A report on how the 2018/2019 BFI FAN’s New Release Support titles have revealed that the programme continues to be valued by exhibitors and distributors and is making a significant contribution to supporting more ‘challenging’ titles and helping them find audiences beyond the major cities and Film Hub Lead Organisations.
The four films to receive FAN support in 2018/19 were:
- Utøya: July 22
- Shoplifters
- Burning
- Happy as Lazzaro
The report by Sarah Boiling Associates stated that the focus on more in depth support of fewer (smaller and mid sized) venues had a positive impact on the participating venues in terms of both resourcing the individual film campaigns and enabling more long term audience development.
Also, participating exhibitors particularly valued the sense of being in a ‘programe’ and the opportunity to share practice, experience and ideas with others in the cohort; building in opportunities to do this – face to face, through the freelancers or digitally – will be beneficial going forward.
To read the full report, click here
The BFI FAN New Release programme is a strategic initiative operating across the FAN Network and is led by Film Hub South West. The programme aims to increase the availability of, and therefore audiences for, a selection of new releases that meet a range of criteria around:
- Go beyond the mainstream offer and may be perceived as ‘risky’ or ‘challenging’
- Have potential to engage diverse audiences (as per BFI Diversity Standards)
- Show a diversity of on-screen portrayals, cultures and languages.
- Tell distinctive British stories – with a focus on non-London
- Make a particular contribution to the art of film (for example a distinctive style)
- FAN can impact on in terms of audience reach and engagementThe titles are also aimed specifically at reaching an audience of cinema goers aged 16-30 in alignment with BFI’s 2022 strategy.
Visit FANNewReleases.co.uk for the latest New Release support news. Current titles for 2019/2020 support are We The Animals and Hail Satan?
