As Oscar nominees circulate in theaters, exhibitors are studying where and when to play Best Picture contenders during the long run-up from nominations February 8 through the awards March 27, juggling holdovers and new releases. (See this weekend’s specialty box office offerings below).In an interview with Deadline, Zach Nix, senior film buyer at Alamo Drafthouse, talks programming at the expanding chain, the state of specialty film and a brighter industry outlook after a tough road through Covid.
Nix, previously Alamo’s director of content licensing, was promoted in late January after head film buyer Kevin Holloway moved to Landmark Theatres as president.DEADLINE: How are you approaching programming Oscar Best Picture nominees ahead of the awards given the lead time?ZACH NIX: Yes, there’s a bit of a longer road map from nominations to Oscars this year.
I kind of think of it as two categories. The films that already had their first runs that got nominated, like a Dune or King Richard.
For those movies, it’s all about identifying a strategic weekend where we see the opportunity to bring a certain title back and look to do it across various markets.
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