Roadside Attractions, IFC Films & Millennium Media Execs Talk Challenges In Indie Theatrical Marketplace & Why They’re Hopeful Of Recovery — AFM

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Independent films in the theatrical marketplace are weathering a particularly fierce storm in the post-pandemic world with theatre closures and the struggle to get older audiences back into the cinema but Roadside Attraction’s Howard Cohen says that it will take one indie hit to drive numbers back up.  “It’s a hit-driven business so I think a big success in our space would cause a virtuous cycle in that it would bring people back to the theater for the first time and that would be trailered by other movies,” he said during a panel at the American Film Market, pointing to past indie successes such as Little Miss Sunshine and Slumdog Millionaire. “Movies like that, even a couple of them, could be game changers and bring people back and remind them of these experiences.”  “I think that might be our way out and our way back,” he said. “At least a couple of movies in that space that really overperform and I don’t think it’s going to take a huge amount.”  Cohen was joined by IFC’s Scott Shooman and Millenium Media’s Jeffrey Greenstein during the panel at the Loews in Santa Monica.

A big concern for all panelists is how the business gets the older demographic back into the cinema. “Truthfully the older demographics aren’t comfortable coming to the cinema just yet and the habits of watching content have changed,” said Greenstein. “Throughout the entire pandemic, it was just so easy to stay home and watch and I think that’s a big factor.” Shooman added that the type of filmgoer who would just “show up at the cinema on a Tuesday and pick a movie” isn’t around anymore in the current climate.

He called on cinema’s to make the moviegoing experience “more alluring.”  “That audience is not there anymore and that is what has sustained