In our latest interview we chat with Tom Bernard, the Co-Founder and Co-President of the Sony Pictures Classics and a Sony Future Filmmaker Awards workshop leader about his passion for cinema and his advice for aspiring filmmakers.
Tom Bernard and Dylan Leiner during their workshop, Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024
You’re the Co-Founder and Co-President of the Sony Pictures Classics. You and Michael Barker are the masterminds behind a plethora of cinematic hits, including Call Me By Your Name, Whiplash, The Father and many others. What inspired you to create this independent division of Sony Pictures?
Michael and I had done it before at United Artists and Orion Pictures. We wanted to continue these companies that they had in the 70’s and 80’s that specialized in quality films. Something that we loved.
Are there any films that have particularly resonated with you lately, or any upcoming films you’re particularly excited about?
I think Walter Salles film, I’m Still Here is spectacular. It is relevant to these current times, and I believe will resonate with voters and audiences alike. It is great to be back in business with him – we last worked with him on Central Station.
In your opinion, what makes a film stand out?
I don’t think there is just one thing that makes a film stand out. It is so many things – what it has to say, how it says it, the current landscape when the film comes out and how it reflects the culture of the moment, the performances, crafts and how a movie makes you feel. A good movie has everything come together to tell the story and if it is told well, it resonates, and the audience connects to the filmmaker’s vision.
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards are open to international submissions, celebrating the unique points of view of filmmakers from around the world. Sony Pictures Classics have also distributed many critically acclaimed international films, such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and more recently The Teacher's Lounge. Can you share your thoughts on the global appeal of international cinema? Why is it important to continue elevating diverse voices?
For me, I am looking at the voices that are speaking. What I have found at SPC is that the diversity of the voices usually adds to the diversity of the creators and stories they are telling.
How do competitions such as the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards contribute to a filmmaker’s career growth? What role do they play in shaping a creative’s journey?
Hats off to Sony for creating these awards. There are so many voices that want to express themselves through cinema, in many different ways, but they have no way to get their foot in the door. Sony is helping to give these filmmakers an opportunity, to guide them and nurture them.
What three key pieces of advice would you offer up-and-coming filmmakers trying to make it in the industry?
1. Please remember, it’s the movie business. If you ignore the business, you won’t succeed. You need to know the business intimately, to make the right choices to have your film seen and heard.
2. Follow your dream and instincts. So many people that have made it have had a unique vision and an individual story rather than compromising and what is going to be successful.
3. You need to have a good sense of film history. You can’t re-invent the future without knowing the past. Film education is invaluable to any filmmaker.
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2025 close on 12 December 2024.