FESTIVALS ARE DEAD! (LONG LIVE FESTIVALS!)
I’ve long argued that filmmakers shouldn’t view theatrical distribution as the be-all and end-all of their filmmaker efforts. Other forms of distribution, DIY or otherwise, are often more financially remunerative and somethings even emotionally rewarding, depending on the films.
But I’ve never made the argument that filmmakers should sidestep the film festival circuit. One filmmaker who is at least posing that argument now is Sujewa Ekanayake, who decided not to submit his Date Number One to festivals while he launched his one series of DIY screenings. In this blog post, he explains his rationale and then makes a counterintuitive proposal: he’s starting a film festival.
Look for it in the D.C. area this fall, but, until then, check out the piece linked here.