The time has come to prepare the classic annual distribution report. As every year since 2014, I dedicate one of the first posts to analyzing the distribution results achieved the previous year.
In these figures, I take into account all festival selections for all the distribution projects I am managing. Both in competitive sections and out of competition.
During 2016 we almost reached 2,000 festival selections, with an excellent figure of 1,983. The best achieved to date. International and national selections were divided 50/50.
Monthly Evolution of Festival Selections
In this analysis, I find it very interesting to see the monthly development of selections, which allows us to identify the months with the most festivals, which can help you plan the start of festival distribution.
I have compiled the total monthly selections for 2016:
Here you can clearly see how the months with the highest activity of the year are, in this order, November, October, September, and March. The greatest growth occurs from February to March; from this point on, the number of selections does not drop below 100 for the entire year.
You can see how some of the best months to begin distribution could be January and February, to take advantage of festivals from March onward, and the months of June and July, to be able to submit to festivals taking place from September onward.
The November figure was really very good, 245 selections in a single month, which represents, no less than, an average of 8 selections per day.
International selections
Festival selections outside Spain also grew during 2016, reaching 990 in 72 different countries:
The United States leads the ranking with more than 160 selections, Italy drops to second place compared to 2015. The following countries with the highest number of selections are France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Portugal.
Total selections since 2003
At the end of August we reached 15,000 total selections in 13 years, since 2003, when I began working in distribution. I have updated the chart I published in the previous post. Now you can better see the evolution of annual selections up to 2016:
In the chart I have added the data for selections in Spain and at international festivals. Growth has been sustained during these last three years, recovering international presence, and achieving, in both cases, the best figures since 2003.
The result has been very positive, surpassing the initial forecast. This growth will be very difficult to maintain for a fourth consecutive year, but we are already working to achieve it.
It has been key to maintain our quality standards and an individualized strategy for each film. Here’s to 2017!