Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen Unveil Square Peg Social to Help 'Nurture New Generation of Filmmakers'
Square Peg co-founders Lars Knudsen and Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar), who just world premiered the star-studded Aster-directed Eddington at the Cannes Film Festival, have unveiled the inaugural Square Peg Social, 'a gathering for more seasoned filmmakers and industry professionals to help and nurture a new generation of filmmakers with unvarnished advice and mentorship in an informal and intimate setting.'
They shared news of event, which will take place in Austin, Texas Oct. 23-26, during the first-ever 'The Shifter(s) Series' session, presented by Winston Baker and The Shift during the Cannes film festival and market in Cannes on Monday.
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The brainchild of Amy Knudsen, Square Peg Social will 'create a space where filmmakers can come together without the walls and barriers that too often exist within the film industry,' the creatives said.
Knudsen and Aster will invite 30 of their closest and most trusted collaborators to create a one-to-one ratio of established industry professionals to attendees. The professionals will be a mix of directors 'who still vividly remember the passion and desperation of getting their first films made, as well as like-minded producers who won't shy away from sharing their own struggles and how they overcome them,' they said. Additionally, they will invite department heads, writer, authors and even agents, managers and lawyers.
'Ari and I see this as an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way and share the highs and lows of producing and directing — and most importantly, how to persevere in an industry that can feel tough to navigate — to 30 carefully curated rising directors and producers,' explained Lars Knudsen.
Highlighted Aster: 'For us, this is all about helping and creating opportunities for producers and filmmakers at a time in their careers that is filled with uncertainty.'
The mission of Square Peg Social is for attendees 'to leave the weekend with a sense of hope and excitement for what is to come in their careers, and for them to find mentorship and make meaningful connections with their peers.'
Submission details for those who want to attend will be unveiled at a later date.
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