Day three of Bologna Lab explored spaces, experiences and audiences, beginning the day by bringing the participants together in the recently reopened Cinema Modernissimo, in the heart of Bologna.
Situated underground, the architecturally impressive Cinema Modernissimo offered participants the chance to explore a cinema space with a contemplative eye, with Lab Leaders Madeleine and Mustafa encouraging participants to examine how they critically think about a cinema space they haven’t been in before and apply that to their own venue on their return.
Once back at Bologna Lab HQ, Cineteca di Bologna, it was time to hear from even more inspirational cinemas. Delving deeper into the theme of cinema spaces, Uma Van Overberghe (Zebracinema, Belgium), Miranda van Gelder (Hoogt on Tour, The Netherlands) and Cathleen Tanti (Spazju Kreattiv, Malta) presented ways they are each creating inclusive and sustainable venues.
Uma Van Overberghe presented the Mooov Film Festival’s process of building their own cinema space by transforming an existing building, ultimately creating three screens, a café and co-working. Throughout their planning, they have imbedded sustainability, whilst keeping the building dynamic, warm and open for audiences. Working collaboratively with another organisation that will inhabit the building Mooov are exploring audience diversity, including women with migration backgrounds and ensuring from building to programming they consider their impact on these audiences, for example, the screening times, food and drink served and child inclusion options. Uma explained that this approach allows inclusion to be there from the very first screening they can do in their new space.
Next up Miranda van Gelder presented on the pathway Hoogt on Tour are taking to reinvent themself as a 50-year-old cinema who are building a new space. Hoogt on Tour’s new space will be a ten-minute bike ride from the main town square and sit alongside a skate park, events space and homeless shelter. The new building will be fully accessible and built with fully sustainable materials, which they are currently sourcing, and this use of recycled materials will inform how they build, including used steel and flaxseed materials. Aiming to open at the beginning of 2025, Miranda said the space aims to reflect on the past and build the future of their cinema.
Cathleen Tanti, Spazju Kreattiv, explain how they’re working with their space which has a rich history and many previous uses, with accessibility being a big issue as it was previously a military fort. Having been restored in 2000, the space was transformed into the National Centre for Creativity with multidisciplinary uses. This informs the programming of the space, with the cinema being in dialogue with the arts and theatre projects they also deliver. Cathleen summarised the space as a ‘a tool of warfare, to a place where art is celebrated’.
The participants were then tasked, with a pizza box in hand, to collaboratively re-imagine the cinema space. Mustafa encouraged creativity and consideration of practical issues and audience experience. Using pizza boxes as the imagined space where the problems presented in cinemas can be represented, the participants got to designing spaces in their venue they thought could improve, drawing inspiration from today’s site visit and presentations. Some solutions addressing the physical spaces, including changing lighting, painting walls and putting up posters/projecting images were put forward, alongside suggestions to ensure costs are low in cafes/bars and communicating to audiences that they can inhabit the space in their free time without having to spend money.
After a class lunch of pasta and tiramisu, our participants were refreshed and ready to tackle the large topic of connecting audiences with European films. Mustafa (Cinema & Rex Filmtheater Wuppertal) spoke about the collective actions of his cinema and cinemas across Germany have taken by joining forces to become a strategic partner for distributors, allowing distributors to deal with a central coordinator rather than separate cinemas. The initial collaboration was with Universal on Asteroid City, with the network creating new marketing assets to increase audience awareness of its theatrical release across the network’s venues. They have replicated this process on a number of titles so far, with budget from distributors, with distributors being pleased with how the campaigns have increased reach. This has allowed them to continue and grow the project, receiving budget from distributors to promote titles.
