‘Anora’ Director Sean Baker Joins IndieWire’s Future of Filmmaking Summit as the Keynote Conversation

It’s IndieWire’s honor to announce that Sean Baker will be joining us in a keynote chat for our Future of Filmmaking Summit, happening in Los Angeles on November 2.

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Baker, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May for his latest film “Anora” — a major player this awards season — will share his advice to summit attendees and his thoughts about where the industry is going. For a limited time, IndieWire is offering an early-bird discount, with tickets for the all-day event being just $125.

Purchase Early Bird Discount Tickets Here

A testament to adaptation and flexibility while never losing sight of his voice, Baker’s career includes acclaimed low-budget features “Prince of Broadway,” “Starlet,” and “Tangerine.” His 2017 drama “The Florida Project” premiered at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes and received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Willem Dafoe. In 2021, “Red Rocket” became his first film in the Cannes maincompetition and it revived the career of Simon Rex, who won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.

IndieWire first interviewed Baker in 2008 for the release of his second film, “Take Out,” about an undocumented Chinese immigrant working as a delivery person in New York City. However, “Take Out” premiered at Slamdance in 2004; it was four years before it found distribution. That also illustrates why Baker is the ideal keynote for our inaugural Future of Filmmaking summit: He adapts his vision to circumstance and he doesn’t give up.

When he received the Palme D’Or for “Anora” in May, Baker’s acceptance speech offered a snapshot of how he sees the future of filmmaking. “I will continue to fight for cinema because right now, as filmmakers, we have to fight to keep cinema alive,” he said. “This means making feature films intended for theatrical exhibition. The world has to be reminded that watching a film at home while scrolling through your phone and checking mail, emails and half paying attention is just not the way, although some tech companies would like us to think so. Watching a film with others in a movie theater is one of the great communal experiences. We share laughter, sorrow, anger, fear, and, hopefully, have a catharsis with our friends and strangers, and that’s sacred. So I see the future of cinema is where it started: in a movie theater.”

Attending the Summit will provide a one-of-a kind opportunity to hear Baker’s iconoclastic vision. The keynote will not be available on video and is for in room only.

Buy Your Early Bird Discount Tickets for the Summit Here

Bonus – every attendee will receive a 6-month trial of Canva Pro — the online visual communications and collaboration platform to design stunning, professional pitch decks, treatments, films posters and more that capture the attention of producers and executives. With premium features at your fingertips, you’ll be able to perfect your pitch and bring your next big project to life.

Here’s a list of what you can look forward to at the Future of Filmmaking Summit:

Keynote

Award-winning Auteur, Sean Baker will be our Future of Filmmaking Summit’s Keynote speaker. Baker, who recently took home the Palme d’Or at Cannes for his celebrated film “Anora,” a strong contender this awards season, will share his advice to summit attendees and his thoughts about the future of the industry.

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