The Isolated Cinema

      When the global pandemic hit in 2020, the Gothenburg Film Festival was forced to close its theaters for the first time in over 40 years and let the festival go completely digital. So how do you create awareness for yet another digital event when everything else is already digital? Including attracting international attention to the festival and be ranked as one of the top ten in the world?

      Background

      When the global pandemic hit in 2020, the Gothenburg Film Festival was forced to close its theaters for the first time in over 40 years and let the festival go completely digital. So how do you create awareness for yet another digital event when everything else is already digital? Including attracting international attention to the festival and be ranked as one of the top ten in the world?

      Solution

      Instead of seeing the effects of isolation as a problem, the film festival chose to embrace them. When the festival theme “Social distances” was launched in the autumn of 2020, The Isolated Cinema was also launched. An isolated cinema at the far end of the sea in one of Sweden’s most barren, windswept and exposed places – Pater Noster. The film festival then challenged the world to apply for the only festival pass available. And the world accepted the challenge. By storm.

      The communication strategy was to reach out to a broader target group than the usual festival goers. With the initiative, we wanted to awaken media’s curiosity beyond the cultural verticals – and the interest shown exceeded all expectations.

       

      During the film festival, two more isolated cinemas at iconic venues in Gothenburg were opened. Locations that normally is full of life and movement but now empty and deserted. There, a limited number of visitors could experience single screenings with film as only companion.
      Left: empty arena with a large screen and orange carpet. Right: theater hall with rows of red seats facing a closed curtain.
      Iconic venues – Scandinavium Arena and Draken Theatre

      Result

      With zero media budget, over 3000 articles were published, including CNN, BBC, CBS, Fox News, The New York Times, Al Jazeera – just to name a few, resulting in 8.5 billion media impressions and $84.8 million in earned media.

      The campaign also got over 12 000 applicants from 65 different countries and the festival run an all-time record with 300 000 virtual festival visits.

      More work