CANNES 2023: Five industry professionals took part in a meeting organised by the CNC and Unifrance to discuss the use of new media and ideas to promote films

(from left to right): CEO of Unifrance Daniela Elstner, Leila Hamid (X Verleih), Elissa Federoff (Neon), Mathieu Robinet (Tandem), Jane Shao (Lumière Pavilions) and Fabien Westerhoff (Film Constellation)

"Films of Tomorrow: 3.0 innovation and marketing for the promotion and diversity of movie creation": such was the subject of the debate held by the CNC and Unifrance on Thursday 18 May on Grey d'Albion beach, during the 76th Cannes Film Festival. In a nutshell, a common question is emerging: "how do we reach out to the public and lure them back into cinemas", no matter the country? Representing the USA at this event was Elissa Federoff of Neon, which distributed Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness [+see also:
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interview: Ruben Östlund
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film profile]. China, a country whose admission numbers have been sorely affected by Covid, was represented by Jane Shao, the founder of Lumière Pavilions which distributes a number of foreign films, while Fabien Westerhoff spoke on behalf of Film Constellation, his international sales agency based in London. Distributor and creator of Tandem Films Mathieu Robinet meanwhile, is accompanying Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Banel & Adama [+see also:
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film profile] in a special screening. All those present swiftly agreed on the need to promote each film differently with a maximum of creativity.

Elissa Federoff explained that the marketing plan behind the release of Triangle of Sadness in the USA was accompanied by a huge billboard in Los Angeles featuring a photo of the actor who plays Dimitri (Zlatko Buric) asserting: "I sell shit". Neon also came up with an offer where certain viewers of the film were offered free botox sessions...

This creativity is increased substantially by social media channels, which have become an essential means of communication alongside the traditional media outlets. "At Tandem”, Mathieu Robinet explains, “we create our own digital content. We can produce twenty or so teasers per film, tested on different networks and audiences." Because it’s on these networks that younger audiences are found: the core target for certain films. "Young Americans are returning to cinemas to watch horror films”, Elissa Federoff enthuses, referencing the recent success of American movie Smile by Parker Finn: "they’ve realised that the atmosphere you find in a cinema is totally different to watching a film at home. Now we’re looking at opening their eyes to other options than blockbusters."

According to Thomas Robinet, instantaneousness is vital for highly fragmented young audiences. "We have to generate content for every community, choose platforms according to the audience type. These are separate worlds with specific codes and formats. We might test five different trailers for a single film. These tools really transform our marketing vision." Whether we’re talking about Neon, Constellation, or Tandem, these distributors’ strategy is to take a position on projects ahead of time, as of the screenplay stage, by pre-purchasing or co-producing them. Which, in the long term, allows them to create a brand and win the trust of their partners.

As for China, the country has been so badly affected by cinema closures that marketing is now mostly used to lure viewers back to cinemas: annual revenue (8 billion euros in pre-Covid years) has fallen by half. "Here, too, traditional media outlets are disappearing to the benefit of influencers”, Jane Shao explains. “But we have some nice surprises in store: a new generation of Chinese directors is on its way and the government is more open to foreign productions. At this very moment, Chinese actors can be seen on social media climbing the red carpeted steps of Cannes! There’s a real community of French film fans in China." Moreover, that very morning, Jane Shao received a prize from Unifrance’s Daniela Estner for her company Lumière Pavilions’ contribution to the promotion of French film in China.

(Translated from French)