Variety: The common ground between American film consumers and critics is when the two get to converge at a film festival. Equally measured in their “first look” at a film that has yet to open in a theater near you, the two get to take in the spectacle of a movie, sharing in those experiences and reacting to it on Film Twitter or with one another outside a theater.
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It’s so interesting to think about how important “word-of-mouth” still is in the entertainment industry. Especially in theatre and in the film festival segments. And the film festival industry, while it might have had some struggles getting its footing, it seems to be doing pretty okay from the content in this article. Not only are these new films that this writer saw good films, but the experience of attending a film festival screening outside of a big screen on a beautiful lawn is something entirely different than what film festivals were just last winter. I understand that maybe people younger than myself love how they can get everything instantly and magically to their cellular devices, but the act of going to watch a movie in a movie theatre feels sacred. Or, now with COVID-19, the act of going to a drive in movie theatre. Things that have not been super popular since the 50’s are not gaining popularity. I wonder if being starved of these things will make them gain even more attention when we are no longer living in a pandemic.
There was a brief period in my life where I was interested in going into the film industry. While that quickly faded, I am still very much interested in films and loved going to film festivals in the past. However, this article is more focused on the distribution of the film in a coronavirus world, and that is where the drive-in theatre comes into play. I have been going to drive-in theatres all my life and have ALWAYS much preferred them to a more conventional movie theatre. The thought of combining a film festival with a drive-in movie venue is brilliant and I am curious as to why this has not been more widely adopted in the past? Not only would this make film festivals more accessible without the pretentious atmosphere of a “film screening” it is a great way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air!!
Reading about how the film industry was being impacted, not just from the production side, but the viewing side was very interesting for me. Of course, I knew film festivals were also off the table with Covid-19, but I was unaware with just how significant this issue was. Because of digitally streaming, I didn’t pause to reflect on what a huge impact this was having on movie theatres, with the exception of the news of cinemas closing across the country. Drive in movies are still an option in some areas, which provides a great night out and a brief escape from pandemic fatigue. This film lover writes to remind us that these film festivals and viewing parties are a large part in a film’s success, it is a chance for critics to spread word of mouth and create a “you gotta see this” buzz, as well as start the talks for the Oscar and award show season. I hope that some type of virtual format can exist that will still honor the work of those who created the film, and provide a relief for those who so desperately love them.
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