The Benefit Of Film Festivals To Filmmakers

The film festival is an integral part of your PR strategy for you as a filmmaker and for your film. 

I will be explaining 6 ways the film festival encourages and support you as a filmmaker and your film or participants.

1. THE AUDIENCE: You get the chance to experience an audience watching your film, you get feedback and there is a Q & A session where you share your experience while making the film and the motivation behind telling the story. 

2. AWARD: Winning an award is a great achievement for you and it is a symbol of your hard work. An official selection and award Laurel looks good on your film poster and some film festival give cash prizes and film equipment to their winners.

3. ADVANTAGE SESSION: Film festivals are a great place to learn from experienced film professionals, many film festivals organise engaging panel discussions, masterclasses on all aspects of filmmaking. These events are where you learn from experts and get a chance to promote yourself and your film.

4. NETWORKING: Attending or participating in a film festival will open you to many film professionals, you need to connect and engage with people, the industry is not about what you know it is about who you know.

5. DISTRIBUTION DEAL: Film festivals are also marketplaces where film acquisition executives go to do business, your film gets a chance to be seen by potential film buyers and some film festivals are in partnership with some film distributors, if your film is officially selected to be screened at the festival you get an offer from the buyers and you negotiate your right with them

6. PRESS AND MEDIA COVERAGE: Film festivals have a get your film out to the world with their massive media promotion for the event and your on the screening list, you get a film review by press coverage through television, blogs, and social media this further help in your marketing and can lead to getting distribution deal or a gigs