Caro Raedts from Cinema ZED, spoke as both a cinema and distributor, as they distribute European titles that might not be distributed otherwise. Caro spoke about the cross-pollination possible within audiences, comparing their International Women’s Day screening of the women-directed documentary series She They Us, through which they collected 76 audiences’ email addresses, and Barbie, through which they collected 1423 audiences’ email addresses over 81 screenings. Both these audiences are interested in women filmmakers, albeit in different ways, but can be targeted via marketing emailing to promote different types of films they might not see otherwise but that fall broadly into their interests. Caro reminded exhibitors that blockbusters can help to promote niche European filmmaking.
Madeleine (Watershed, United Kingdom) praised the star power of Josh O’Connor, who attended a Q&A following La Chimera at Watershed. Collaborating with distributor Curzon, Watershed were able to harness the new star power of stars like Josh which stems from a complex mix of personal brands, fashion trends and the ability to transcend the cinema bubble. Hosting Josh generated a lot of excitement and engagement in the cinema and online, which Watershed maximised by filming interviews running and competitions. The Q&A and Josh’s involvement enhanced the overall performance of the Le Chimera in Watershed, which showed for seven weeks. Madeleine rounded off her presentation by posing the questions, ‘How do we convince more stars to engage with events outside of capital cities?’ and ‘How do we work closer with distributors to do so?’.
Next up we hear from distributors Irene Musumeci (Marketing Director, Global, MUBI), Vincent Paul-Boncour (Director, Carlotta Films) and Doug Davis (CEO, Park Circus).
Irene Musumeci, highlighting that flexibility to important to distribution as well, gave an overview of MUBI’s activities and a case study of their release of Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The Road. With a theatrical release followed by a MUBI premiere in certain territories, Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The Road and cinemas screening it was supported by a marketing campaign localised in six languages and considering different cultural contexts. MUBI coordinated organic coverage across social media in all territories, including influencer partnerships which connect with young audiences, as well as paid activity across META and YouTube. Local marketing activation is important for MUBI, working with cinemas to host special events and connect with local audiences via regional-specific activities including special Q&A hosts, live performances and talent. MUBI is keen for audiences to feel interconnected with a film internationally but aims to maintain the bespoke aspects of each region. MUBI also work with Letterboxd, who will be presenting Letterboxd HQ accounts at the Lab tomorrow.
Vincent Paul-Boncour presented on the theatrical release in France of ten of Marcel Pagnol’s films. Vincent says that the rare and unique qualities of Pagnol’s films deserve a considered theatrical approach with special events, including working with film festivals and cinemas. The original French posters are beautiful but perhaps do not speak to modern audiences so Carlotta produced a new poster from the retrospective and a poster in the same visual design for each film. They also created a new trailer to showcase the diverse, playful nature of the films, as well as postcards and posters. Vincent says that modern audiences really connect with Pagnol’s films as they feature surprisingly contemporary sensibilities.
Doug Davis of Park Circus suggested three case studies related to programming more classic films, which Doug says ‘are working, despite cinema-going down in the UK attendance at classics are up 125%.’ Raging Bull was the first case study, which encompassed a full marketing approach including a commissioned Girls On Top t-shirt. Reiterating blockbusters are helping, Doug mentioned Jurassic Park’s rerelease which also benefited from a National Cinema Day tie-in within the UK. Trainspotting’s new 4k restoration, which premiered at Cannes, was also bolstered by Park Circus’s collaboration with cinemas to offer audience novelty stickers, activity an existing Trainspotting fanbase. As well as ‘stand-alone’ titles, Park Circus also curates themed ideas which can support cinemas to delve into classics in different ways. Park Circus also highlighted their partnership with Letterboxd, which seems them do exclusive launches of trailers and posters on their platform to engage young audiences. Doug finished off by praising the programming of classic titles as ways to bring lapsed cinemagoers back into cinema and engage new audiences in film.
After another busy day, the Lab participants headed out to enjoy an evening of Il Cinema Ritrovato screenings! Tomorrow (25th) we’ll have sessions on co-curation, access and inclusion, which you can watch live on our YouTube from 9.30am CEST.