Think the Paramount-WBD Mega-Deal Has Nothing to Do With the Locarno Film Festival? Think Again!
The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland is also ready to take on the big issue of consolidation and its fallout, along with other...
Key points
- The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland is also ready to take on the big issue of consolidation and its fallout, along with other hot-button sector topics, at its 2026 Locarno Pro industry program.
- Related Stories “There are some earthquakes that are shaking up the infrastructure of the global industry,” which plays into this year’s program, Markus Duffner, director of Locarno Pro, tells THR.
- Let’s see what happens with everything that AI can do, as groundbreaking technologies will change the industry.” News of the Paramount-WBD earlier this year came up as the team was in the thick of planning this year’s Locarno Pro program.
- “We don’t have a crystal sphere, but when we were putting together [the plans for Locarno Pro opening session] StepIn, the Paramount merger news came out,” Duffner recalls.
What happened
The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland is also ready to take on the big issue of consolidation and its fallout, along with other hot-button sector topics, at its 2026 Locarno Pro industry program. Related Stories “There are some earthquakes that are shaking up the infrastructure of the global industry,” which plays into this year’s program, Markus Duffner, director of Locarno Pro, tells THR. Let’s see what happens with everything that AI can do, as groundbreaking technologies will change the industry.” News of the Paramount-WBD earlier this year came up as the team was in the thick of planning this year’s Locarno Pro program. “We don’t have a crystal sphere, but when we were putting together [the plans for Locarno Pro opening session] StepIn, the Paramount merger news came out,” Duffner recalls. “The first roundtable will focus on the unprecedented pressures that independent cinema is facing today, including the influence of global streaming platforms on creative choices, the increasing use of algorithms, data and AI in decision-making, and the rapid concentration of power through mergers and industry consolidation.” After all, the Swiss festival’s industry...
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