STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
The world is coming out of COVID, and people are returning to theaters. But it is an unequal playing field. The masses are once more returning to multiplexes, but the arthouses are still suffering with low attendance, a trend that started before the pandemic. What does this portend for our industry? What does it mean when newspapers and websites hold reviews until a film’s streaming date instead of its theatrical release? Can audiences be lured back to theaters after becoming invested in streaming when movie houses went dark? How do we lure youth with TikTok-shortened attention spans into theaters? If theatrical exhibition were to go away, what does that mean for movie lovers and the future of film festivals and international and indie films? Moderator Mark Fishkin hosts several industry veterans as they weigh in on the current state of the industry and where it might be going.
Guests: Ted Hope, former head of production, Amazon Original Movies, and producer of more than 70 films including In the Bedroom (MVFF24) and The Tender Bar (2021) | Crystal Moselle, director, The Wolfpack (Sundance Grand Jury Prize 2015), Betty (HBO series 2020-’21), Sophia (MVFF45) | Nikyatu Jusu, writer-director, Nanny (Sundance Grand Jury Prize 2022, MVFF45) | Tarik Saleh, Director Boy From Heaven (MVFF45) | Moderator: Mark Fishkin, Founder + Director, MVFF
