60th Montecarlo TV Festival: Q&A with Laurent Puons and Serieously

The 60th edition of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival is just a couple of months away, and Laurent Puons answered to a Q&A led by Serieously on Instagram. Will the event still take place? In what conditions? Who will attend? The president of the Festival tells us everything.

Serieously: will the Monte-Carlo Television Festival be held this year?

Laurent Puons: absolutely. We have been working on this edition for several months and it will definitely take place. It will obviously be in special conditions due to the pandemic, but the decision to organize the event between June 18th and 22nd has been made. To be honest with you, the Festival will probably be less global this year compared to previous editions, it will be much more European. There is one reason for that: we have been told that traveling conditions to Europe were still very complicated for American talents. Still, the Festival will happen and should be as amazing as usual since we still hope to have a couple of American surprises, completed with high end European productions.

Serieously: what will be the sanitary measures for the attendees? How are you going to organize the venue this year?

Laurent Puons: As of today, there are a couple of sanitary rules that we have to comply with, and those can still change as of June 18th. Social distancing, mandatory masks, a limit to a 50% occupation capacity in halls: these are rules required by the Monaco Government right now. These conditions could get more flexible by June 18th, and if so, we will adapt the content of the events and more especially the public ones. But I want to insist: even if the conditions stay the same as today, we will still hold public events, and will abide by all the necessary sanitary precautions. For selfies for instance, it might be a bit more complicated this year, but we can definitely imagine meets and greets between talents and fans. And the Behind-The-Scenes screenings will be held too.

Serieously: so, it will be an edition respectful of the sanitary measures for the fans to still have a great experience, which is essential to you.

Laurent Puons: I have always been convinced that the fans are a publicity carrier for any event and it has been my personal and my team's quest to open our festival to as many people as possible. Therefore, there is no way for us to close to the public this year, fans will be as welcomed as previous editions. Of course, all the sanitary precautions must be respected, obviously.

Serieously: will fans be able, for example, to take selfies during the event?

Laurent Puons: fans will most definitely be close to talents, that's for sure, even though it won't be exactly like the previous years. But that won't stop fans from having autographs, we will make it happen by cleaning pens and respecting social distancing for instance. There won't be as many autographs as before because of these new rules, but we won't keep anyone from having their signatures. We even wondered about the opening and the closing ceremony because there is always a certain number of fans by the gates, and we know we won't be able to have as many fans as previously. Therefore, my team and I are trying to figure out a rotation system to have fans at the gates. But we are also counting on everyone's manners, obviously you must not stay at the gate from 8am to 10pm for example.

Serieously: we were talking about a more European festival this year, but will you still try to bring American talents, even via zoom or for remote meetings?

Laurent Puons: most of the festival will be held on location and therefore it will be complicated to have many American talents for this edition. But we are still regularly in touch with the studios and they have asked us to keep on promoting their shows and talents through our press activities. So, we will be organizing digital PR with the US, as well as online public events with the talents. As for the presence of talents during the festival, there are three essential roles: the president of the jury, the Crystal Nymph Award and the Honorary Nymph award. We will try to have those roles filled by Americans and we have sent several invites to high end talents. Let's hope that the sanitary conditions allow them to come to Monaco to take part in the festival.

Serieously: it seems like it's essential for you to have American talents.

Laurent Puons: yes absolutely. But to be honest with you, Studios told us that it might be complicated unless we're lucky enough to have a cast filming in Europe. Again, we'll try to get the opportunity to invite them and have them come to the event. The American attendees will not be as numerous as in the previous editions that's for sure. Unless of course there is a natural immunity, and if at least 80% of the population is vaccinated, but I don't think we're going that way.

Serieously: can we still hope for big talent then?

Laurent Puons: well, nothing is confirmed, the invitations have been sent and we're still discussing with some talents to get them to come at the Monte-Carlo Television festival. And I'm insisting on the fact that nothing is confirmed yet, but we have invited Antonio Banderas for the Crystal Nymph Award, and Olivia Colman as well as Jeremy Irons... There are still a few ongoing and open conversations so far. But there is also a big opportunity to welcome premium European talent, which is still equivalent to the American talents. I can also talk to you about Robert Redford for the Honorary Golden Nymph Award he didn't accept but didn't decline either. I'm not saying they're going to come but we're still discussing. I can see a question right here on Instagram “will there be any talent from Money Heist?” The answer is yes maybe, I can't tell you anything more, but we've sent invitations for that show as well.

Serieously: could you share with us your favorite memory from the festival?

Laurent Puons: that's tricky but if I think about it, I'd have to say my encounter with Michael Douglas last year, and I still can't believe that happened. We rode together in the car and had a casual conversation, just as if we were friends. It's when we arrived at the gala that I realized ‘man you're talking to Michael Douglas, you're really having a conversation with him!' That was crazy. But I also really enjoyed meeting Desmond Tutu, the Peace Nobel prize who came in 2014. The only person for whom I would have driven hundreds of miles to get an autograph would have been Nelson Mandela. And Desmond Tutu is in second place. So, to meet him at the festival was huge for me. But I can also talk to you about Jerry Bruckheimer who got the Honorary Golden Nymph Award. That guy did everything, he's a great producer who even welcomed me in his Los Angeles Studios back in February 2020.

Serieously: and a favorite moment?

Laurent Puons: it was last year too actually. Prince Albert II of Monaco - who is the honorary President of the festival -came with his two kids in 2019, and I was overwhelmed. Not only was I welcoming the Sovereign Prince, but as we were talking, I got to take his kids to see Spongebob Squarepants. That was a very simple moment but it was quite touching, and the kids' day was a success as well! So, when I say there is something for everybody at the Festival that is the case: for the professionals and press, but also for the fans and those kids who came thanks to the Grace Kelly charity.

Serieously: there isn't any other festival that is as open to fans as Monte-Carlo's, and it's opening more and more as the years go by. Is it something essential for you?

Laurent Puons: I realize that each year people come from Canada, Belgium, the USA to attend the festival. That's amazing.

Serieously: to sum up, what can we expect in June for the Monte Carlo's Television Festival?

Laurent Puons: things will definitely change for sure, but the format of the festival will remain the same and with a bonus since all the selected shows in the competition will be screened. And of course, if the cast is here, there will be screenings with red carpet. There will always be content at the festival, we're working on that every single day. It's the perfect place for all the studios and digital platforms. We are most definitely making sure we're offering the best experience to fans through public events, the opening and closing Golden Nymph Awards ceremony, and premieres. We are not going another year without the event, and worst-case scenario is that there's only French travelling allowed, we'll do in edition with French actors and the amazing French production. The festival will take place with or without international talent.