Film Distribution Vet Liz Manashil Explores the Future of a Post-Pandemic Film Industry

Will people REALLY want to come back to movie theaters? 

I don’t know. I am having trouble leaving the house. I watch movies and get confused when handshakes happen so effortlessly. I haven’t seen anyone other than my partner, son, and dog through a screen door for weeks. The idea of gathering in public is so alien to a lot of us. However!

I think arthouse theaters went through a lot in the past several years, including major competition from tentpole films and massive chains, and the reduction of theatrical attendance in general. I do believe MoviePass and its colleagues rejuvenated attendance, and it felt like art houses were starting to work more directly with filmmakers to market and exhibit new voices, and vice versa.

I’m going to take the hopeful approach that we will be back in the movie theaters and that this pastime will not be eradicated from our culture. It will take us a while, but my perspective is, this is a pastime that has been a major facet of our lives for so long that it won’t be abandoned easily.

What are you doing with your film, Liz?

So, no one really asks this but I wanted to mention that my skin is in the fight as well. My second feature, Speed of Life, is still playing festivals and digitally released January 10th. We are just getting numbers from our first quarter. While the streaming boom isn’t applying to our title (due to a deal we got with Showtime, we cannot put the film on Amazon Prime in the U.S.), I am noticing more attention from international bloggers, friends, and family. The film will be available for airlines on June 1, and will be pitched as part of the Cannes Virtual Market. For this, we have revamped the artwork, and made the genre ties more obvious.

Here’s a comparison of domestic vs. international artwork.

Domestic Key Art:

Poster artwork for international pitches:

So, in the midst of a global pandemic, we will be releasing our film on Showtime, pitching to an international marketplace, and we’ll be pushing our title to as many people as possible on English language platforms right now. I feel a lot of hope for our little film — a film that didn’t get into Sundance or TIFF but had a good festival run and a decent amount of press.

I feel a lot of hope for art in general. I just got invited to participate in a quarantine anthology where feature filmmakers would submit short films about life sheltering in home. Plays and improv shows are being done over zoom. We are finding ways to entertain ourselves and others in spite of all the restrictions. We are resilient and prolific.

We have virtual screenings and events that will bring communities together. We’re able to continue film distribution without festivals having live events. Streaming is up, films are being funded, and there is hope in the future for indie content acquisitions. And as filmmakers, as mentioned before, we are uniquely qualified to battle these unique circumstances. We recently interviewed Rebecca Eskreis on the podcast I cohost. She said it best: “I think in a time like this, it is our responsibility as arbiters of the human experience to think of other ways where we can make a contribution beyond what we’re normally accustomed to.” And, like in Jurassic Park, movies will find a way.

Feel free to email Liz Manashil at liz.manashil@gmail.com. 

This feature was last updated on May 26. Featured image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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