It goes without saying that film festivals will have to be hybrid going forward—this is no longer optional but rather a requirement of the times. But the actual way the film festival circuit works also needs a revamp. The life cycle of an independent film on the festival circuit starts with, hopefully, a splashy premiere. The film is then taken to several festivals, building buzz over the course of anywhere from six to 18 months, during which time the film vies for limited distribution deals or the filmmaker has to figure out a distribution strategy of their own. While film […]