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Do film festival rankings accurately represent the quality of the films?

Paxton Morison

Well, well, well, here we are discussing the accuracy of film festival rankings. This is a juicy topic and I am more than happy to share my opinion (which you didn't ask for, but oh well, here it is).

Film festivals. Ah, the excitement of discovering and showcasing new ideas, perspectives, and voices. Every year, we eagerly await the arrival of several film festivals around the globe, checking the lists of movies, trailers, and celebrity attendees. But let's get real, are festival rankings really giving us an accurate representation of the quality of the films? I mean, who's to say what's good or bad anyway?

Don't get me wrong, film festivals are a fantastic way to promote films, both independently or backed by a big studio. They serve as a platform for artists to share their work with the world, sometimes even leading to a distribution deal or an Oscar nomination. However, these festivals, as important as they are, should be taken with a grain of salt.

First of all, every festival has its own criteria to select films. Some focus on innovation, some on commercial appeal, some on social relevance, and so on. So, even if a movie is a crowd-pleaser at one festival, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be as successful at another. Also, let's not forget that festivals are subject to politics and favoritism. I mean, who hasn't heard of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and how it affected the Cannes Film Festival?

Second, festivals can create a false sense of hype around a movie. Sure, getting a prestigious award can boost a film's profile, but it doesn't guarantee its quality. I've seen movies that were hyped up by critics and festival attendees, only to be (in my humble opinion) a total bore. On the other hand, some of my favorite films barely got any recognition at festivals, yet I still recommend them to everyone I know.

Last but not least, film taste is subjective. One person's masterpiece is another person's snoozefest. It's all a matter of personal preference, mood, and interpretation. Just because a movie won the Palme d'Or at Cannes or the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, it doesn't mean that you'll like it. And that's okay.

So, to sum it up, film festival rankings can be helpful to discover new movies, but they shouldn't be the sole criteria to judge a film's merit. At the end of the day, it's up to us, the viewers, to decide what we like and what we don't. And if you'll excuse me, I have some movies to watch and some opinions to form. Happy viewing!