To Cannes and Beyond

From studying cinematography in the Czech Republic to interning at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to working on sets after graduation, Ellery Ekblad ‘25 has jumped headfirst into the film industry.

The day after spring commencement, Ekblad rushed off to France, landing a day late into the most prestigious film festival in the world.

“The first day I arrived there, I immediately ran to the festival with my suitcase, where I met the CEOs of Asylum, the company that I am working for now,” she said.

Having studied abroad at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) her junior year, she found inspiration and important connections that prepared her to land an internship at Cannes.

On top of the exclusive screenings and panels, glitzy events and touristy outings, Ekblad said she seized the opportunity at Cannes to network and made new friends in the industry with whom she plans on attending again next year.

A fan of horror flicks, she said she’s loving every minute working for Sharknado-famous production company The Asylum and director Anthony Ferrante.

With Cannes under her belt and a lifetime membership to the festival-connected American Pavillion, Ekblad said her whirlwind experience has shown the importance of combining technical skills with people skills to make a strong, positive impression.

“The connections that I made at Cannes have stayed with me post-grad and impacted the way in which I see the professional side of filmmaking,” she said.