Education for Emerging Film Critics and Festival Programmers: Seeding the Next Generation of Tastemakers

Introduction

Film festivals thrive on fresh perspectives – not only from filmmakers, but also from those who critique and curate films. As veteran critics retire and long-time programmers move on, cultivating the next generation of film critics and festival programmers has become essential. Forward-thinking festival producers around the world are investing in talent development programs to ensure that film culture remains vibrant and diverse. This means providing emerging critics and programmers with education, mentorship, and real-world opportunities. By doing so, festivals can “seed” a new wave of tastemakers who will shape cinematic discourse and champion new voices for years to come.

Why Nurture Emerging Critics and Programmers?

In the film festival ecosystem, critics and programmers play pivotal roles. Critics spark public interest and discussion about films through their reviews, often influencing which films gain attention. Programmers curate the festival’s lineup, deciding which stories get a platform. Developing newcomers in these roles is an investment in the festival’s future and the wider film industry. There’s also a pressing need for greater diversity and fresh voices – many established critics and curators have similar backgrounds, and nurturing emerging talent (especially from underrepresented communities) brings new perspectives. Programs aimed at emerging critics and programmers can help ensure that film festivals continue to innovate, stay relevant to younger audiences, and maintain high curatorial standards as staff change over time. In short, today’s trainees are tomorrow’s tastemakers, and festivals that recognize this are building a legacy beyond the event itself.

Workshops on Ethics, Review Craft, and Selection Methodology

One practical way festivals are educating new critics and programmers is through targeted workshops and training sessions. These workshops typically cover:

• Journalistic Ethics: Budding film critics learn the importance of integrity in reviewing – from avoiding conflicts of interest (like reviewing a friend’s film without disclosure) to respecting embargoes on festival screenings. They discuss ethical dilemmas (for example, how to fairly review a film that has received festival funding, or handling pressure from studios and publicists) and the importance of honest, constructive criticism. Emerging programmers likewise study ethics in curation, such as ensuring a fair and unbiased selection process. They learn to avoid nepotism or favouritism in picking films and to uphold transparency and fairness when dealing with submissions. Emphasising ethics helps build credibility; a critic or programmer who adheres to strong ethical standards will earn the trust of audiences, filmmakers, and peers.

• Review Craft and Critical Analysis: A key focus for emerging critics is mastering the craft of writing insightful reviews. Workshops often delve into how to analyze a film’s direction, writing, cinematography, performances, and cultural context, and then articulate those insights in a compelling way. Trainers (typically experienced film journalists or editors) might cover practical skills: writing catchy leads, structuring an argument, balancing synopsis with analysis, and meeting tight deadlines during a festival. For instance, participants might practise writing a 500-word review overnight after a press screening, then get feedback on tone and clarity. These sessions build the ability to write under festival conditions, where multiple films are seen per day. The goal is to help young critics find their voice while adhering to professional standards of criticism.

• Programming & Selection Methodology: For aspiring festival programmers, workshops demystify how festival lineups are built. They explore selection methodology – from initial screening of submissions to final programme decisions. Seasoned festival programmers share how they evaluate films on quality, originality, and relevance to the festival’s mission or theme. Trainees learn about curating a balanced programme (e.g. mixing genres, established directors and newcomers, local and international content) and the puzzle of scheduling films for audience flow. They also get insight into practical logistics like securing screening rights and understanding distribution, since a programmer’s job doesn’t end at picking a film – it extends to negotiating with distributors and filmmakers. For example, mentors might use a case study of how a Sundance or Cannes programmer narrowed hundreds of submissions down to a spotlight selection, explaining the tough calls and criteria used. By dissecting real programming challenges and success stories, emerging programmers gain a methodology for making selection decisions that are both artistic and practical.

These workshops are most effective when they incorporate interactive elements. Many festivals include group discussions, mock exercises, and Q&A sessions in their training. A workshop on ethics may pose hypothetical scenarios for participants to debate, while a review craft class might involve writing sample reviews that are then workshopped in a group. On the programming side, trainees might be given a set of short film screeners and asked to discuss which to programme and why, simulating a programming committee meeting. By actively engaging in scenarios they will face in the real world, emerging talent build confidence and skills in a safe learning environment.

