Don’t fret. It may seem like every other post on HopeForFilm as of late has become a multi-parter, but I swear that is not my intent. It is hard to be comprehensive on most topics and simultaneously keep it close to 2000 words — and even that is a mouthful to serve up over morning coffee. I will try to think small going forward, if it is any consolation.
We got started last Thursday on The New Film Festival Strategy. Today we return. I didn’t want to keep you hanging after all.
Those first ten points were primarily about examining the big picture while simultaneous remaining practical. You can do two things at once, can’t you? Set a long term strategy and keep it real. Don’t expect to go to Cannes with your first film (although the exceptions still find a way through). Even if Sundance is still a first feature bonanza, it may not be the one that is best for you. You need your goals — and it is likely community or audience building — and the strategy wants to prioritize that over your dreams of glory.
Shall we continue on? We start with some more practical steps. And now we are trying to get a bit granular. Still thinking utopian too, and it is not just to complicate matters. This is the friction that produces the pearl. Dream, keep it real. Dream, keep it real. Rinse and repeat, ad infinitum.
The HFF New Film Festival Strategy, 2026 Edition, Part 2; Steps 11-25
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Understand “premiere status” before you screen the film anywhere.
One initial festival invitation can affect what is possible for everything else that follows. First you have to understand their language. Different festivals have different expectations about what constitutes a premiere, and seemingly minor decisions of where and when you play can have consequences you did not anticipate. Don’t misunderstand.
Don’t let the excitement of finally being invited somewhere make the decision for you. Before saying yes, understand what you may be giving up by doing so and whether that trade is worth it for this film at this time. Think of it as an inverse pyramid of reach that you are giving away with the widest coming at the top. First is the world premiere, then the continent, then each continent’s north, south, east, west — or something like that. Then perhaps states or provinces. Maybe cities. Get the picture? You should get narrower and narrower with you premiere status — but that takes planning and balance.
This is another place where your goal for each particular festival matters. A premiere designation has value only because of what you believe it may help the film accomplish. But it is a single moment and you are planning a very long run with exhausting peaks and valleys. You don’t know what is going to truly come next, and that’s okay. But it is not trivial. Premieres also generally come with better screening times too, so there’s that — that helps people show up.
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Figure out your ideal launch sequence — and then recognize that the launch is only the beginning.
If everything went right, where would you premiere and what would you hope came next? What would you want the first festival to make possible that could then be built upon at the second? How do you build momentum? What does momentum even look like? Dream, baby, dream.
Draw out that fantasy version of your festival strategy; it forces you to articulate what you are hoping for. Know each stop along the way. Then make the other version, the one that feels more likely. And make one where most of the festivals you covet say no, because there is a good chance you will need that one too. Sad, but true.
The launch matters, but don’t let the glamour of the premiere cause you to design only the first few moves. You are building a LONG festival run… a long run and you need to be able to see it if you want it to align with your goals.
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I like a three-tier launch approach: unlikely, possible, and likely.
This is similar to my prioritization method: now, soon, later. Genius, right? Ha. It works. Trust me.
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