Audience Development & Engagement
2024 - 2026 Grantees
2024 - 2026 Grantees
Eno
Film First
This documentary film’s release used “human-coded generative software” to ensure the film is different each time it is shown. The film team used their grant to collaborated with Art House Convergence to offer two different versions of the film on two different screening days, to AHC’s member theaters, with special marketing materials and program-specific box office splits.
“The most valuable takeaway from Eno – Art House Days was that better partnerships with theaters and eventizing the cinema experience can benefit filmmakers and exhibitors alike.”
The case study can be read here.
Omar & Cedric
Omar & Cedric
Oscilloscope
This documentary told a story about two progressive rock band members navigating their Latino identities. Oscilloscope’s release aimed to engage a broad Latinx audience by hiring a marketing firm that experimented with a range of methods, measuring the efficacy of free screenings and $10 concession vouchers, in exchange for data submitted via Google Form.
“People were excited about the free popcorn and $10 concession voucher… [But] the main takeaway was that emphasizing the deeper story behind the band members worked best. Young people connected with the narrative of identity struggles, which made it more impactful.”
Read more about their journey here.
Union
Level Ground Productions
Level Ground Productions
This documentary film tells the story of union organizers at Amazon. For its release, the team compared a more traditional theatrical release with a new innovation – a limited TVOD window on GATHR specially timed to Black Friday. This was an eventized viewing innovation and a clever marketing hack to generate attention and drive transactional rentals. They partnered with Red Owl, Michael Tuckman and GATHR for the new-style release.
“During our initial 5-day TVOD release, we netted as much money in film rentals as we did in our entire theatrical run… for way less money, time, and resources.”
The full case study can be read here.
Life After
Multitude Films
This investigative documentary follows disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport as he probes the 1983 legacy of Elizabeth Bouvia. Multitude used their grant to innovate by playing with collapsed windowing immediately following their Sundance 2025 premiere and by centering accessibility in all distribution strategies.
Their case study summary with a link to a full year-long self-distribution plan can be found here.
You, Me & Her
You, Me & Her
Two Hands Productions
Two Hands Productions
This fiction film tells a story about finding sexual liberation within marriage. The release partnered with theme-aligned micro-influencers, as part of an expansive brand collaboration campaign. This approach included sending 250 Influencer Boxes filled with gifts from 15 brand partners. The release included multiple innovations, including a first-ever partnership with the Fithian Group’s ATTEND service.
“227 out of 250 influencers we engaged posted at least one story on social media—many posted multiple times, especially when attending premieres or in-theater screenings”
The can read their case study here.
Nevermore
Cargo Film & Releasing
Cargo Film and Releasing used their grant to collaborate with GRUVI, a tech driven film marketing agency, in connection with the release Nevermore The Raven Effect, to explore the value in translating the latest audience identification methods to independent documentaries.
Read the full case study here.
Doppelgängers³
Doppelgängers³
Frameline
Frameline used their grant to activate specific queer communities through film-adjacent live performances and artwork activations, including a Lomography partnership.
BLKNWS
Rich Spirit
Rich Spirit received a grant to provide KPIs off their experiment with profit sharing with community partners, and producing “a cultural drop, coordinated across editorial, social, physical events, and merchandise.”
A full case study is forthcoming.
Applications are now closed.
About Distribution Advocates
Distribution Advocates works to collectively reclaim power for independent storytellers in the current systems of distribution and exhibition. We are a coalition-in-formation striving to advocate for filmmakers and maintain plurality and originality in a culture that needs it more than ever. We fight for radical transparency, rebalancing entrenched inequities and blazing a new, more interesting, accessible and inclusive way forward.