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A Festival for Every Occasion: Niche Programming, Event Culture, and Vertically Integrated Film Festivals

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Book cover Australian Film Festivals

Part of the book series: Framing Film Festivals ((FFF))

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Abstract

This chapter considers the rapid proliferation of film festivals in recent years, questioning how sustainable the format is in the face of event saturation. Engaging with the growing debate over the sustainability of unchecked festival growth, this chapter examines the rise in specialised events that has characterised the film festival phenomenon. It argues that the diverse range and ubiquitous nature of these events collectively form an exhibition system with the potential to usurp the role of art-house and speciality theatres within the Australian context. As a kind of ‘new cinema,’ this chapter considers how festivals may be reshaping the future of film exhibition and what elements of the format need to evolve to ensure that such a new cinema is sustainable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Caulfield East, Australia

    Kirsten Stevens

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  1. Kirsten Stevens
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Stevens, K. (2016). A Festival for Every Occasion: Niche Programming, Event Culture, and Vertically Integrated Film Festivals. In: Australian Film Festivals. Framing Film Festivals. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58130-3_7

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