You specialize in marketing strategies optimized for awards season. Could you tell us exactly what this work entails?
Our work focuses on promoting and positioning animated films (shorts or features) for international awards recognition, particularly the Oscars. It involves a combination of industry screenings, targeted visibility campaigns, press and industry outreach, and marketing communications. We work closely with filmmakers, producers, and distributors to guide them through the specificities of the awards season and build tailored campaigns for their film. It’s both a creative and analytical process, where we work with the team on expanding the storytelling beyond the film itself, and how the film and its team are presented to connect with the right audience.
How can marketing considerations and aesthetic values successfully coexist?
I personally don't think there is an opposition between marketing and aesthetic values, they are deeply interconnected. A strong marketing approach should be rooted in the artistic identity of the film, and what message the team wants to convey. Marketing shouldn't be reduced to reshaping a film to fit a trend, but more about understanding its core and amplifying it through tools and strategy. I strongly believe that the most successful campaigns are those that respect the filmmaker’s vision and successfully translate it into a language that resonates with audiences and voters, without compromising authenticity.
What skills does a filmmaker need to have for you to work together effectively?
Openness and clarity are key. We are not expecting filmmakers and producers to be marketing experts, but they benefit from understanding the broader landscape in which their film will evolve. Another important aspect would be their proactivity, their willingness to collaborate and engage in discussions, as much with us regarding the positioning of their film, or with the industry (through Q&A, interviews, events...) to help promote it. Trust is also fundamental, as awards campaigns can be quite intense and time-consuming. They require aligned decision-making over several months.
Even when you receive a request like this, do you look at films through the lens of what kind of strategy you would build for them?
When my team and I review films during the festival season to determine which ones we might collaborate on, our first approach is always to engage with the film for what it is. We focus on the emotional impact it leaves on us, its message, and its uniqueness and beauty. Then, obviously, come other considerations such as the technical execution, the strength of the filmmaking, and other aspects that could be crucial for an Oscars campaign. Strategy and positioning come later in the process. They are not what drive our initial interest. We are not looking to build the easiest or most obvious campaign; we are genuinely looking to support the films we believe in the most, those we consider the strongest and most distinctive, even when their positioning may be more complex or less conventional for awards standards. That’s often where a thoughtful and well-crafted campaign can make the biggest difference. Actually, those projects are often the most exciting to work on, because they require a more tailored approach. This is where strategy becomes a real asset.
What are your expectations for this year’s Friss Hús Hungarian competition program?
Friss Hús has a reputation for showcasing bold, emerging voices, and I’m looking forward to discovering new talent and powerful stories! Festivals like yours are really essential to our industry; I think they play a key role in identifying talent early and giving films the opportunity to find their audience and resonate internationally. So thank you again for the invitation, I’m really excited to discover this year’s selection.