– Three independent distributors presented case studies on the films No Other Choice, Renoir and Yi Yi at the Far East Film Festival industry programme
A moment from the meeting
From 26 to 29 April, seventeen members of Europa Distribution attended the latest edition of Focus Asia, the industry programme organised in the scope of the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy. The industry section’s activities included a panel on the release of Asian films in different territories hosted for the fourth time by Europa Distribution, in partnership with Focus Asia and Ties That Bind. Three independent distributors presented case studies on the films No Other Choice, Renoir and Yi Yi, comparing their distribution strategies and covering acquisition, marketing, press, release strategy, audience reach, and theatrical results. The panel was moderated by Stephan Holl, co-founder of Rapid Eye Movies, which distributed Yi Yi in Germany.
On Tuesday morning, ED members and attendees of Focus Asia first attended a keynote by Patrick Frater, centred on the release of Asian films in Europe and the differences between the Asian and European Market. The presentation was followed by a panel organised by Europa International, the international association of sales agents, which dived into the release of European titles in Asia and the challenges sales agents may encounter.
Complementing the morning programme on distribution, it was then time for the Europa Distribution Panel, which kicked off with the in-depth analysis of the release of No Other Choice by Park Chan-wook. The distribution strategy of the film was presented first by Monica Felea, co-owner of Bad Unicorn, Romania, and then by Sarah Kruková, Marketing Specialist at Aerofilms, Czech Republic.
Monica Felea explained that Bad Unicorn scheduled the release of No Other Choice back in January, during one of Romania’s most commercially productive periods, despite stiff competition from Avatar and a major local production. The company identified their core audience among fans of Asian culture, forging partnerships with a Romanian bookstore chain that sells manga and related merchandise, where they displayed physical marketing materials like stickers and bookmarks, as well as partnerships with Asian language schools and Asian-themed stores. A digital contest campaign to win a trip to South Korea in collaboration with a multiplex cinema, drove strong ticket sales in the first two weeks and generated significant audience engagement. The film enjoyed a notably long theatrical run, and results were double those of the director’s previous films in the territory.
Czech company Aerofilms similarly targeted Asian film fans and Korean culture enthusiasts, even reaching out to Korean skincare shops. Sarah Kruková outlined Aerofilms’ decision to also engage younger viewers and potential new cinephiles through influencers and podcasters. Positioning the film as a dark and absurd comedy, the company created a successful marketing campaign by unconventionally partnering with hobby markets and Hornbach, a home improvement chain. For the release of No Other Choice, Aerofilms built a two-phase positioning strategy: launching with exclusivity through a coordinated special screening event (multiple cinemas showing the film simultaneously), before gradually opening it up to wider audiences in both arthouse and commercial theatres. Kruková stated that the company was very satisfied with admissions.
During the second part of the panel, Vincent Quek, founder of Anticipate Pictures, Singapore, introduced the release strategy of two films: Renoir, by Japanese director Chie Hayakawa, and the restored version of Yi Yi (2000), by Taiwanese director Edward Yang.
For the release of Renoir, Quek opted for a festival premiere before the theatrical release. However, the Singaporean market presented significant structural challenges: the country is extremely small, and its only arthouse cinema closed down before the release of the film, leaving Quek no choice but to work exclusively with commercial exhibitors. Pricing and scheduling in multiplex cinemas proved very difficult and the festival run, while valuable for visibility, drastically reduced the theatrical audience, with most viewers watching the film at the Japanese Film Festival in Singapore. On the promotional side, Anticipate Pictures took a topic-led approach, leaning into Renoir‘s themes by bringing grief counsellors to Q&A sessions, adding a layer of emotional depth to the audience experience. They also organised events with the director and director of photography. The company highly focused on these encounters for the social media campaign to build engagement and connect with the audience online.
When realising Yi Yi, Anticipate Pictures followed the same festival-first approach used for Renoir, with a social media strategy built around quotes from the director and contents about the film’s several characters. The film also benefited from the opening of a new arthouse cinema and the venue generated its own curiosity, being an actual success. The film resonated deeply with Singapore’s Chinese community, while also attracting a notably young and diverse audience. The interest shown in the restored version of Yi Yi demonstrates that re-releases can be used as a way to continue building a cinephile culture in Singapore. The success of Yi Yi’s theatrical release also highlights the importance of venues when working in a small market: working with the right exhibitors appears to be vital when dealing with arthouse films.
Stephan Holl, who moderated the event, also released Taiwanese cult Yi Yi in Germany around Christmas time. The positioning was chosen for the film’s family-related core theme, but it played in cinemas for a long period afterwards. Rapid Eye Movies’ co-founder was happily surprised by the audience statistics: the public was formed mainly by people between 18 and 35 years old, who watched Yi Yi for the first time and wanted to experience the film on the big screen. Holl also suggested that part of the success among young people was related to the company’s decision to add both English and German subtitles to the film, reaching the international community living in big German cities.
As the panel ended, it became clear that, when distributing Asian films, both in Europe and other territories, connecting with the audiences is fundamental. Distributors play a pivotal role in enhancing the specificities of the Asian cinema and its rich diversity of voices, fostering curiosity and engagement through emotional and cultural touchpoints. Thanks to distributors’ work, Asian cinema is able to transcend borders and attract a diverse group of viewers.
Through the partnership between Europa Distribution, Focus Asia and Ties That Bind, participants had the opportunity to attend other activities during the Far East Film Festival such as works in progress, screenings and many networking events. Europa Distribution will continue its role as network and think tank in upcoming events in Haugesund and San Sebastian.
