From MIFF to Mainstream: Navigating Cinema's Divided Landscape

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The Melbourne International Film Festival serves as a way to reconnect with the city and rediscover a love of cinema beyond franchise films and IP-driven content. Festival audiences approach screenings with curiosity and openness, creating an atmosphere where filmmakers can take risks and viewers can discover new perspectives.

• MIFF creates opportunities to experience films that challenge conventional Hollywood structures and pacing
• Films like "All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt" force viewers to sit with moments and focus on human connection
• Festival screenings generate organic word-of-mouth buzz rather than orchestrated marketing campaigns
• Last year's standouts included "Late Night with the Devil," "Substance," and "Inside"
• The debate between original stories and established IP reflects broader tensions in the film industry
• Social media virality has fundamentally changed how films gain momentum and audience attention
• Film festivals provide a vital counterbalance to mainstream cinema as a complementary experience

Go see Weapons, now showing in cinemas everywhere, and check out the Melbourne International Film Festival running from August 7-24.