As Unframed’s Film Week swept across campus, Tuesday, February 24 quickly emerged as a standout moment of the festivities. Watching, reviewing, and discussing films, long central to the association’s identity, were joined by something less routine: an exclusive conference with Oscar-winning producer Fabrice Gianfermi. Known for his work on Bastille Day (2016), Seven Sisters (2017), and the Academy Award-winning CODA (2021), the French filmmaker arrived in Reims for an interview and Q&A session that shifted the conversation from cinema itself to the world behind it.
Rather than revisiting familiar discussions about favorite scenes or interpretations, the conference offered an exploration of how films actually come to life. Gianfermi brought with him not only an Academy Award pedigree but nearly three decades of experience across 29 productions, providing students with an insider’s perspective on an industry often viewed from a distance.
From the start, Gianfermi sought to dismantle some of filmmaking’s enduring myths. A producer, he explained, is less a distant executive figure and more a “real-estate agent of ideas.” The analogy, initially surprising, soon resonated with the audience. Much like an agent guiding a property from listing to sale, a producer shepherds a project from its earliest conception to its arrival on screen. Financing, assembling creative teams, supporting directors, coordinating distribution, even casting all form part of the producer’s responsibility. “It’s our job to deliver the product from origin to the screen,” he remarked, underscoring the often-invisible role producers play in connecting the many moving parts of a film.
Unsurprisingly, much of the discussion gravitated toward CODA. Gianfermi’s reflections revealed a production shaped as much by logistics as by storytelling. Translating American Sign Language and other sign languages required careful collaboration to maintain authenticity, while practical challenges ranged from securing numerous vehicles to navigating union regulations. Even location decisions became pivotal, as the director’s insistence on filming in a specific setting introduced both financial and bureaucratic hurdles.
These experiences led Gianfermi toward a broader observation about the industry’s shifting landscape. The United States, he suggested, has gradually become less attractive as a filming destination, citing rising production costs and high taxation. Europe, meanwhile, has positioned itself as an increasingly welcoming alternative, offering incentives that make ambitious projects more feasible. The comment struck a chord with the largely French audience, attuned to cinema’s evolving global geography.
When conversation turned to creativity, Gianfermi resisted easy prescriptions. What makes a script compelling? “The story,” he answered simply, before acknowledging the deeply subjective nature of such decisions. The audience Q&A provided lighter moments. Asked about dream collaborations, Gianfermi named Brad Pitt without hesitation, drawing laughter across the room. More notably, he confirmed that a sequel to CODA is already in development, currently in the writing stage and set to continue the family’s story. A Broadway musical adaptation, also in its early phases, hints at the film’s continuing resonance beyond the screen.
The conference concluded with a treat, as attendees were invited to view selections from Gianfermi’s personal photo gallery. Images and videos from film sets of varying scales and locations offered a fitting coda to the discussion, a reminder that behind every finished film lies a complex, collaborative, and profoundly human process.
As Film Week drew to a close, accompanied by screenings of CODA, Ratatouille, mini interviews, and the interactive exhibit on campus, the atmosphere felt unmistakably cinematic. For a brief moment, Reims seemed to borrow a touch of Cannes spirit; just a little earlier in the calendar, and a few degrees further north.
Image Credits: IMBd
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