Mentorship from Seasoned Journalists and Curators

Workshops provide knowledge, but one-on-one mentorship brings that knowledge to life. Many successful educational initiatives pair emerging critics with senior journalists, and budding programmers with veteran curators or festival directors. Mentors serve as guides, sounding boards, and role models, offering personalized advice that no handbook can provide.

For film critics, having a seasoned journalist as a mentor can dramatically accelerate development. Senior critics can critique the mentees’ writing, share techniques for sharpening arguments or titles, and give pointers on interviewing filmmakers. Mentors also demystify the career path – for instance, how to pitch outlets, build a portfolio, and maintain professionalism on the festival circuit. A great example is the BFI London Film Festival Critics Mentorship Programme in the UK, which has run since 2018. In this programme, each young writer is paired with an experienced film critic or editor (past mentors have included former editors of major film magazines and renowned newspaper critics). These mentors meet with the participants daily during the festival, giving feedback on reviews and helping the newcomers craft up to three publishable pieces of film journalism. Such direct feedback from veterans – who have possibly covered Cannes or written for Variety, The Guardian, or Empire – is invaluable. It’s not just about improving one piece of writing, but learning a mindset: how to approach a film thoughtfully, how to handle negative reviews with fairness, and how to write to meet the standards of top publications.

Emerging programmers likewise benefit from mentorship by senior festival programmers or artistic directors. A mentor who has curated festivals for years can impart knowledge that only comes from experience – how to sense a film’s festival potential, how to negotiate with filmmakers or sales agents, and how to manage a programming team’s differing opinions. For instance, at Cork International Film Festival in Ireland, the Young Programmers project places a panel of young cinephiles under the tutelage of the festival’s programming team led by Festival Director Fiona Clark. These junior programmers meet regularly with Cork’s senior curators in the months leading up to the festival. The mentors share their curatorial philosophy and guide the young panel through viewing submissions, discussing merits of each film, and ultimately choosing a set of films (in Cork’s case, the films eligible for a youth jury award). This kind of apprenticeship model – essentially learning by doing, with an expert by your side – helps emerging programmers understand both the art and the science of programming. They can ask a veteran programmer questions like “How do you handle it when two great films conflict in schedule?” or “How do you politely turn down a film?” and get answers rooted in real experience.

Mentorship also often continues outside formal sessions. Many mentors remain contacts for the emerging talent well beyond the festival period, opening doors in the industry. An emerging critic who bonded with a mentor might later get a recommendation for a freelance writing gig at a magazine. A young programmer who trained under a renowned festival director might be invited to help programme a smaller sidebar at the next edition, or get a referral to join another festival’s team. These connections and endorsements can jump-start careers. Festivals like to highlight such success stories: for example, Film at Lincoln Center’s Critics Academy in New York (which runs during the New York Film Festival) notes that many past participants have gone on to write for top publications ranging from The Atlantic to The Guardian. That outcome is in part thanks to mentorship and networking that happens during the program. In short, pairing newcomers with veterans creates a cycle of knowledge transfer that strengthens the industry.

Real-World Experience: Press & Industry Screenings and Beyond

Education for emerging critics and programmers isn’t confined to classrooms and meeting rooms – much of it happens on the ground during the festival itself. That’s why successful programs give participants substantial real-world experience, such as access to Press & Industry (P&I) screenings, media events, and even involvement in festival operations.

