Self-Distribution Invigorated by IFP and reRun Theater
The Independent Filmmaker Project, more fondly known as IFP, has taken on an exciting project that aims to enhance the experience of filmmakers who choose the route of self-distribution.
As a distribution arm of the independent film industry, IndiePix would love nothing more than to help filmmakers share their creative visions with the niche or mass markets they align with. But, we also recognize that the best advocate to the message of a filmmaker’s film is the filmmaker alone. Without the filmmaker, the film not only could not physically exist but is never conceived in thought: they are the sole arbiter of its ushering into this world.
IFP will team up with its editorial staff at Filmmaker Magazine to mentor and program feature films to play at the reRun theater, an advocacy for independent film that is sure to inspire the industry. This effort will provide a supported theatrical process for films that may not warrant hundreds of thousands in theatrical dollars, but whose audience appeal promises to fill seats.
IFP Executive Director Joana Vicente commented that “in the reRun Theater, IFP has found a partner equally dedicated to our core belief in nurturing diverse voices on the independent scene. In today’s climate, there are more ways than ever for filmmakers to get their work out into the world. But it’s the reRun’s emphasis on the communal moviegoing experience, and their drive to open New York City’s highly competitive theatrical market to a new community of artists and storytellers, that sets the theater apart.”
Several films have already been set to play, with the critically-acclaimed films Girl Walk // All Day (Jacob Krupnick), Otelo Burning (Sara Blecher), and Habibi (Susan Youssef) slated for week runs. IFP encourages films that have either been through the bases of their core programs or covered by Filmmaker Magazine to apply to this initiative, with the selected films being provided marketing and distribution support as well as a portion of the theater’s weekly ticket sales.
This is an exciting opportunity for filmmakers but also opens the door to new possibilities as companies like reRun and IFP showcase new ways in which different entities within the independent film industry and combine their efforts to further embolden filmmakers.
About Girl Walk // All Day, Otelo Burning, and Habibi:
Opening November 2nd, Jacob Krupnick’s Girl Walk // All Day is a feature-length dance music video set to the latest album by mash-up artist Girl Talk. The film, which played at SXSW this past March, follows three dancers on a journey across New York City, as they turn the city’s sidewalks, parks, and architecture into an evolving stage.
Opening November 9th for a week of “Buzz Screenings,” Otelo Burning tells the story of a group of South African township kids in 1989 who discover the joy of surfing against the backdrop of brewing political conflict. An alumnus of IFP’s Narrative Filmmaker Labs, the film had its US premiere at this year’s Seattle Film Festival and is being released by The Turner Group and Autonomous Entertainment.
Opening November 16th, Susan Youssef’s Habibi follows two students in the West Bank who are forced to return home to Gaza, where their forbidden love defies tradition. An alumnus of IFP’s Narrative Filmmaker Labs, the film was also an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival, the Venice International Film Festival, and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival.
About reRun Theater:
The reRun Theater, located at 147 Front St. in Dumbo, Brooklyn, provides a fully immersive theatrical and social experience, featuring an all-digital 1080p HD projector, a JBL 7.1 surround pro-audio sound system, a fully-stocked bar, and a gourmet snack menu. Open for operation since 2010, the theater has been named one of “eight nationwide theaters redefining the moviegoing experience” (Entertainment Weekly), a “DIY trailblazer” (Time Out New York), and one of “The World’s Coolest Movie Theaters,” (Travel and Leisure).
For more information, visit http://reruntheater.com.
