Distribution IS Impact

We have all heard the stereotype about who watches documentary films — educated elites, older people. But is this because documentaries hold little appeal or because of how they have been marketed and distributed? In some regions, there is simply no public media system at all to support universal access to ideas, information and art. In other settings, documentaries are accessible only to those in major cities with the means to go to elite festivals or niche movie theatres or to pay pricey subscription fees to online platforms.

Impact distribution is predicated on the belief that people are hungry for the nuance, complexity, authenticity, personal and profound that documentaries deliver. While the distribution mechanisms have been disrupted by big tech, market forces and politics, we reject wholeheartedly the silly notion that citizens don’t want a pluralism of ideas.

Nearly 200 participants from 12 countries at the Latin American Forum on Film and Social Impact proclaimed that “access to diverse cinema” is a cultural right that sits in opposition to the commercial paradigm, “a hegemonic model driven by market transactions and competitive logic.” If your priority is impact, reject the paradigm!

Christie Marchese of Kinema suggests changing your mind frame from “getting” distribution to “doing” it. You are the hero of your own story; you are not a passive recipient of your fate! Marchese says this doesn’t necessarily mean going alone; it does mean having a vision for how your film will be seen over the next 1-2 years, being willing to experiment, creating options, and being agile enough to respond to opportunities.

We have gathered several case studies from around the world that share how filmmakers found creative ways to get their film seen.