Press & Industry screenings are special showings of festival films exclusively for accredited media and film industry professionals. Being allowed into these screenings is a huge opportunity for an aspiring critic. They get to watch highly anticipated films alongside veteran critics from major outlets, often before the public audiences see them. This not only gives them material to write about, but also teaches them the rhythm of festival coverage – dashing from one screening to the next, taking notes in the dark, and perhaps rushing to file a review on deadline for a blog or mentorship outlet. Many festivals with critics’ programs provide full press accreditation to participants. The BFI London Film Festival, for example, treats its mentees as accredited press delegates for the festival’s duration, granting them entry to press screenings and press-only events. Similarly, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Critics Campus in Australia gives its selected critics access to all festival films and media materials, plus invites to press conferences, filmmaker Q&As, and networking events. The idea is to immerse emerging writers in the complete festival experience: they aren’t just studying film criticism in theory – they are practising it in real time at an international festival, with support on hand. By the end of a festival week, a young critic might have seen dozens of films and written multiple reviews or interviews, essentially getting a crash course in being a working critic.

For emerging programmers, real-world exposure is equally important. While they may not need to attend press screenings, they benefit from behind-the-scenes access and hands-on tasks during the festival. Festivals have successfully integrated trainees into their programming or operations team for the event. For instance, those in Cork’s Young Programmers panel not only helped choose films but also present those films to the public during the festival, introducing screenings and moderating brief discussions. This experience of directly engaging with an audience hones their presentation skills and lets them feel the impact of their curation choices. Other festivals might allow programmer trainees to shadow the print traffic department (to understand how films are delivered and scheduled) or sit in on meetings with guest filmmakers. Some international festivals also provide access to film market or industry forums for their trainees – so an emerging programmer can attend an industry panel on distribution or a networking event with film producers. Exposure to these facets broadens their understanding of how a festival connects with the larger film industry.

Being part of the festival machine in real time also teaches young talent about the pressure and pace of festivals. They see how quickly decisions sometimes must be made and how problems (like a last-minute film cancellation or a technical snag in a screening) are handled in the moment. This kind of experiential learning builds resilience. A participant might learn, for example, how to rewrite a review in an hour because a director’s name was misspelled, or how a programming team juggles reassigning a screening slot when a film’s copy is delayed. These are things you can only fully appreciate by being there. By granting access and responsibilities, even minor ones, festivals empower emerging critics and programmers to step up professionally. Naturally, it’s important that staff guide them through this to avoid overwhelming them – mentors or coordinators often check in daily – but most participants find the challenge exhilarating.

Community Building and Diversity through Education

Educational initiatives for critics and programmers also have a profound effect on the sense of community and inclusivity around a festival. When a festival invites young people or newcomers into its fold in this way, it sends a welcoming message: that the festival is not an exclusive old guard, but rather an open platform eager to engage with the next generation. This is great for the festival’s public image and helps cultivate loyal supporters. Many participants in these programs develop a strong allegiance to the festivals that gave them their start, often continuing to attend or cover those festivals in subsequent years. In essence, the festival gains ambassadors through these alumni.

Crucially, programs are often designed to encourage diversity in who gets these opportunities. Several high-profile mentorship initiatives explicitly target underrepresented voices. For example, the London Film Festival’s Critics Mentorship focuses on applicants from racial and ethnic minorities, disabled and neurodivergent writers, and those from outside major cultural capitals. By doing so, they ensure the cohort of new critics includes voices that might otherwise be missing in mainstream film coverage. The outcome is a richer critical discourse – when reviews are written from a variety of cultural perspectives, audiences get a more nuanced understanding of films. Likewise, when festival programming teams include people of different backgrounds (even if only in an advisory trainee capacity), the festival’s selections can become more adventurous and far-reaching. A young programmer from, say, South Asia or Latin America might champion a gem from their region that the core team wasn’t aware of, adding diversity to the programme.

These efforts also align with community engagement. Some festivals involve local youth or students, forming a bridge between the event and the local community or academic institutions. Singapore International Film Festival, for example, has collaborated with youth media training groups to give students a chance to cover the festival, and Sarajevo Film Festival, through the Talent Press programme (under Berlinale Talents), has brought in emerging critics from Southeast Europe to write about films affecting their region. By nurturing local and regional talent, a festival can root itself deeper in its community and simultaneously raise the global profile of that community’s voices.

