This year, there's a little indie film that received a nomination for Best Debut Film at the David di Donatello Awards, Italy's most important film awards.
The production is quite tiny—the “producer” is actually a communication agency from a small town. They were working with a tiny budget, and while the technical aspects weren't flawless, the movie even managed to get a nomination for an important award.
How?
The film tells an intimate story that realistically portrays the life of an agricultural community in the 1970s in the Langhe—a region where life was tough before the richness came, thanks to wine. The characters feel authentic, also thanks to the dialogue that mixes Italian with the local dialectwhichat the audience isn't used to hearing on the big screen.
What’s even more impressive is that the movie was released without a traditional distributor.
The director reached out to theatres in the areas where the film was shot, and as soon as it premiered, audiences fell in love. They were excited to see their ancestors' and community's lives on screen, and word-of-mouth spread until catching the attention of the national award circuit.
Sometimes we forget how powerful word-of-mouth can be, especially for stories that represent underrepresented territories in mainstream media. In a time when it's more and more difficult to bring people into cinemas, it was incredible to see a small film play in theatres of the province for weeks—so much so that on a couple of occasions, not everyone could find a seat!
For me, it was a great lesson about the power of authentic stories and the importance of local communities to promote an indie movie.
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Word-of-mouth can be powerful, Chiara Torrisi. I watch a lot of films (features and shorts) because of word-of-mouth.
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That is true, actually thank you for reminding me. The problem is, sometimes not even local people will believe in your indie film. What do we do then?
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Local screenings are a great way to raise awareness and building a following!! Congrats on that!
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It's so true Stephen Folker
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Hi Pamela De Nicolo, I think that in this case, the people supported an indie film because it speaks of them.
Pamela De Nicolo
For an indie movie that wants to get attention from a local community, I think it could be a good idea to tell a story about the community, trying to understand it, not simply choosing to shoot there, as some productions do.
Do you have in mind a story about a "not cool" local community?
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Thank you for sharing, Chiara Torrisi! This is such an incredible example of the power of authentic storytelling and grassroots distribution. It’s a great reminder that while we often get caught up in thinking about global reach and major distributors, sometimes the most meaningful success comes from starting exactly where the story belongs, with the local community that sees themselves reflected on screen.
I love seeing stories like this because it reinforces that connection and representation are still some of the most powerful marketing tools an indie filmmaker has.
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This is an awesome post and so inspiring. Telling authentic stories and letting audiences feel that energy and spread the word is so smart. Believe in your work and trust that it will affect people. Also a great reminder that indie filmmakers don't need a big machine to say yes - you just have to do it!
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I totally agree Ashley Renee Smith
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Having the chance to experience this success first-hand, living close to the area where the movie was shot, was truly inspiring. These stories are a boost of optimism!
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I forgot the tag Sam Sokolow :)
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Such a great post Chiara Torrisi. Sometimes we forget to reach out to our local market, who may be the most invested in seeing a local producer thrive. Local media, for sure, like to feature projects that have a local connection.
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I totally agree Debbie Elicksen