As with directors of films selected for 
Locarno Film Festival  •	A dedicated classroom with free Wi-Fi to follow 
the online lectures and Q&A.  •	Bed and breakfast accommodation for 7 
nights, single room, at the Locarno Youth Hostel (9-14 August 2021).  • 
Accreditation valid for Festival screenings and connected Festival 
activities (9-14 August 2021)  * All other expenses are the 
responsibility of the participants. So, lunch/dinner and travel are NOT 
included in the participation fee, but are extra expenses, to be paid 
separately.

2. Option WITHOUT accommodation
For students who do not need a hotel, or who prefer to book their own 
accommodation, we have 6 spots for the price of 280 CHF. The 
participation fee includes:
•	Online lectures  •	2 virtual Q&As with directors of films selected for 
Locarno Film Festival  •	A dedicated classroom with free Wi-Fi to follow 
the online lectures and Q&A.  •	Accreditation valid for Festival 
screenings and connected Festival activities (9-14 August 2021)  All 
other expenses (meals, transfer, etc.) are the responsibility of the 
participants.

*As part of the festival, we will enforce any Covid-19 restriction or 
rule that will be required for Festival attendees. We will give students 
details about that in due time. 

Online students 

We also have 30 spots for students that will not be able to come 
physically to Locarno due to  COVID-19 restriction. 
The participation fee is 170 CHF and covers:
•	Online lectures  •	2 virtual Q&As with directors of films selected for 
Locarno Film Festival  •	Dedicated virtual screenings both of movies 
hosted in special sections of the Locarno Film Festival and of films 
connected with the main DSS topic. 
ECTS
Students both in presence and online can ask for ECTS credits. We give 3 
ECTS for the participation to the DSS and the production of a final 
paper on the topics of the DSS.

Application 
To apply for the DSS2021, students must send a CV and a motivational 
letter to: (documentarysummerschool /at/ gmail.com)
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 25th, 2021

* People will be notified of admission within two weeks after the 
application.
* If the Documentary Summer School does not reach the minimum number of 
participants, the edition will be cancelled and the entry fees fully 
refunded.

For further information:
Documentary Summer School - Comitato organizzativo IMeG - Università 
della Svizzera italiana (USI) Via Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano Mail: 
(documentarysummerschool /at/ gmail.com)

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