a discovery platform for independent film distributors, exhibitors & audiences
The Popcorn List is an annual survey of highly-enjoyed feature films without U.S. distribution, recommended by film festival programmers across North America.
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THE WHY
The Popcorn List serves as a tool for discovery, recognition, awareness, opportunity & connection by engaging with every stage of a independent film‘s exhibition life cycle. We aim to amplify films that deserve to be seen by audiences around the world. We’re excited to highlight the discovery nature of film festivals and the craft of film programming. We respect audiences’ desire for story-driven movies. The Popcorn List is a door opener – a way to democratize film programming by circumventing traditional gatekeepers.
Read our origin story in the Hope For Film Newsletters Part 1 & Part 2.
THE PROBLEMS
- Hundreds of films premiere at festivals every year – winning over juries, audiences and critics – yet struggle to find meaningful theatrical or digital distribution – even those premiering at ‘top tier market festivals’
- Independent distributors face increased costs and and challenges as output deals disappear, consistent revenue streams wane and theatrical releases require an elevated marketing spend
- Many filmmakers lack the knowledge and funding to mount their own theatrical releases
- From art house cinemas to independent chains, movie theaters lack original content that would have traditionally come from these distribution deals
- Audiences are hungry and struggle to access story-driven content outside the algorithm.
THE FACTS
- According to MarketCast’s 2023 Streaming Tracker, theatrical releases drive eight times the social buzz than streaming-only releases, and streaming releases that were in theaters first generated three times more social media buzz than direct-to-streaming releases
- A Market Data report tells us that 78% of US moviegoers visit theaters due to positive word-of-mouth and recommendations
- 74% of Gen Z & Millennials prefer originals to remakes and are interested in seeing diversity and representation (Data from Tubi)
- There were 828,546,098 movie tickets sold in 2023 domestically and there’s a rise in younger moviegoers.
- Data from last year’s National Cinema Day states that 38% of moviegoers fell between the ages of 13-34
WHO BENEFITS?
- Films & Filmmakers
- Distributors & Sales Agents
- Film Festivals
- Independent Exhibitors
- Audiences
IN THE NEWS
THANK YOU
Interested in partnering on Filmmaker Support, Programming, Educational, Marketing & Amplification or Audience-Building Opportunities?
Get in touch with us at thepopcornlist@gmail.com
FOUNDERS
Barbara Twist
Barbara is a film exhibition consultant and producer with a background in film festivals, art houses, post-production, and distribution. As a producer, her award-winning films have played at festivals including Austin Film Festival, Aspen ShortsFest, Palm Springs ShortFest and New Orleans Film Festival. She is the current Executive Director of Film Festival Alliance. She is the former Director of Partnerships for Vidiots Foundation and the former Managing Director of the Art House Convergence. Read more here >
