Industry Insights – The EFM Podcast is presented by the European Film Market of the Berlinale.

Hosted by Elsa Keslassy (Executive International Editor; Variety, France), today’s episode, “A Fireside Chat with Award‑Winning Producer David Kaplan”, offers a rich and insightful look into the making of Josephine, the Sundance breakout, which competed at the Berlinale, and into the realities of producing bold, uncompromising American independent cinema.

Recorded during this year’s EFM Industry Programme, this fireside chat delves into the film’s 12‑year journey, from early development and financing hurdles to casting, creative breakthroughs, and the persistence required to bring challenging material to the screen. David Kaplan reflects on the risks, setbacks, and unexpected turns that shaped Josephine, including securing final financing only days into production.

David Kaplan (Co‑Founder, Kaplan Morrison, USA) is a Brooklyn‑based producer known for championing distinctive and daring independent films. His credits include It Follows, It Comes at Night, Short Term 12, The Brutalist and The Testament of Anne Lee. In the conversation, he discusses the evolving landscape of U.S. indie filmmaking, the realities of equity‑financed cinema, and why some stories demand unwavering commitment far beyond the first - or tenth - attempt.

Elsa Keslassy is Variety’s Executive Editor of International, leading global coverage from Paris. She oversees a team of award‑winning correspondents and helps guide the magazine’s reporting at major film and TV festivals and markets, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Mipcom. She covers the entertainment industries in France and several international territories, and has interviewed leading cultural figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron for a cover story on France’s cultural boom. She holds a degree in print journalism from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and began her career in documentary filmmaking before joining Variety in 2007.

The Berlinale’s European Film Market is the first international film market of the year, where the film industry starts its business. Industry Insights - The EFM Podcast puts a spotlight on highly topical and trendsetting industry issues, thereby creating a compass for the forthcoming film year. The year-round podcast co-funded by **Creative Europe MEDIA. **