27-03-2011

First Multiplatform Film Launch in Romania

By Iulia Blaga

    BUCHAREST: Outbound/Periferic (www.periferic.ro), the debut feature of Bogdan George Apetri, will be the first film to have a simultaneous cinema and online release. The film opens on 1 April 2011 on webkino.ro, a project initiated by Romanian distributor, Voodoo Films and owner/filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, together with Dragoş Stanca's marketing and online sales company Q2M (ro.q2m.net).

    Webkino.ro will offer pay-per-view and video streaming, allowing the broadcast of Romanian films in HD quality. Outbound will be available first on webkino.ro in towns with no cinemas, and for the whole country after 1 May. More 2011 Romanian films are due to follow Apetri's film on webkino.ro.

    "This experiment is based on a paradox: while talking with producers and directors, we figured out that the reason why the Romanian audiences don't see Romanian premieres is the very simple fact that many cities don't have cinemas anymore," Stanca said.

    Outbound wass one of the most awarded Romanian films in 2010, and is a Romanian-Austrian co-production between Saga Film (www.sagafilm.ro) and Aichholzer Filmproduktion (www.aifilm.at). Apetri studied Law in Romania, and Film directing and Cinematography at Columbia University in New York.

    Published in Romania
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