The cut-through concept: 52 Tuesdays , festivals and the distribution of independent Australian films

As a consequence of the opportunities provided by international film festivals and the perceived limitations of conventional distribution, Australian independent producers find new ways to engage audiences through film festival involvement and targeted use of social media. This article examines this phenomenon with a case study of Closer Productions' 52 Tuesdays. With investment from the South Australian Film Corporation and the Adelaide Film Festival, and awards from Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, 52 Tuesdays secured US distribution prior to its Australian release in May 2014. Central to the interest generated in 52 Tuesdays is the approach Closer Productions took to marketing, which replicated the game-like challenge, the film-makers imposed upon the making of their own project. This article suggests that while traditional roles of intermediaries – sales agents and distributors – in the independent sector are shifting to accommodate the growing status of festivals, they are far from disappearing, and the liberating impact of digitisation on film production in providing more control to film-makers is yet to be realised.