Went to a small indie film festival last weekend and noticed something strange about the audience

Every single person in the theater was on their phone during the slow scenes even though the director was sitting two rows ahead has anyone else noticed crowds getting worse at low-key screenings?

3 comments

3 Comments

mark_thomas1mo ago

Hate to say it but maybe the slow scenes just weren't that good. If someone's movie can't hold attention, that's on the filmmaker not the audience.

thea_mitchell201mo ago

You know what, I used to be the person saying "you just don't get slow cinema" but honestly? You're right. I sat through a three hour movie last week that had me checking my phone every ten minutes and that's on the director for not earning my attention.

rileynelson22d ago

Woah hold on, I gotta push back a little on that last part. You're right that boring scenes are the filmmaker's fault, but saying "earning my attention" is a bit off. A movie doesn't have to earn your attention like it's a favor. Some movies just ask for your attention in a different way than others. Like, a slow movie can be great but it's also totally fine if it's not your thing. Plenty of great movies are slow and boring to lots of people. That doesn't make them bad movies, it just means they're not for you.