Not really distribution question, per se, but it kind-of falls into that general area, if you squint hard enough. I'm wondering how much premiere status (world, country, prov/state, local) figures into film festival selection criteria for narrative short films. I understand local, and I also understand top-tier film festivals demanding world premiere status, but I'm less certain about your more run-of-the-mill festivals. Thoughts and opinions?
Distribution : Film Festival Selection Criteria by Kim Kelln
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I run a film festival and we make it a point never to demand premiere status. It goes against the spirit of indie film if you make it harder for good films to be seen. There are many festivals that require premiere status when they don't deserve themselves to have that demand. I've known numerous filmmakers who have had to pull out of our festival in order to accommodate their selection in a "bigger festival" and just about all of them regret it because their films were slotted for an inconvenient time or because the experience wasn't great for some other reason. As far as "top tier festivals", they're very political in their selections and they don't guarantee anything to the filmmakers aside from a laurel with their name. So I always recommend submitting to festivals where you think you'd have the most fun and get the most exposure to audiences.
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On my end, I've never run into premiere status affecting shorts at the majority of fests. Agree with Gustavo above.
From experience, only top tier film festivals mostly demand a premiere status (emphasis on world premiere) and for good reason. Well, maybe not good enough for the filmmakers but definately taken serious by these festivals. You can say this is what makes them referred to as "Prestigious". However, your film most likely won't get into such festivals so why worry.
Also, another category of festivals request a premiere status expecially a "National Premiere". These festivals are mostly middle-range festivals and there is some class attached to them. A big argument from them is that their festivals don't just hand over plaques to you but also a cash prize attached to the plaque which in isn't too bad. A festival giving you money for winning an award should atleast have a feel of being special for being the first one to screen your film in their territory.
Any other kind of festivals with no incentive whatsoever for the fillmakers requesting a premiere status is just selfish and personally, I call them FRAUD! I stand to be corrected
Tobi, the top tier festivals only usually select films that have representation from agencies, at least as far as feature length films go. But there are a number of festivals that require premiere status of even short films. This is definitely wrong because it makes it more difficult for good films to be seen. They do it because they think they'll sell more tickets that way. The prestige thing is bogus, even for top tier. Very few films get anything after showing at even the biggest festivals in the world. Aside from an ego boost, many of those don't make any real money, if any at all. So, my opinion is that filmmakers should choose their festivals by the ones they'd enjoy the most.
And on a side note, I personally know of a documentary film that got national exposure and a huge run on NetFlix and was discovered by a CAA agent in a festival few have heard of in middle America. So, you never know when the right person will see your film even in the most unlikely of events.
Fair enough @Gustavo. Looking at your points critically, maybe truly, it's just wrong for any festival to ask for a premiere status.
I had a very negative experience a few months ago for one of our films. It was initially selected at one of the medium-range festival in Egypt but got dropped about a week to the festival when they discovered it had screened at another festival in the country as they insisted they wanted a national premiere. It was really shocking and disappointing.
Because the festival comes with a hefty cash award prices and fully take care of the hospitality of selected filmmakers, I felt they are justified if they can give all that in exchange for a premiere status for films to be screened at their Festival. It was just painful because I believed the film was a top contender for one of the awards and like you said, independent filmmakers rarely or in most cases don't get any returns from their films and this would have atleast given us a little hope for all the hard work. It was more painful because the festival it screened at initially and for why it was rejected at this one wasn't even In Competition! It was an out of competition category and yet, the festival wouldn't budge to reason with our plea.
Most of the times, we independent filmmakers are at more disadvantaged positions and it's sad.