Paul Schrader's Call For Big Fests Online Exposes What Fests Mean... & Don't Mean

Paul Schrader is a brilliant man. But… myopic.

https://www.indiewire.com/2020/05/paul-schrader-proposes-online-film-festival-netflix-amazon-1202229767/

Festivals have a narrow value beyond the experience to be had at the festivals. And every one of the major festivals has a different purpose that extends beyond those events.

Cannes is many festivals. There are two major competitions, a few other platforms, and then a major market event that is actually a private thing. Venice is a combination of showy premieres that come to the festival with U.S. distribution, for international marketing purposes, some high-quality premieres looking for worldwide distribution, and a bunch of international titles that will never get a wide audience in the U.S. Telluride is a combination of premiering the best of Cannes (that aren't heading to TIFF or NYFF exclusively), being an Oscar platform for films with distribution, as well as high-art odds & ends with the very rare film that is seeking distribution …