Bruno

Filmmakers are always assessing ways in which they can spread awareness around their latest creation. Showcasing a movie at a film festival is a necessity for many as it opens it up to industry professionals and an audience. There’s an array of festivals to choose from, but deciding on the one that is best suited to a particular genre or style of movie can be tricky.

In the same way, games developers might struggle to tap into the ideal market for their gaming release; it can apply to movies also. For example, looking at creations like the Starburst game from Mansion in New Zealand, there’s no use in sharing that with a youthful audience on TikTok who can’t access those type of games. Likewise with movies, if a filmmaker is keen to tap into a European audience, it makes little sense to seek publicity in Australia or New Zealand. After all, marketing can make or break a film which is why it’s vitally important to get it right, especially for the smaller, independent movies out there.

With a comprehensive selection of fantastic film festivals all around the world, we thought we’d go through some of the best and highlight what exactly it is that they offer.

Sundance Film Festival

One of the biggest festivals in America, Sundance Film Festival serves up a feast of short and feature-length documentaries, alongside narrative films. Around 10,000 creations are said to be shown every year, although only around 200 actually make it. Documentaries are hugely popular at Sundance, although narrative dramas have registered big success in recent times also. American films do tend to be selected at Sundance, although the odd outsider has done well there too. When it comes to film festivals, make no mistake about it, Sundance Film Festival is one of the best around.

Busan International Film Festival

South Korean cinema is booming, largely down to masterpieces like Parasite, but also because of its reputation for supporting Asian directors and their films. Hosting the Asian Film Market to a massive audience of industry professionals and movie lovers, this annual film festival in Busan hasn’t looked back since it kicked off in 2006. Busan International Film Festival has certainly played its part in the rise of Asian cinema.

Festival de Cannes

Cannes Film Festival comes with a rich history which is exactly why it is regarded by many as being the most prestigious festival of its kind in the world. Boasting the world’s busiest film market, there’s an array of talented directors and movie industry experts aiming to showcase their skills in what usually is a glamorous affair full of around 30,000 industry professionals, desperate to watch the next big thing.

Berlin International Film Festival

With around 400,000 tickets sold each year, Berlin International Film Festival is one of the largest public film festivals on the planet. Promising to serve up around 400 films every year from Europe and around the world, this particular festival attracts around 20,000 industry professionals also, as well as the large number of members of public in attendance too.

International Film Festival Rotterdam

With a huge focus on industry newcomers and talented up and coming creators, alongside having an additional focus on cutting edge media art, International Film Festival Rotterdam is another large festival which can cater for up to 300,000 people, 2,000 of which tend to be film professionals. With around 250 feature films and 200 short films, there’s plenty of innovative and refreshing films to check out, alongside experiencing what usually is a great atmosphere celebrating all things film.