25/03/2010

The UK Film Council (UKFC), which has awarded five distributors £30,000 each to use innovative digital and online tool to market films under its Digital Innovation in Distribution scheme, will make seven further awards for the same amount.

Pete Buckingham, Head of the UKFC’s Distribution and Exhibition Fund, said, “We’ve had a great response to this scheme, which suggests that rights holders are keen to find new ways of connecting with filmgoers using the internet. We’re looking forward to supporting more inventive digital campaigns that tap into the appetite for cinema in the UK and help audiences discover film online.”

So far five awards of £30,000 have been made to:

Metrodome Distribution for Motherhood (UK release March 5). A competition, promoted through social media sites, for mums to win 200 house party screenings. The film however collected a paltry £88 on its opening weekend.

Momentum Pictures, for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Niels Arden Oplev
interview: Søren Stærmose
film profile] (March 12). Fans competed through Facebook using a downloadable widget, completing tasks to win a trip to the film’s locations in Stockholm.

Revolver Entertainment for The Infidel (April 9). An online competition where fans submit video jokes about religion to the Facebook site. Users vote for the funniest joke, and the winner will perform it live at the UK premiere.

CinemaNX for The Disappearance of Alice Creed [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (April 30). Fans have the opportunity to win the film’s UK premiere for their local cinema by voting on a Facebook application.

Lionsgate UK for Heartless (May 21). An interactive Facebook campaign asking fans to capture the “darker side to your city” by uploading photography and artwork, for the chance to win camera equipment.