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Freda Freiberg graduating from Melbourne University

Freda Freiberg

18 Sepetmber, 1933 — 26 April, 2024

Other Film

A Case Study on Exhibition: Freda Freiberg looks at how the Jewish Film Festival gained community support

A Case Study on Exhibition: Australian Jewish News Article 1 March 1991
Freda Freiberg looks at how the Jewish Film Festival gained community support
 

Over the past decade, the Australian Film Institute has been responsible for running a great number of imported film seasons, organised around geographic, thematic or authorial categories. Wenhave had new Chinese cinema, Latin American cinema, Oshima and Imamura retrospectives, new German women's films, Gay Film festivals, to name but a few. Thehigh costs of freight and fares make these seasons an expensive operation. We lack the population density, and the high floating tourist population, of cities like London, Paris or New York. Our film community is small and splintered into specialised interest groups, so it alone cannot provide an audience large enough to maintain an ongoing programme of imported film seasons. Does that mean that we have to abandon imported film seasons?

In a journal like Filmnews it should not be necessary to justify the importance to film scholars and filmmakers of maintaining such seasons. However, we have to find a way of organising them in such a way as to attract larger audiences and thus reduce losses, break even or even show a small profit. How do we do it? It seems to me that successful seasons - like the first German women's film season and more recent gay film festivals - succeed because they have a faithful constituency, because they enjoy the support of a particular community or sub-culture, one that does not necessarily normally support film culture in Australia. The season that succeeds takes on the colouring of a sub-cultural event: the audience members know how to reach other, meet each other regularly at other events, share a common lifestyle. Of course, you can't disappoint them with too many pre-released products, like old National Library holdings or last week's failed commercial release; they won't return forthe next season if you do that And it helps to bring out a high profile guest, someone articulate and attractive, who can stimulate discussion and debate, interview well, introduce the films and communicate enthusiasm and commitment. When your publicity budget can never compete with that of the Godfather's, a good interviewee can help get you unpaid publicity, the best kind.

All of this I already knew from long involvement with the Melbourne film scene. However, my recent involvement in the AFI's First Australian Jewish Film Festival taught me that careful planning and co-ordination with community organisations can help to attract audiences, and convinced me that most of us in the film community (i.e. all of us who read Filmnews) are inclined to indulge in too much navel gazing and breast beating, in unproductive nostalgia for the solidarity of the seventies. Les Rabinowicz was employed by the
AFI in 1990 as a Program Consultant, with the major assignment of co-ordinating and directing the first AFI Jewish Film Festival. By drawing on the programs and advice of
organisers of recent Jewish film festivals held in London, Washington and San Francisco, and using his own judgement, he put together a strong program of films previously unscreened in Australia, covering a range of media and genres.

There were documentaries, art movies and two recently restored classics. Recognising that the Jewish community is not homogeneous, but made up of many different interest groups, he selected films that would be of special interest to Jewish audiences but provide sufficient variety to appeal different sectional interests. Thus there were two documentaries of special interest to feminists; two Yiddish language features and a doco for the Yiddishists; two prize-winning Israeli features for Hebrew speakers and people interested in the problems of Israeli society; a new Andrej Wadja film of special interest to Polish Jews; art movies from a variety of other countries, appealing to viewers of different national origins and linguistic competences; three documentaries of special interest to Holocaust survivors and people interested in World War II history; an entertaining documentary on American Jewish humour, with wide popular appeal and especial interest to fans of star comedians; and two restored classics (one silent, (one sound) for people interested in cultural and film history.

But astute programming alone does not ensure full houses. It was the selection and involvement of people outside the film community, people with useful skills and knowledges and community networks, to serve on the organising committee that brought in the audiences and made this festival most successful. As a result of the participation of Jewish journalists, arid the editor of the Melbourne Jewish News, in particular, the Festival received strong support from the Jewish press; the representatives of Jewish cultural and women's organisations were able to organise the inclusion of festival leaflets in newsletters to their members, offer invaluable suggestions for other means of free publicity, and organise group bookings for their members; the presence of a Yiddish radio presenter on the committee resulted in good publicity on ethnic radio; leaflets and posters were sent to departments of tertiary institutions which run Jewish studies courses, to the Jewish Holocaust Centre, to the synagogues.
 

Because the organising committee was based in Melbourne, and because the Jewish community of Melbourne is more active and more committed to Jewish culture than theSydney community, attendances were higher in Melbourne than in Sydney. But the Sydney attendances were still very healthy - higher, in fact, than attendances at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival - and would undoubtedly be increased by the formation of a local committee that is familiar with the specific organisational structures and dynamics of the Sydney Jewish community. The programming schedule of this festival also took into consideration the specific needs of Jewish audiences. Most film festivals keep their strongest programs for Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. These time slots clash with the Jewish Sabbath, thus excluding religiously observant Jews. They were catered for in this festival by running three programs per day from Sunday to Thursday, with no programs on Fridays and only one on Saturday night after sunset The representatives of women's organisations suggested the inclusion of some afternoon screenings for elderly patrons who do not go out at night Most of the nineteen programs were repeated, at widely dispersed times, sothat busy professionals could make it to one of the screenings.

The location of venues also helped to attract patrons. In Melbourne, the bulk of screenings were held at the Trak, which is conveniently located for both eastern and southern suburban residents, close to coffee shops and delis, and presents no parking problems. Additional 5.30 pm weekday sessions at the State Film Theatre - used for video, 16mm screenings and seminars - suited professionals and businesspeople working in the city. In Sydney, the AFI is conveniently located in Paddington for both eastern suburban residents and city workers. It might be useful to add a second venue, to cater for North Shore residents, at future festivals.
 

In terms of total attendances and gross box office receipts, this festival was the most successful season the AFI has run. It seems to me that it constitutes an instructive case study of how to attract audiences, especially when you consider that it was held in November, a month that is normally considered a dead period for film exhibition.