How do film festivals balance accessibility with independence when so much of our infrastructure relies on platforms we don't control? This invite-only roundtable brings together festival professionals to discuss the practical realities of reducing dependence on Big Tech. Together, we examine the tools and platforms festivals currently used for ticketing, streaming, audience data, and marketing, and explore what alternatives actually exist. Participants share experiences with decentralized systems, open-source solutions, and community-owned platforms, while discussing the trade-offs between convenience and autonomy.
Moderator:
Rabia Sitabi Stigter is a Pop Culture and Tech expert, who’s the owner of Marketing Agency RPISH. Her experience in film and film festivals goes back almost 2 decades and she’s currently active as the Head of Marketing and Communications for Imagine Fantastic Film Festival and Kaboom Animation Festival. With her expertise and insights she’s travelled the world to speak at SxSW, for the Korean Government, consult for large companies and more. Her work in tech is specifically in spotting and advising new emerging startups and technologies. In her work she is always looking to “future proof” communication and apply her trend knowledge and ethics to the use of channels online for her clients and herself.
Attendance is by invitation only