It is a time of great disruption in both independent and studio cinema. The Dolby House hosted a conversation on the evolving role of film festivals in this dramatically changing landscape. They dove into topics such as the role of streaming platforms and online vs in-person festivals. And tackle questions such as how festivals can develop the next generation of talent, and how exactly does one get a film into SXSW or Sundance?
I sat in on the panel hosted by Jacqueline Lyanga (Curator of Global Cinema and XR; Festivals, Events and Platforms) and Eugene Hernandez (Director of the Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming, Founder of IndieWire) As someone who co-founded and programs Panic Fest, I found the conversation to be intriguing. While our festival genre driven their conversation applies to filmmakers and programmers a like.
They talk about developing your festival audience as a programmer and what filmmakers should consider when applying to festivals.