Awards

Season coverage from the first festival screenings through to the final ballot.

economics

Why Campaign Spending Keeps Rising

More contenders chasing a fixed amount of attention produces an arms race. Nobody can unilaterally stop.

festivals

Festivals are usually described as celebrations. Functionally they are a sequenced marketplace, and where a film premieres is a strategic decision.

mechanics

The counting method is not a technicality. It systematically favours a particular kind of film, and understanding it explains most surprises.

value

The trophy matters less than what surrounds it. The measurable returns sit in distribution, pricing and the next contract.

the season

A serious campaign is a months-long marketing operation with a budget, a strategist and a calendar. Here is the machinery.