Magnolia Pictures, the US distribution arm of the vertically integrated Wagner/Cuban Companies (controlling as well a cinema chain and TV network) is one of the biggest US clients of Nordic films. In this exclusive interview Eamonn Bowles, (pictured) President of Magnolia Pictures discusses his company's pioneering and successful mix of traditional, VOD and DVD releases and taste for Nordic films.
The New York based distributor has orchestrated the US release and Academy-Awards campaign of A Royal Affair and has acquired no less than three major Nordic upcoming films over the last two months: Nymphomaniac, Pioneer and Ragnarok, all supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
Could you describe Magnolia Pictures' acquisition and distinctive place in the US distribution market?
Eamonn Bowles: Magnolia releases about 35-40 films per year; about 25 of them go through our ultra VOD programme, which premieres them on cable and iTunes a month before they hit theatres. We do another 7-8 films as traditional theatrical releases and another few go straight to DVD. We have very expansive tastes and release everything from high art films like I Am Love to extreme genre films like Hobo with a Shotgun. I'd say we favor films that don't insult your intelligence, even if they are low brow sometimes.
We probably release 4-5 foreign films a year, but we have no preconceived numbers and just release the best films we can obtain. I'd say at this point we would be considered as a big player in the independent film world and definitely one of the most financially successful. I don't know if there are any other independent companies that have our combination of assets and alliances. We have our own DVD distribution, and our owners also own the most prominent theatre chain for independent films, Landmark theatres, as well as cable television stations and a film production company.
Our basic philosophy is trying to get the best films at the most reasonable prices. There has been an enormous upturn in the quality of Scandinavian films of recent years, with a number of exciting new directors and talent. The appetite is purely fuelled by better films.
What Scandinavian films have been the most successful so far for you across the various platforms?
EB: Melancholia was a terrific performer in all platforms across the board. Headhunters did very respectfully for us in theatres, then went on to perform very well on iTunes and digital platforms as well as DVD. Trollhunters has had a very nice life on DVD and sold very well around the world; Royal Affair continues to perform well in theatres, and its academy nomination didn't hurt its chances for a robust ancillary performance.
Could you detail the key points of the distribution strategies you applied for example for Melancholia and A Royal Affair, and what were the biggest selling elements that you used to attract the US audience?
EB: We really try to avoid cookie cutter marketing and distribution strategies for our films in general and try to emphasize the more appealing points of the individual film. Melancholia, frankly, had a bit of an issue with the Lars von Trier ‘nazi' comments that threatened to overshadow what was a magnificent film. We really tried to get the focus back on the film and I think we largely succeeded. We got the reviews the film deserved and made sure to showcase them along with the breath-taking imagery from the film, trying to reflect the fact that this was a major, undeniable work of art.
For A Royal Affair we really played up the remarkable period production, stellar acting and the direction of Nicolaj Arcel. It was a beautiful, classic job and we sold it in that manner.
You've been a pioneer in mixing traditional theatrical distribution with VOD release. Would you say that this type of distribution today is the most viable for art-house foreign language films and the most profitable both for distributors and rights holders because of low P&A costs compared to traditional cinema releases?
EB: There's no question that the VOD factor has been transformative to us. Five years ago the independent distribution model was broken, highlighted by the fact that in one two week period, four major independent distributors closed their doors and more followed in the subsequent months. It had become an arena where breaking-even was a victory.
With the VOD equation, which has almost no cost attached to it and reaches more customers than the widest theatrical release, we were able to bring in a large tentpole of revenue almost for free. This enabled us to take chances on films that would otherwise be too risky to take on in a traditional release. We've also been able to significantly reduce our P&A costs because of the extra exposure from the cable operators marketing our film on their VOD platforms. In tandem with the increased efficiency from online and viral marketing, our costs have dropped quite a bit.
Do you feel that on a medium to long term theatrical windows will become obsolete?
EB: No. People will always want to go out for the evening. But people also make up their minds that some films they'd rather see on a big screen and some films they would rather watch at home. We're agnostic as to how people choose to watch our films. We just try to make it easy for them to access them and they can decide how they want to see them. We just want to get paid when they do.
What upcoming Scandinavian titles are you going to release in the US, when and how - VOD first then Theatrical or straight to theatrical?
EB: Well, although it's not finished yet, we're obviously very excited about von Trier's Nymphomaniac. It should be a very interesting, highly charged release. We have picked up a few other films in the unfinished stage (Ragnarok, Pioneer), but based on the footage and film pedigree, we feel very strongly about their chances. We're also very excited about Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt, which is a brilliant return to form for him and has a phenomenal performance by Mads Mikkelsen. As you can tell, we think the future's extraordinarily bright for Scandinavian cinema!