Why Indie Film Distribution Is Becoming Harder Than Ever

Top film executives from Europe and Asia convened at the Busan Asian Contents & Film Market to dissect the evolving landscape of cross-continental film distribution and sales, highlighting the growing importance of social media, the enduring significance of film festival awards and the delicate balance between established auteurs and emerging voices.

The panel, moderated by Katarzyna Siniarska of New Europe Film Sales, brought together industry veterans from Hong Kong, France, South Korea, Germany and mainland China to share insights on market trends and strategies in a post-pandemic world.

Felix Tsang of Hong Kong’s Golden Scene emphasized the importance of universal storytelling in acquiring international titles. “When we acquire art house films, especially non-English language territories, it’s very important for the film to have a very universal story,” Tsang said. He cited the success of “Anatomy of a Fall” in Hong Kong, attributing it to the film’s relatability and innovative social media promotion.

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“We literally just posted the argument scene on social media,” Tsang revealed, discussing their marketing strategy for “Anatomy of a Fall.” “That conversation really generated a lot of comments. Everyone was actually sharing their own stories of having different arguments in relationships.”

Tsang also highlighted the growing influence of social media platforms in film promotion, particularly in Hong Kong. “Threads is huge in Hong Kong. People don’t even use Facebook anymore. It’s all on Threads and Instagram,” he said, noting how these platforms have become crucial for generating buzz and discussions around films.

Jeanne Loriotti from Memento International highlighted the growing appetite for Asian content in Europe. “We are trying to acquire more and more Asian content,” Loriotti said, noting increased interest from markets like Germany, Spain and France. She also touched on the delicate balance between established auteurs and new voices. “We always try to find new voices. And we just want to make the story elevated.”

Jung Taewon of South Korea’s Jinjin Pictures emphasized the challenge of attracting audiences back to cinemas in the post-pandemic era. “We are trying every effort to bring people back to cinema,” Jung said. He discussed the company strategy, which includes targeting specific demographics and utilizing Instagram campaigns.

Manuel Ewald of Germany’s Plaion Pictures observed a shift in audience demographics. “We have seen that films from important auteur directors that have festival experience still have a home in cinema,” Ewald said, while noting the difficulty in attracting younger audiences. He also discussed the challenges in marketing animated films for adult audiences in Europe, contrasting it with the more receptive Asian markets.

Vivian Lou from China’s Teamer International Media discussed the changing preferences of Chinese audiences. “Right now, we are losing interest in going back to the cinemas,” Lou said, adding that genres like action thrillers or romance films that resonate emotionally are currently most appealing. She also noted the rising popularity of micro-series in China, with episodes as short as 90 seconds, indicating a shift in content consumption patterns and competition for the theatrical format.

The panelists engaged in a lively discussion about the animated film “Robot Dreams,” which performed differently across various markets. Tsang noted its success in Hong Kong, attributing it partly to the film’s lack of dialogue, which minimized language barriers. Jung said that in Korea, they marketed it as an arthouse title, focusing on the relationship between the robot and dog characters.

The discussion underscored the ongoing challenges in the global film market, including recovery from the pandemic, changing audience behaviors, and the need for innovative distribution strategies in an evolving landscape. The importance of film festival awards in attracting audiences was a recurring theme throughout the discussion. The panelists agreed on the importance of adapting to new technologies and platforms while maintaining the essence of storytelling that resonates across cultures.

Regarding shrinking audiences for speciality films, both Jung and Siniarska said that expectations have to be lowered.