Cinema on the Net
As of yesterday, two days before its theatrical release, it has been possible to watch an entire sequence online from Jean-Marc Vallée’s C.R.A.Z.Y., one of the top Canadian hits of last year. Polish surfers will also soon have access to a complete version of Ode to Joy, one of the most anticipated Polish films of the year. The example set by these two films does not mean that the Polish market has given itself over entirely to the Internet: "It’s an experiment," insisted Jakub Duszyński of Gutek Film and head of the operation.
In fact, it is the first time that the Polish distributor has screened an entire sequence rather than just a trailer. The 8-minute excerpt is available at www.interia.pl. "This way, spectators can freely decide if the film is interesting enough for them to go to see in the cinema, without being manipulated by the images chosen for the trailer", explained Duszyński.
On April 19, the day of the release of Ode to Joy, by Anna Kazejak-Dawid, Jan Komasa and Maciej Migas (three film school students at the Lodz Film School), Gutek Film will offer surfers access to the complete film at www.itvp.pl.
Ode to Joy is certainly one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year. It received a special prize at the last Gdynia Festival and also screened at Rotterdam (see news).
"We can’t just simply ignore current trends. We don’t want to be stuck with the same models for making money. The release of Ode to Joy on the Internet is a direct response to the demands of young people who are looking more to the Internet for entertainment rather than going out to the cinema. We will see what public reaction will be. But the case of Ode to Joy, is not quite the norm yet," concluded Duszyński.
(Translated from French)
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