Fiction Film Workshop with Marie-Elsa Sgualdo – 2026

Head of workshop: Marie-Elsa Sgualdo

"For this fiction workshop, I asked the students to draw inspiration from Stéphane Hessel’s essay Time for Outrage!. In this short essay, the author recalled the fundamental values that underpin modern democracy and emphasised our collective responsibility to defend them, whilst encouraging everyone to cultivate a sense of outrage in the face of injustice.

In a context where these principles are under threat, I suggested they infuse their film with a reflection on social engagement. I invited them to consider what outraged them, what moved them deeply, and what they felt compelled to stand up for, in order to develop a story from these ideas.

During this workshop, they had ten minutes to tell the world something. I encouraged them to ask themselves some fundamental questions: what did they want to convey? What issue did they wish to explore? How did they view the world, themselves and others? How could they convey what drove them — their passions, their anger, their doubts?

I reminded them that their perspective was unique and that this would be what made their film original. They first explored different avenues, let them develop, before choosing the one that seemed strongest to them. Once they had found this thread, I encouraged them to commit to it fully and see it through to the end."

Marie-Elsa Sgualdo, director
 

• Noé Bregnard , Violette, 10'

• Victor Durand Matinella , The Taste of Apples, 7'

• Nolan Grando , Take or Leave It, 10'

• Lou Haenggi , The Nap Hotel, 10'

• Samuel Harari , Groove, 13'

• Hana Magimel , Tutto bene, 10'

• Eva Rust , Sisters, 12'

• Mileny Viera de Andrade , Spare, 12'

• Zélia Zanone , Ramen Cheese, 10'