At this year’s Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) in the Chinese mainland, Italian distributor Luca Pappadà of Fandango Sales set out on a clear mission: to build a bridge between his latest project, "Bertinelli: Great Ambitions," and Chinese audiences. The film, competing in the festival’s prestigious Tiantan Award lineup, served as Pappadà’s ticket into one of the world’s most vibrant cinematic markets.
Pappadà is actively seeking distribution opportunities by engaging with local exhibitors and digital platforms across the Chinese mainland. Rather than waiting for offers, he’s forging connections on the festival circuit and staying agile to adapt to emerging trends.
His secret weapon? Douban ratings and reviews. Douban, a leading film ratings and reviews platform in the Chinese mainland, offers real-time audience feedback. By diving into viewer comments and scoring patterns, Pappadà tailors his pitch to align with local tastes, from storytelling nuances to marketing angles.
Pappadà’s efforts highlight a broader trend: overseas film professionals taking pragmatic, data-driven steps to embed themselves in the Chinese mainland’s cinematic landscape. This blend of on-the-ground networking and digital insights is helping them navigate complex market dynamics with greater precision.
As film markets worldwide continue to shift, this hybrid approach—linking festival presence with audience analytics—could become the blueprint for any production aiming to resonate in the Chinese mainland and beyond.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
