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DISTRIBUTION Romania

Snails invade Romanian cinemas

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- Tudor Giurgiu's comedy Of Snails and Men will have an unprecedented marketing campaign in order to attract Romanians in front of the big screen

Of Snails and Men [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tudor Giurgiu
film profile
]
is vying for a revolution in the Romanian film promotion. While other domestic releases have almost non-existent marketing budgets and usually use little more than online platforms and some outdoor banners in order to promote their presence in cinemas, Of Snails and Men is ready for something more: it all began with men dressed as snails 'trying' to cross the busiest streets in Bucharest.

With a release scheduled for September 14, Tudor Giurgiu's comedy will spend a €100,000 budget over the next three weeks in order to increase awareness. Independent and art-house film distributor Transilvania Film will release the film with help from Ro Image 2000, the local partner of Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, which has a long experience with wide releases.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Of Snails and Men will be released on more than 35 screens in 20 cities, the widest release for an independent film in recent years. The target is to dodge the proverbial indifference of the Romanian audience towards local productions. "I will be happy if we reach 50,000 admissions, but I secretly dream of more," Giurgiu told Cineuropa. If the film reaches this total, it will become the most successful domestic release since the Berlinale-awarded If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ada Condeescu
film profile
]
, which sold 55,858 tickets in the first half of 2010.

"Our purpose is to finally have a domestic release with a record number of admissions," promotion manager Ileana Cecanu told Cineuropa, adding that the marketing campaign was planned since Of Snails... was still shooting. It comprises traditional methods, but also viral campaigns and special events, such as a 'snail invasion' on the streets of Bucharest, a tribute to French urban prankster Rémi Gaillard.

This year, Transilvania has also released The Phantom Father and Somewhere in Palilula [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, but on only ten screens. Of Snails and Men is the biggest release in the company's history.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

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