Young People Deserve Film Festivals Too

As the New York Film Festival was gearing up for eight consecutive screenings of its centerpiece film, the Priscilla Presley biopic, Priscilla, new tickets for one of its sold-out screenings were released. I frantically began to text the ticket link to my brother, an early 20s, New York City-based student who had been trying, without luck, to see the film. Then I saw the ticket price: $80, student price: $65. Granted, it was a premiere screening with much of the cast and crew in attendance, but in shock over the price tag, I quickly closed the tab, without texting him.

That astronomical price point isn’t the case for all of NYFF’s screenings. For the festival’s Main Slate and Spotlight films–the festival’s most popular lineups–tickets are $25 for students, rather than the regular price of $30. For the festival’s Currents and Revivals lineups–which feature experimental films and new restorations–student prices are $13 compared to $18. The marginal student discounts, particularly for the festival’s higher-billed films, signify a broader problem plaguing the North American film festival circuit: They’re not built for young audiences. 

This problem is not exclusive to film festivals. Most art experiences in North America–including museums, cinematheques and theater shows–aren’t conceptualized with young people in mind. Instead, festivals see this audience as an afterthought, usually represented by a slightly discounted student fare in an attempt to make these experiences more age-inclusive. Fundamentally, however, this “solution” falls short. To make these experiences youth-friendly, and to draw a real student crowd, organizations must strive to reach the demographic at their price point. Historically, to encourage a generation of future artists, you need to give them access to current artists who can influence and inspire them. The first step toward this goal is making that financially accessible.

NYFF is a great example with which to make this argument. It’s not the typical film festival; film at Lincoln Center runs it. Select films screen at satellite venues across the city. The majority of the festival, however, takes place at the famed arts center, which skews toward an Upper West Side crowd. Based on my personal observations at screenings over the past two years, most audiences–especially the larger ones at the festival’s principal venue, Alice Tully Hall–consist of older filmgoers. 

The opportunity that film festivals provide where actors, directors and crew members screen their films and speak about them during Q&A sessions is a unique theatrical experience. Seeing the film is one thing, but learning about the creative process firsthand provides young potential creators with key details about the intricacies of bringing an idea to life. 

Offering slightly discounted prices for screenings is not an effective way for festivals to make themselves more accessible to young audiences. For all its flaws, the Toronto International Film Festival has successfully attracted these audiences by providing them with various opportunities to benefit from the organization’s programming during the annual festival or throughout the year. At TIFF, “Under-25” passes are offered gratis. These passes ensure free admission at Cinematheque screenings year-round, and discounted festival tickets, starting at 13 CAD ($9.55). The festival also sells Under-25 Rush Passes for 29 CAD ($21.30), which gives passholders the opportunity to get into any screening for free, provided there are available seats. 

The NYFF has adopted these tactics this year, with modifications. Film at Lincoln Center offers “FLC 25 & Under” memberships, a free version of their “Innovator” membership level. Its perks and discounts only apply toward Film at Lincoln Center’s year-round programming. 

In its inaugural year, the most FLC 25 & Under members can hope for is potential free tickets to underselling screenings. The pass has no other festival-based benefits: no festival ticket discounts. Not even an opportunity for advanced presale like the other membership levels offer. 

During the festival, the organization also offers a $99 “Express Pass.” Holders of this pass can try to snag tickets to sold-out screenings (if seats are available) for $15 a film or get a free ticket to any less popular screenings where tickets have been discounted to sell more seats. This pass is available to festival goers of all ages, not just young audiences.

Granted, TIFF is a much larger festival than NYFF, which perhaps allows more discounted pricing. Based on personal observation, TIFF’s initiatives to include younger audiences have made a significant difference. Comparing this year’s edition of the festival to pre-COVID editions, when festivals didn’t offer Under-25 benefits, there was a noticeably broader age demographic at most screenings. This was especially apparent at screenings of international films. While these films may be less popular relative to the festival’s Gala Presentations, they provide insights into different cultures, and take bolder artistic risks. More crucially, these films often don’t have the backing of North American distribution companies. These festival screenings may be their only screenings for a long time (if ever). 

These advancements haven’t necessarily made TIFF wholly accessible to young people. After all, the festival charges 88 CAD for a single ticket to some of their premium screenings. But, the options offered to under 25s have created an ecosystem where young audiences can work themselves into the gaps other festival goers left in the lineup, snagging available tickets to a significant number of less popular as well as larger screenings without having to forgo that week’s meals. 

NYFF’s attempts to draw younger crowds have worked in some ways. From where I was, screening crowds and standby crowds had more young people than usual. But their barriers to entry are still too restrictive. As a young person attending the festival, you only have two options: Pay the high ticket prices, or hope (against hope) that a movie won’t sell out quickly enough so you can receive a more significant discount. At this year’s edition, that second option was rarely possible–the festival had record ticket sales. Most of its screenings sold out before the public ticket sale began. 

It’s an unfortunate situation for both parties. For young people, it’s a missed opportunity to revel in the buzz of a film festival, catching some of the year’s best, most curated cinematic experiences. On the festival’s part, they miss out on attracting a future demographic. it’s possible that if people don’t develop a relationship with the festival or with this specific niche of filmgoing culture in their youth, they might never want to, or think to do so, in the future.

Ways to boost young audience inclusion at film festivals are endless. One idea is to increase the number of student screenings, hosting them at off-peak hours, before public screenings begin. NYFF offers student screenings, but not all students become aware of them. As a New York-based college senior studying film, I’ve received invitations and discounted tickets for Lincoln Center’s other, smaller film festivals.

I’ve never received an invitation to one of NYFF’s events. Another idea is to introduce young audience prices for select screenings, determined before the festival’s tickets go on sale to all audiences. While students may not get the chance to purchase a ticket at these reduced prices before screenings sell out, they can feel more comfortable knowing that they can still benefit if there’s a ticket re-stock. Finally, the Under 25 Pass with the benefits of the Express Pass is another option. These choice passes would charge a one-time, affordable price (comparable to the one at TIFF) and the festival could distribute them in limited quantities, while still increasing the chances of young audiences attending screenings with no-shows or underselling tickets.

The specific ways to include students at these events are less urgent than the push to do so. There’s a misguided industry conception that students don’t care about going to the cinema anymore. The story’s always the same: we belong to a generation carved out by social media, superhero movies and binge-watching.

These outdated stereotypes have somehow convinced institutions that there’s no tangible reason (or benefit) to offer more financially-conscious access to events like film festivals, since no one cares about the medium anyway. But, as successful youth-centered offerings at other cinematic institutions have shown, it’s not that young people are avoiding this facet of culture. They’re just waiting for the invitation to show up.