Festival organisers should approach these diversity and community goals genuinely. When well executed, a mentorship or workshop programme not only produces skilled critics and programmers but also forges a network of passionate cinephiles who feel connected to the festival’s mission. This network can become an informal advisory circle or advocate group for the festival. On the flip side, one pitfall to avoid is using such programs as mere tokenism (for instance, selecting one token emerging critic each year without providing proper support or integration). A superficial program can lead to frustration for participants and do little for diversity. The most respected initiatives — like the ones at BFI LFF, MIFF, or International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Young Critics Trainee Programme — are those that invest serious time, resources, and thought into the process, and it shows in their results.

Examples of Training Initiatives Around the World

To understand how these principles play out in practice, let’s look at a few notable examples of festivals leading the way in training emerging critics and programmers:

• BFI London Film Festival (UK) – Critics Mentorship Programme: One of the trailblazers in formalizing critic mentorship, LFF launched its program in 2018 as part of a broader commitment to inclusion. Each year a small group of aspiring critics from across the UK is selected for a mentorship that runs through the festival. They receive press accreditation (gaining entry to P&I screenings and press events) and attend an induction where they meet their mentors – established film journalists – and the festival programming team. Over about four intensive days during LFF, the mentees write reviews and features under deadline, with close guidance from their mentors. The mentors (who have included well-known names like Kate Muir, former chief critic at The Times, and Terri White, former Empire editor-in-chief) provide feedback on writing and career advice. Media partners of the festival often publish the best mentee pieces, giving the newcomers a real publishing credit. Impressively, participants are paid for the work they produce during this mentorship – acknowledging that criticism is valuable work. The success of this program is evident: it won an industry award for inclusion, and several alumni have gone on to secure freelance roles in film media. London Film Festival’s model shows how a festival can simultaneously improve diversity in film criticism and generate quality coverage of its own event by empowering new writers.

• Melbourne International Film Festival (Australia) – Critics Campus: MIFF’s Critics Campus is frequently cited as one of the most comprehensive young critic development programs. It is a week-long intensive that runs during MIFF, selecting about eight emerging Australian critics (and occasionally from nearby regions) each year. What sets Critics Campus apart is its depth: participants engage in daily panel discussions, writing workshops, mentoring sessions, and live editing of their work. The festival invites a roster of international and Australian critics as mentors and guest speakers – these have included critics and editors from top publications worldwide, offering a global perspective. Critics Campus fellows get access to all MIFF screenings and events, and they are expected to produce written content (reviews, essays, or interviews) throughout the week. Often these writings are published on the festival’s website or partner outlets, showcasing the voices of the new writers to the public. Participants have lauded the program for not only improving their craft but also building a peer network; they live and breathe the festival together for that week, often forming lasting professional friendships. MIFF’s investment in this program has helped refresh Australia’s critical landscape, introducing new talents who continue to write about film year-round. It demonstrates the benefit to the festival as well – alumni often return in later years as accredited critics, amplifying MIFF’s reach through their coverage.

• International Film Festival Rotterdam (Netherlands) – Young Film Critics Trainee Programme: Rotterdam’s large, cutting-edge film festival has long been a champion of new voices, and its trainee program for young critics is known particularly for integrating participants into the festival’s daily operations. Selected critics (often under 30, from various countries) are given complimentary press accreditation and are considered part of the festival’s editorial team during their stay. They attend films across the festival’s wide-ranging slate – from experimental works to big premieres – and write reports and reviews, just like any journalist there. What’s unique is that they also have regular meetings with IFFR’s editorial staff and experienced critics who act as mentors, effectively turning the festival’s newsroom into a classroom. The trainees contribute to the festival’s own blog or paper, so they face real deadlines and editorial standards. If they successfully meet the programme’s expectations (writing a certain number of quality pieces), IFFR often invites them back the next year as fully accredited journalists in their own right. This approach of “learning by doing” within a professional festival press office is intense, but it offers a tangible reward and a foot in the door of international criticism. It also helps Rotterdam by expanding coverage and engagement across different languages and countries, thanks to the trainees’ diverse backgrounds.

