We delve into the future of virtual cinema, and explore how film festivals are embracing the digital realm as an extension of their physical events. A key example is the Netherlands Film Festival, which is significantly expanding its online platform in 2024. This forward-thinking approach not only enhances accessibility but also opens new artistic possibilities. The digital space offers “infinite space” for creativity, enabling Dutch films to reach international audiences and fostering new ways of experiencing cinema.
How to love your digital screening room more and more
There was no doubt about it. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we cried out confidently that “hybrid was here to stay”. It is safe to say that working remotely has indeed proven to stick around. But at film festivals and in cinemas we see that in 2023 the focus was on one thing: getting the theaters filled with physical visitors again. You can’t blame them: the digital auditorium has not proven yet to be a pot of money and it turned out to require specific attention and manpower in terms of programming, communication and technology. But if you ask European cinemas and distributors about the role of online film in the future, everyone seems to be unanimous: the belief in the potential of virtual cinema is still there and they expect it to only grow. So how to deal with virtual cinema then, post-pandemic? In this article series by Janneke van Laar from Medialoc, one of the initiators of the REACH’M project, a selection of tips and concrete practical examples for film exhibitors who (want to) screen films online and would like to experiment further. A selection from our experience of recent times, to make you love your digital screening room more and more.
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#5: The infinite space for film
In 2024, as most film festivals allow themselves to simmer their thoughts and ambitions regarding an online programme, the Netherlands Film Festival decides to actually enlarge their investment in their online platform. The new and improved version to be launched during the upcoming festival edition in September. The Netherlands Film Festival is a yearly film festival, showcasing films, series and interactive productions from Dutch origin. We picked up the phone and dialed Esther Widjaja, a member of the programme department of the festival and project manager for their ready to be launched Online Screening Room. What urges the film festival to put in renewed efforts and investments in an online viewing platform? Why now? And what can we expect?
Esther started working for the festival in 2020. Quite the year to start a new job. Especially as the Netherlands Film Festival was the first film festival in the Netherlands that completely turned itself upside down and inside out and offered the full festival programme digitally with help of Medialoc’s MediaContainer. Ever since then, the contribution of online programming in the festival, whether it be as VOD or livestream, became somewhat smaller with each year’s passing. As was the case for many film festivals worldwide. Early 2024 however marked a change: instead of diminishing the role of the digital auditorium, the Netherlands Film Festival decided they would invest in their online environment and enlarge the role of online film within the festival.
Improving access with online film
The main reason: accessibility. As for many initiatives within the cultural sector, this keyword has been, rightfully so, playing an increasing role in recent years, focussing on improving the overall accessibility. During the past years, the Netherlands Film Festival therefore enhanced the accessibility of the physical festival areas and screening rooms. This year, the festival wants to deploy the digital screening room to make their programme more accessible for a broader audience.
Improving accessibility with an online programme can be achieved in a number of ways. Firstly, the festival wants to be welcoming and hopes that offering films online might lower the threshold for potential audiences that are experiencing a barrier for a physical festival visit, as these days film streaming is so commonly part of our daily activities. In addition, an online programme has been developed for the upcoming festival in which both short films and feature-length films will be made available containing subtitles with closed captions and audio with audio description, especially to reach out to the deaf and hard of hearing. And thirdly, the festival is aware that it mainly attracts visitors from Utrecht and Amsterdam and hopes that with the help of an online programme to be able to reach an audience that simply lives further away (in the Netherlands or beyond Dutch borders in Europe).
What makes a festival a festival?
To avoid being just another film streaming platform, the festival wants to translate the offline festival experience to the online environment. Visiting the online festival should be a similar experience to visiting the offline festival. “We consider the online visitor as a festival visitor,” Esther says. The festival aims to do so by offering similar elements online as the physical festival, such as providing an introduction to each online film, and digitally providing additional content to physical screenings. Also, the programme department decided to compose its film programmes both online and offline in a similar way, by adopting a similar approach and curatorial starting point. However, practical reasons sometimes turned out to be limiting in making the online and offline reflect each other. Examples are the high costs of live streaming a talk show or Q&A, rights issues and the fact that film distributors often have an offline focussed release strategy.“
We consider the online visitor as a festival visitor.”
Esther Widjaja (Netherlands Film Festival)
The festival aims to bridge the gap between the online screening room and the offline festival not only by creating a similar experience but also by criss-crossing the experiences. The festival not only wants to bring the physical screening room experience to the home, but also wants to bring the homey experience to the festival by experimenting with providing a larger stage for series as of this year – a medium that most people still associate with watching from the comfort of one’s own couch. By doing so, a hybrid approach can also result in exploring artistic new grounds.
The future of online for Dutch film
Esther is optimistic about the possibilities offered by the virtual screening room. She sees it as an additional environment that is basically infinite in space and artistic possibilities. A place that feels like a playground for film programmers.
Virtual cinema can also help further strengthen Dutch film in an international context and introduce people from Europe and beyond to Dutch film and European coproductions in a low-threshold way. While treasuring the physical cinema, she hopes that within the festival virtual cinema will in the foreseeable future take at least an equal position as the physical cinema.
“The virtual room is basically an additional screening room, but with infinite space.”
Esther Widjaja (Netherlands Film Festival)
The Netherlands Film Festival will take place from September 20th up and until the 27th 2024 at several screening locations in the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands. And online of course. Meet and interact with filmmakers, be the first to see the latest from homegrown films and experience film, series and digital culture. Go to https://www.filmfestival.nl/en?switch_to=en for more information about the festival and the programme.
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We would love to hear what your online and hybrid plans, questions and ambitions are. In any case, we are ready for you with lots of online ideas and experience! We would love to think with you. Please reach out to us via janneke@medialoc.eu.