Director of FOCAL – Foundation for professional training in cinema and audiovisual media, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Born in 1954, Pierre Agthe studied psychology in France and Switzerland, after which he worked for fifteen years in the social field, education and child psychiatry. One of his key responsibilities was leading a day hospital for psychotic children.
In 1990, the Swiss film sector asked him to direct FOCAL, its public funded training institution for all professionals of the cinema and audiovisual businesses.
Since then he has developed this structure which is unique in Europe, which offers seminars, workshops and extensive courses with a focus on creative, technical and entrepreneurial skills. From screenwriting to screening these activities gather every year about one thousand participants, and internationally acclaimed tutors, script doctors, speakers, etc.
He has also established long term cross-cultural training and production programmes for screenwriters, directors, producers and lawyers in Central Europe, Western Africa and South Caucasus.
Given his background, Pierre Agthe is particularly interested in script development topics.
He retired from FOCAL in April 2019.