• Far East Film Festival (Italy) – FEFF Campus: Udine’s Far East Film Festival, which focuses on Asian cinema, runs the FEFF Campus – an educational initiative specifically for young film journalists passionate about Asian films. The festival selects 10 young writers (traditionally 5 from Europe and 5 from Asia) and brings them together during the festival. These “campus” journalists take part in seminars on film journalism, attend screenings (especially of Asian titles that may be new to Western critics), and practice writing daily under mentorship. They also learn how a festival operates behind the scenes, gaining insight into event management alongside their writing tasks. An emphasis is placed on cross-cultural exchange – European participants learn about Asian media perspectives and vice versa, broadening their outlook. By the end of the festival, each participant has produced several articles or interviews under the guidance of mentors, and often some of this work gets published via festival channels or partner media. The FEFF Campus showcases how even a mid-sized, genre-focused festival can make a global impact by nurturing niche-focused critics. The participants often become ambassadors for Asian cinema in their home countries, continuing to cover those films after the festival, which aligns perfectly with FEFF’s mission to promote Asian films internationally.

• Cork International Film Festival (Ireland) – Young Programmers Project: Unlike the critic-focused programs above, Cork’s initiative is about training the festival programmers of the future. Each year, Cork International Film Festival invites a small group of local young film enthusiasts (often students) to join its Young Programmers panel. Under the mentorship of Cork’s programming team, these participants learn every aspect of curating a festival program. In the months before the festival, they attend private screenings of submitted films, take notes and discuss the merits of each film in round-table sessions, and gradually hone their ability to recognize what makes a film resonate with an audience. They also learn pragmatic parts of programming: how to check if a film is available for the festival dates, what it means to secure screening rights or negotiate with distributors, and even how to market a screening to the public. The Young Programmers contribute directly by selecting a handful of films (specifically for the festival’s youth-oriented Lookout Award category) and then act as ambassadors for those films. During the festival, they introduce “their” films on stage to audiences and may facilitate post-screening discussions. This level of trust and responsibility is hugely empowering. Participants have credited the project with giving them confidence and real experience – one young programmer from a past edition said it allowed them to “put my film journalism skills to the test” and build a network of peers. Cork’s program underlines that even a smaller festival can run a high-impact training project by focusing on a specific festival section and working closely with motivated local talent.

• Berlinale Talents – Talent Press (International): The Berlin International Film Festival’s renowned Berlinale Talents program isn’t a festival per se, but it runs parallel to Berlinale and includes Talent Press, a mentoring workshop for emerging critics from around the world. In cooperation with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), Talent Press brings a group of young film journalists to Berlin each year to cover the festival. They attend editorial meetings, write daily articles, and participate in critique sessions with mentors from established publications. Notably, Berlinale Talents has also extended the Talent Press model to partner festivals on other continents – such as Durban, Guadalajara, and Sarajevo – thereby seeding critical talent in various regions. Through these international programs, the ethos of nurturing new critics has spread widely. Talent Press illustrates the power of collaboration: a top-tier festival joining forces with critics’ associations and cultural institutes (like the Goethe-Institut) to train writers, which in turn supports film criticism in multiple languages and markets.

These examples highlight that there is no single “right” way to train emerging critics and programmers – it can be a week-long intensive, a months-long apprenticeship, or a part-time engagement during the festival. What they all share is a commitment to hands-on learning, mentorship, and inclusion. Festivals large and small, from global cities to regional hubs, have successfully tailored programs to their context.

Implementing Talent Development at Any Scale

Whether you run a prestigious international film festival or a small regional one, there are practical ways to implement educational initiatives for emerging critics and programmers. Here are some considerations to tailor a program to your festival’s scale and type:

• Start with Partnerships: You don’t have to do it alone. Partner with local universities, film schools, or media outlets. A small documentary festival, for example, could team up with a journalism department to create a “student critics day” where students attend the festival and write about the docs, mentored by a professor or local newspaper critic. Similarly, a genre festival (like a horror or animation film fest) might collaborate with a niche film magazine or a bloggers’ community to identify and mentor enthusiasts in that genre. Partnerships can provide mentors, an applicant pool, or even funding for such initiatives.

