More Than a Screening
While we have argued that simply facilitating the viewing of your film can have an impact, we also know that there is an opportunity to leverage each screening to increase that impact — whether your audience is gathered in the same room or online.
Town Halls
Bring people from a community together who may not otherwise connect and facilitate a conversation about the issue addressed in the film and the effect it is having locally and what community members are doing or can do about it.
Panel Discussions
Invite “experts” — whether that means your film participants, local community members with real life experiences, academics, or advocates — to speak about your issue to provide further (and perhaps local) context to your film’s story. Ensure that each comes with a clear call to action for audience members to take to capitalize on the energy generated by your film.
Trainings
Screen your film as part of a half-day or all-day skills training, building the audiences’ capacity for effective advocacy, lobbying, direct action, community organizing, and more.
Actions
Whether they are online or in the same room, give everyone a clear action to take right then and there: post a message about the film online, donate, email a policy leader, figure out who represents them in government.
Related resources
Sunshine Cinema
Manifesto for Community Film Distribution and Exhibition in Latin America
Distribution Playbook
Film Distribution and Impact Budget Template
