Lund Fantastic Film Festival welcomes interns who want hands-on experience in film festivals, cultural production, programming, communication, event management and the wider film industry.
A film festival is much more than a week of screenings. It sits at the intersection of programming, distribution and sales, public funding, marketing, press, hospitality, event production, audience development and international networking.
Our work changes throughout the year, and can be divided into three main phases. The three phases overlap, as the main focus gradually shifts from programming and development to preparation and, finally, full festival production.
This is when the programme begins to take shape.
The work is highly international and often remote-friendly.
Interns may help with:
• film research, viewing and submission tracking
• research into filmmakers, distributors and sales companies
• festival and market research
• programming meetings and documentation
• development of event and programme concepts
• outreach to partners and collaborators
• partnership and funding research
• communications and press
This phase is particularly suitable for students interested in film programming, producing, sales, distribution, festival strategy or the international film industry.
As the programme locks, the focus shifts toward delivery, administration and production.
Interns may work with:
• DCP and screening-material tracking
• communication with filmmakers, distributors, guests and speakers
• programme information and film assets
• CMS and website administration
• ticketing and programme scheduling
• accreditation
• trackers, databases and production documents
• press materials, newsletters and audience information
• outreach and event preparation
Many tasks can still be carried out remotely, although on-site work increases as the festival approaches.
This phase is particularly suitable for students interested in festival production, technical coordination, administration, communication and project management
As the festival approaches, the work becomes increasingly local and hands-on.
Interns may help with:
• print traffic
• guest coordination and hospitality
• screenings, Q&As and events
• industry activities
• volunteers and accreditation
• guest, volunteer and production schedules
• ticketing and audience information
• press and interview coordination
• website and communication updates
• social media and video
• venue preparation and practical logistics
• live festival operations
During the festival, the emphasis is less on watching films and more on people, communication, logistics and solving things in real time.
Afterwards, interns may also assist with reporting, statistics, evaluation, archiving and follow-up.
You do not need to fit one idea of a “film festival person”.
Maybe you love films and want to understand programming.
Maybe you are great at administration and secretly enjoy keeping 100 speadsheets, databases and trackers under control.
Maybe you prefer people, events and hospitality.
Maybe your strengths are communication, press, marketing or partnerships.
Maybe you enjoy research, data or cultural policy.
All of these can be useful in festival work.
You may already have relevant skills without realising it. Part of the internship is discovering how skills you already have can be applied in a new context.
An internship is a place to learn.
You are not expected to arrive knowing programming, print traffic, ticketing, funding, CMS systems, press, hospitality and event production.
You will normally start with smaller, clearly defined tasks that you can take ownership of. As you become familiar with the festival and its workflows, you may gradually take on more responsibility.
What matters most is that you are curious, reliable, willing to learn and comfortable asking questions.
Festival work is highly interconnected. A small decision can affect another person, another department or something happening weeks later.
Most problems can be solved—or avoided entirely—if we look ahead.
We encourage interns to:
• think beyond the immediate task
• consider what will be needed next
• communicate early
• keep track of tasks and deadlines
• notice dependencies and potential problems
• take responsibility for following work through
• stay flexible when priorities change
Good communication is not only about writing well. It is about making sure the right person gets the right information at the right time.
We do not expect you to know how a festival works before you arrive.
We do expect active participation.
In a small team, there is not always someone available to assign your next task immediately. If you finish something, we expect you to communicate, ask what is next and help keep the work moving.
We value:
• reliability
• initiative
• attention to detail
• good communication
• curiosity
• responsibility
• flexibility
• willingness to ask questions
• professional behaviour with filmmakers, guests, partners, journalists and colleagues
Mistakes are part of learning. We would rather you ask than guess, and communicate early when something goes wrong.
An internship offers practical insight into how an international cultural event works from early development to live production.
Depending on your placement, you may gain:
• hands-on experience from an international event
• insight into how films circulate between producers, sales agents, distributors, festivals and audiences
• an overview of international industry relationships
• experience with festival administration and digital workflows
• insight into public funding, partnerships and non-profit cultural structures
• experience in communication, outreach and press
• understanding of how programming, production, hospitality and audience work connect
• practical project-management and event-production experience
Because we are a small organisation, interns can often see several parts of the festival rather than working inside only one department.
That broader view can be one of the most useful parts of the placement: understanding not only what you are doing, but why it matters and what happens next.
Festival experience can be useful even if you do not plan to work in film.
The skills and knowledge may lead toward areas such as:
• sales and distribution
• festival or event production
• programming
• hospitality
• communication and press
• marketing
• partnerships
• cultural administration
• project management
• audience development
• international and non-profit organisations
You may arrive thinking you want to work in film and discover that you love project management. You may come from administration and discover an international industry you did not know existed.
The internship can be a way to understand where your own skills and interests fit.
In some cases, an internship can be combined with an academic research or thesis project.
The festival can provide a useful case study for areas such as:
• submissions and programming trends
• international film circulation
• ticket sales and audience behaviour
• surveys and focus groups
• marketing and communication
• website and social-media performance
• festival funding
• cultural participation and events in Lund
• local venues and cultural infrastructure
• cultural policy and public funding
• the relationship between an international festival and its local community
Projects may use data analysis, interviews, surveys, focus groups, observation or case studies.
Where appropriate, the festival may provide access to internal information or statistics, subject to confidentiality and data-protection requirements.
The level of physical presence depends on the time of year.
January–June: many programming, research and development tasks can be carried out remotely.
July–September: remote work is still possible for many administrative and digital tasks, but on-site work gradually increases.
September–November: festival production becomes increasingly location-based and generally requires regular presence in Lund.
When contacting us, please include:
• your CV
• a short introduction and motivation
• your educational background
• your preferred internship period
• the areas you are most interested in
• whether you are looking for a remote, hybrid or on-site placement
• any requirements connected to your university/school, Erasmus+ or other mobility programme
Different periods offer very different experiences. The best placement is the one that matches both your interests and what you want to learn.
Send your application to info@fff.se.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
