“The Americans are coming,” argued Alexandra Lebret of the European Producers Club during the closing session of Locarno's StepIn. And that could turn out well.

“They want to take advantage of lower costs and tax breaks [in Europe]. It will make money for the industry, but it will not increase our salaries – on the contrary.”

“The gap between value and cost” is one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers today, but so is managing talent.

“They’re becoming increasingly difficult to pin down and can even cancel their commitment to the project a few days before shooting. Negotiating deals with American agents is nearly impossible for many indies,” she added, joking that the conversation should be nicknamed “A Prayer for the Dying,” after the Mike Hodges film.