• Scale the Program to Your Resources: Large festivals might run multi-day intensive labs, but a smaller festival can still have impact with a shorter workshop or two. If your festival is short on budget and staff, consider a one-day workshop during the festival that all interested local aspiring critics can attend, led by any attending journalists or critics. Alternatively, implement a remote mentorship where, over a few weeks prior to the festival, a veteran programmer advises a few selected local film buffs via email or calls on how to judge submissions. Start small – even inviting two promising young people to be “critics-in-residence” or “junior programmers” for one festival edition can sow seeds that grow later.

• Leverage Online Platforms: Not all training needs to happen in person. You can host webinars on review writing or Instagram Live Q&As with your festival’s programming team discussing how they choose films. This can engage emerging talent globally and also doubles as audience engagement content. For instance, some festivals have published blog series or video diaries by young guest critics, which not only trains those writers but also provides authentic festival coverage that appeals to a younger audience online.

• Mentor Matching and Training the Mentors: Ensure you select mentors who are truly committed to guiding newcomers. Brief the mentors on expectations – a senior journalist might need to set aside an hour a day to review a mentee’s writing and chat, for example. For programming mentors, maybe assign a small group of submissions to review with the mentee together, to compare notes. Mentors should ideally be recognised figures that lend credibility (e.g., an editor from a known film journal, or the head programmer of another respected festival) but also patient teachers. Not every great critic is automatically a great mentor, so involve people who have shown interest in education or coaching.

• Clear Goals and Structure: Even if your initiative is informal, set clear goals. Do you want the participants to produce something (reviews, a mini programme selection, a blog post series)? What should they learn by the end? Having a structure (with a schedule, whether it’s daily meet-ups during the fest or weekly check-ins beforehand) keeps everyone on track. Without a structure, there’s a risk of the program fizzling out. For example, if you promise a mentorship but the mentor only meets the mentee once, the impact will be minimal and the participant could end up feeling lost or disappointed. A well-planned schedule, on the other hand, ensures the experience is substantive.

• Incorporate Participants into the Festival: Find visible roles for your emerging talents. If you have trainee critics, perhaps let them contribute a piece to the festival newsletter or blog. If you have young programmers, let them introduce a film or be on stage for an audience Q&A with a director (with preparation and support, of course). This has two benefits: the participants get real-world exposure (and a confidence boost), and the audience sees that the festival is forward-thinking and inclusive of young voices. It can be inspiring for festival attendees to witness a teenager or twenty-something confidently leading a post-film discussion – it shows that the festival values the passion of all age groups.

• Feedback and Reflection: Build in a debrief after the festival. Gather feedback from the participants and mentors about what worked and what could be improved. This will help refine the program each year. Perhaps an informal wrap-up meeting or survey can reveal that the emerging critics loved the screenings but wanted more editing help, or that the young programmers felt overwhelmed by too many films and could use a narrower focus. Continuous improvement will make the program more effective and sustainable long-term. Additionally, celebrate the completion – some festivals award certificates or even small prizes to their trainees, which is a nice touch to acknowledge their effort and can be useful for them when pursuing future opportunities.

• Consider Long-Term Engagement: The end of the festival shouldn’t be the end of the relationship. Keep alumni in the loop with your festival’s news or possibly invite them back in some capacity. A number of festivals have turned past mentees into new staff or regular contributors. For instance, a budding critic who went through one festival’s workshop might be invited next year as an official press member or to join a jury. A young programmer who excelled might be offered a role as an assistant programmer or invited to help curate a smaller event during the year. Even if formal roles aren’t available, maintaining a network (through a Facebook or WhatsApp group of alumni, for example) can keep the community engaged. Over time, you may find this network is one of the festival’s greatest assets – a pool of knowledgeable advocates and potential hires who carry forward the festival’s ethos.

