Insights from Romanian film industry: interview with Antoine Bagnaninchi (Independenta Film)

To kick off this year, our team at Business Review decided to investigate the characteristics of the Romanian moviegoer. According to recent public reports, the Romanian cinema market has nearly reached EUR 60 million in box office revenue. In the midst of our exploration, we couldn’t ignore the recent social media discussions surrounding Romanian film releases accompanied by hate speech. We wanted to understand if these controversies are influencing the choices and perceptions of moviegoers. To gather more information, we reached out to prominent film distributors to gain unique insights into the preferences and tastes of the audience.

For this series, Business Review talked with Antoine Bagnaninchi , owner at Independenta Film, one of the film distributors specialized in independent movies.

How would you describe the Romanian cinema market in terms of audience attendance and box office performance in 2023? Do you believe there are going to be any changes in 2024?

The market, in general, has regained its vitality from before the pandemic. What is significant in the Romanian box office is that in the top 10 of 2023, there are four Romanian commercial comedy films. A new trend for the Romanian market – the strength of national comedy. Most likely, given how this cinematic year has started, the trend will continue. Unfortunately, Romanian art-house films do not benefit from this new trend.

Are there any specific genres or types of films that have been particularly successful in Romania recently, and do you plan to capitalize on these trends in 2024?

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Apart from the success of Romanian comedies, there is a great interest from the audience in horror films. In 2023, we capitalized on the audience’s attention to this genre with “Talk To Me,” a production made by two YouTubers from Australia, which brought in over 65,000 viewers to the cinemas. We hope to bring successful horror films in 2024 as well, depending on what is released at major international festivals soon, starting with Sundance or Cannes.

Can you share any insights into your distribution strategies for Romanian independent and art-house films in 2024 and how you plan to support the local film industry?

Independenta Film distributes only foreign art-house films. Therefore, we will continue to bring in films that we like and that have something to say. We remain faithful to the great auteurs whose films we have been distributing since 1997 when we entered the market, but we are also open to new names that have something to express through their productions. Regarding distribution in local cinemas, we are pleased to see that films like “The Boy And The Heron,” “Jeanne du Barry,” or “Caravaggio” have done very well not only in arthouse cinemas but also in network cinemas. For 2024, we aim to improve our relationship with these cinemas to ensure better promotion of films among the local audience.

What role do film festivals play in your distribution strategies for independent and art-house films, and are there any notable festivals or events in 2024 where audiences can expect to see a strong Romanian film presence?

Film festivals are of great importance for arthouse films – a selection at Cannes, Berlin, or Venice adds notoriety to the local market for the films we bring from these festivals’ programs. Clearly, among them, Cannes is the most important. At the same time, we do not neglect local festivals, such as TIFF, which is a fantastic launching platform not only for Romanian films but also for certain foreign films that will have premieres in Romania during the year.

Are there any upcoming movie releases or major film events scheduled for 2024 that your company is particularly excited about and expects to have a significant impact on the Romanian cinema market?

In the first part of the year, we will release two films that we hope will capture the attention of a wide audience:

1. “Dragoste la foc mic / The Pot-Au-Feu,” directed by Tràn Anh Hùng, starring Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel, which is currently France’s Oscar submission.
2. “Cum să faci sex / How To Have Sex,” a strong directorial debut. The first is a more classic film about food and love, while the second is a provocative, more contemporary film about sex.

Is there still any place for public relations and media partnerships in your efforts to promote local films?

We distribute non-local films, but our efforts are similar, even greater in some aspects. For example, in the case of a local film, you can integrate the film’s team into the promotional campaign through social media or media partnerships. However, for a foreign film, this is less likely to happen. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but efforts need to be adapted to the possibilities. What we have set out to do in 2024 is to build a community around the Independenta Film brand with the help of media partners.

How do you engage with film critics, bloggers, and influencers to generate positive reviews and discussions about Romanian films, and how does this impact the success of your distribution strategies?

We are happy to see positive reviews of the films we distribute, but we do not seek to influence the opinions of journalists or film critics. On the contrary, sometimes we post less favorable reviews on our social media accounts, which can spark heated discussions. In general, we invite journalists to premieres and provide press materials to help them create comprehensive content. When the opportunity arises, we facilitate interviews with renowned filmmakers or actors. Unfortunately, film, in general, and especially arthouse films, do not receive extensive coverage in mainstream publications, and niche publications have a limited readership.

In an age of digital media, what online platforms and social media channels are you focusing on to connect with the younger, tech-savvy audience and raise awareness about films?

We are present on almost all major platforms, including a website, Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, YouTube, and even a Vimeo account where films from our portfolio can be viewed for a fee. Each film has its own target audience, and consequently, platforms where it performs better. For example, “Talk To Me” performed best on Tik-Tok, where the young audience is, while “Caravaggio” did much better on Facebook. Therefore, we are flexible and curious to explore promotion on various digital channels based on the audience we are targeting.