From Niche to Noticed: New Paths for Indie Films

You made a great film. Now what? With streamers scaling back, traditional buyers pulling out, and theatrical costs soaring, indie filmmakers are left navigating a broken and uncertain distribution pipeline. This session explores bold, alternative release strategies—grassroots outreach, community-driven campaigns, eventized theatrical runs, digital-first models, and more—that are helping meaningful, niche stories find their audiences. We’ll examine the macro industry shifts behind the disruption and spotlight the innovative approaches rewriting the independent film playbook.