Interview Laurent Puons, The Man of His Time

Laurent Puons is the Delegated Vice President of the Monte Carlo TV Festival, and the man who takes this event to another level. 

Founded by Prince Rainier III back in 1961, the festival has known a lot of changes in time. Which is perfectly normal as everything has evolved so fast. Laurent Puons knows perfectly that in order to succeed, you need to be on the waves of time. We are already transitioning towards a new era and the television landscape is taking new forms and getting into the digital transcripts, more and more. We see how old formats turn into new ones, more adapted to the new demands. So to manage all these, one needs to understand the wheels of time. And Laurent Puons does it perfectly!

He reminds us that this edition unveiled itself under the celebration of the Prince Rainier III Centenarian  who was, in his opinion, a visionary. 

‘With what the content industry has turned into, it's amazing to create a TV festival in 1961 and see what it has become! I think it is even more powerful than cinema, today, with all the digital platforms. 

We are so proud to be able to continue his initiative.'

How does Laurent updates his festival to the new technological demands and trends, it is easy to see through all its programme.

‘I hired skilful directors on all Monaco Mediax events and platforms who take care of organising them in all the details. Once my strategy, my instructions are in place, they do the necessary to put them into practice. This allows me to think already of the futur edition. This is why the festival evolves each year.'

What it worked ten years ago, it doesn't work nowadays, anymore. So, the market needs to update and find new ways to adapt to new trends and demands. 

« What does it work now ? »

‘We recreated the competition. We started it in 2019 but it stopped because of Covid. I proposed to S.A.S. Prince Albert II of Monaco, who is the Honorary President of the Festival, to simplify and have less in the competition and project them. We have the global avant- premieres that attire the press, the people, and allows us to invite all the names. So I said to simplify it to nine contents. And this works very well. We have now four global avant- premieres.'

The festival now is very digitalised. The presence on the social media is very important. Laurent Puons tells us that it is crucial to be on the social media now. 

‘We have to change the way we work. Today, either is fortunate or unfortunate, the most important thing to communicate is social media. The print media has become more and more complicated. So, one needs to adapt. I don't buy newspapers anymore, I watch everything on the internet, on mobile.'

Going towards what is, more and more, characteristic to this era, is a strategy of success in many ways.  

‘There is nothing more noble than change, if it's done smartly!' Said Laurent. 

‘We have to seize the opportunities and be a visionnaire. Next year it's fifty years of Little House on the Prairie.' He already thinks how he can gather around-des names from the cast and a crazy event around it, for the next edition. 

And Laurent knows very well that, in order to be successful in this field, you need to have the American entertainment and celebrities along the European ones. The American showbiz is so largely known, but the European part has its talents, too. 

‘French productions are more and more qualitative. They rivalise the American ones.' 

Things are changing, the entertainment moves globally through the digital platforms that allow the global streaming' and offers the possibility to be seen by a bigger audience. 

Talking about the edition he liked best, he says:

‘I liked very much the 2013 edition because we had Jerry Bruckheimer who is a fantastic guy. And, also, we had Desmond Tutu. In my life, I would have gone to the other part of the world to meet Nelson Mandela, but this time we had Desmond Tutu. Each festival I become friend with a few actors, and keep great memories.'

Laurent Puons is the man of his time, and a reference for the Monte Carlo TV Festival. His ambition and charm makes it successful for all generations. 

By Andra Oprea