Successes, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

Programs for emerging critics and programmers have already shown tangible successes. Many alumni of these initiatives are now published critics, film journalists, or working for festivals and cultural institutions. This demonstrates a clear return on investment for the industry: it’s cultivating the very people who will promote cinema and run festivals in the future. Festivals that championed these efforts early (like Rotterdam or Melbourne) now enjoy the benefit of having “raised” a generation of professionals who continue to engage with their events. Moreover, festivals often gain positive media coverage for such educational work, as it highlights a commitment to culture and community.

There are, of course, challenges to acknowledge. Implementing a mentorship or training program requires staff time, planning, and sometimes financial resources (covering accreditation costs, providing stipends or at least festival passes, maybe housing for out-of-towners, etc.). Smaller festivals may worry they don’t have the bandwidth. Additionally, not every mentorship automatically succeeds – sometimes a pairing might not click, or a participant may find the festival environment overwhelming at first. These hiccups are learning opportunities. Many organisers have noted that starting modestly and learning from each edition helps iron out issues. It’s important to set realistic expectations: participants won’t become expert critics or programmers overnight. The aim is to give them a strong nudge forward on their journey. Another challenge is ensuring continuity – a one-off workshop is great, but the impact multiplies when it becomes an annual tradition that builds a lineage of alumni.

The road ahead for such educational programs is promising. As the film industry evolves (with digital media, changing audience habits, etc.), the role of the critic and the nature of programming are also evolving. Today’s emerging critics need to be versatile (perhaps comfortable discussing films on podcasts and video essays in addition to writing) and today’s emerging programmers need to think about new platforms (like curating online screenings or VR experiences, maybe). Forward-thinking festivals might expand their training to cover these areas, ensuring that the next generation is prepared for the future of film festivals, not just the present. Some festivals are already branching out – for example, incorporating social media journalism into critics’ workshops (so that young writers learn to live-tweet or create festival Instagram stories responsibly) or teaching basic festival management software to programmer trainees.

In conclusion, investing in the education of emerging critics and programmers is one of the most forward-looking moves a film festival can make. It demonstrates faith in the future of cinema and creates a pipeline of talent that will sustain the film culture we all cherish. The exact format can be adapted to fit any festival’s size or focus, but the core idea remains: share knowledge, open doors, and inspire the next generation. Festivals that do so not only enrich the personal lives and careers of those individuals, but also ensure that their own legacy – of great films and great conversations about films – continues for decades to come.

Key Takeaways

• Invest in Future Tastemakers: Nurturing young film critics and festival programmers is an investment in the future of film festivals and cinema culture. Today’s trainees will become tomorrow’s influential voices and curators.
• Comprehensive Workshops: Effective programs teach ethics, critical writing, and programming methods. Interactive workshops on review craft, journalistic integrity, and film selection strategy build a strong skill foundation for emerging talent.
• One-on-One Mentorship: Pairing newcomers with experienced critics and programmers accelerates learning. Mentors provide personalised feedback, industry insights, and networking opportunities that are invaluable for career development.
• Real Festival Experience: Giving participants press accreditation and behind-the-scenes access during the festival immerses them in the professional world. Experiencing press screenings, Q&As, and programming meetings under guidance helps convert theory into practice.
• Success Stories Worldwide: Many top festivals (e.g., BFI London, Melbourne, Rotterdam, and others) have successfully implemented talent development initiatives. These programs have led to alumni writing for major publications, joining festival teams, and enriching the film industry with diverse new perspectives.
• Scalable for Any Festival: Both large and small festivals can adopt these ideas. Start small if needed – even a single-day critic workshop or a youth jury programme can make an impact. Partnerships with schools or media and using online tools can help expand training without large budgets.
• Community and Diversity Benefits: Training programs often focus on underrepresented communities, boosting diversity in film criticism and curation. They also strengthen the festival’s community ties and create loyal ambassadors out of the alumni, enhancing the festival’s reputation and reach.
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly gather feedback and adapt the program. Providing clear structure, dedicated resources, and follow-up opportunities (like alumni engagement or recurring roles) ensures the mentorship initiative remains effective and sustainable for years to come.