The innovative release is one of the first in the Czech Republic to be released simultaneously on VOD and theatrically. Simultaneous VOD and theatrical releases are currently one of the EU cinema industry’s most hotly debated topics.
Ivo Andrle head of Aerofilms who will release the film told FNE, “This is the first time we have release a film at the same time theatrically and on our own VOD platform aerovod. This is a niche film and there is limited market potential so we wanted to try it with a simultaneous release. We have been VOD for some time with different timing, placing and content. I think this can work for some films but the larger the market potential the less I think we would want to use the simultaneous day and date release.”
Aerofilms is one of a group of distributors in Europa Distribution that will be part of a special action to test simultaneous VOD and theatrical art releases in 2013 and European exhibitors and exhibitors will be closely watching the results of this experiment.
After its world premiere at the Lucerna Cinema in Prague, the film will be released in digital copies in about 10 Czech cinemas.
The film was inspired by a film script titled Der Mull, die Stadt und der Tod by the German film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder which later became a Czech cult theatre production.
This film was produced by Čestmír Kopecký and his production company 1.veřejnoprávní, Odpad Mesto Smrt.
Waste, City and Death touches on contemporary forms of conscious and unconscious racism, homophobia, conservatism and the clichés connected with these subjects. The story follows the prostitute Romi who one day meets a Jew who does not want her sexual services, he only wants her to tell him stories. Romi is happy but her pimp Franz and her friends attack her for consorting with a Jew. The story takes place in a rundown city run by corrupt police, politicians and speculators.
As the film’s acclaimed Czech DOP Martin Štrba said, “We could have just made a film of the theatre play, but Hrebejk wanted to take the story out of the theatre and film it in real surroundings.”
Trailer: www.odpad-mesto-smrt.cz
Credits:
Director and scriptwriter: Jan Hrebejk, David Parizek, Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Dop: Lukas Milota, Martin Strba
Editor: Vladimir Barak
Cast: Martin Pechlat, Gabriela Micova, Stanislav Majer, Jiri Cerny
Producer: Cestmir Kopecky
Production Company: Prvni Verejnopravni (www.cestmir.cz)
Distributor in Czech Republic: Aerofilms (www.aerofilms.cz)
