The Global Search for Education - Tricia Tuttle Has Predictions for the Future of Film and Film Festivals

Posted By C. M. Rubin on May 27, 2020

“This is an incredibly tough time for the film industry and it will get worse before it gets better.” – Tricia Tuttle

White men may still be the key decision makers and gatekeepers for big budget commercial movies, but if you want predictions for the future of film and film festivals, glass ceiling disrupter and BFI London Film Festival Director Tricia Tuttle is someone you should ask.

“People will return when it feels safe to go back to live events and entertainment.” – Tricia Tuttle

The Coronavirus outbreak disrupted film production as well as major film and entertainment events all over the world, ranging from major studio theatrical releases to film festivals.

“This is an incredibly tough time for the film industry and it will get worse before it gets better,” says Tuttle. For those movie fanatics among us who believe the collective, big screen experience is irreplaceable, that’s incredibly depressing news. But Tuttle believes ultimately going to the movies will survive. “People will return when it feels safe to go back to live events and entertainment.” In the meantime, how will trusted movie marketing gateways such as film festivals sustain their relevance and survive? “Festivals will not lose their relevance but we will have to adapt to new ways of working and better ways to support producers,” says Tuttle.

“Festivals will not lose their relevance but we will have to adapt to new ways of working and better ways to support producers.” – Tricia Tuttle

Audiences want to see more movies than the limited number distributed through traditional channels and they don’t want to wait. This week, international film festivals have joined forces with YouTube in an unprecedented event, We are One: A Global Film Festival. Many of the biggest and most respected festivals from around the world will provide curated movie programming for audiences to screen for free in a ten-day long event. The digital film festival is raising funds for local communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the World Health Organization.

Are digital film festivals the beginning of a new norm until Coronavirus is over? Tuttle has 4 predictions for the future of film and film festivals:

1. More experimentation in partnerships between indie distributors and exhibitors.

2. Increasingly cautious distributor spending on theatrical campaigns, more innovation.

3. Greater partnership working between film festivals.

4. We will see innovation and experimentation on Virtual Festival models (digital screening elements added to film festivals in addition to live).

“We will see innovation and experimentation on Virtual Festival models – digital screening elements added to film festivals in addition to live.” – Tricia Tuttle

BFI will be presenting a number of films in the We Are One: Global Festival, including the recently restored Shiraz and The Epic of Everest, complete with richly evocative, newly commissioned scores from contemporary musicians – Anoushka Shankar and Simon Fisher Turner. The Festival will also present Rudeboy, a documentary about the UK’s Trojan Records, the record label behind many 1960’s reggae, ska and rocksteady hits from Desmond Dekker to The Maytals.

“In these challenging times, there are many people struggling and We Are One is an opportunity for us to come together through our love of film, art and music to reach out and support each other,” says Tuttle.

A Global Film Festival runs exclusively on YouTube May 29 – June 7 at YouTube.com/WeAreOne.

C.M. Rubin with Tricia Tuttle

Thank you to our 800 plus global contributors, artists, teachers, entrepreneurs, researchers, business leaders, students and thought leaders from every domain for sharing your perspectives on the future of learning with The Global Search for Education each month.

C. M. Rubin (Cathy) is the Founder of CMRubinWorld, an online publishing company focused on the future of global learning, and the co-founder of Planet Classroom. She is the author of three best-selling books and two widely read online series. Rubin received 3 Upton Sinclair Awards for “The Global Search for Education.” The series, which advocates for Youth, was launched in 2010 and brings together distinguished thought leaders from around the world to explore the key education issues faced by nations.

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