By: Dominic La-Viola
“Even if a movie like Anora was made for $6 million or whatever it was, you can put $90 million into [the marketing and awards campaign] — and we literally don’t have 90 cents,” Liu says with a smidge of winking hyperbole, leaning on a couch in a West Hollywood hotel room. “It’s kind of heartbreaking to talk about something really important when you don’t have much.”
This is a quote from The Hollywood Reporter, in which it interviews Liu in spite of her new film, “Rosemead”, that is coming out on December 5th in select theaters.
Which first premiered at Tribeca, before then going on to show at film festivals such as Locarno, Belfast, and Miami.
The early reviews are in and have said that things like “career-redefining” and “towering.” (THR’s review says she “transformed,” while praising the film around her as “intimate and forceful.”
Which is a huge achievement within itself, although that doesn’t mean much in the shape the industry is currently in.
Due to streaming services producing their own original movies and TV shows, on top of all the players that were already in the game, so to speak.
The space that once existed for indie and arthouse films to thrive, no longer does. You have A-list and big Hollywood names doing straight-to-streaming movies, making the space even harder to stand out. Even when those movies are nothing more than big-budget TV movies, in which most of them lack substance and quality.
According to THR, the film took years to make, for it had difficulties finding financial backing and then when it was made and was shown to the world. It wasn’t an easy sell to get distribution, even with its rave reviews. Again, factors such as finding a way to recoup the money, due to the oversaturated marketplace.
Now with no money left for marketing or promotion, it is still possible for the film to get some Oscar attention and nominations.
Although at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t get any recognition at all, simply based on the lack of representation and promotion. I have seen a lot of promotions and, for your consideration, ads posted in and on various platforms already for various films.
Which, if last year’s 5-time Oscar-winning film, is any indication of how this year’s Oscars will go. With many studios already promoting their films, “Rosemead” doesn’t stand a chance.
Now, after reading the whole interview, which isn’t posted here, I do wonder. Would it be more beneficial to try and promote the film via social media? Using your star power and brand to promote the film? There’s only one post on her page about the film.
Kevin Smith is a perfect example of this. He promotes his films through himself. Going on tour around the country, doing Q&As, promoting his films by touring the film to various theaters around the country.
Live Q&As after screenings of new films are becoming more and more popular in recent years, and I think this should be a strategy she should consider. Especially with the Oscars coming up. This could help the film become more known and get the attention it deserves.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter.