Film Policy and Film Distribution: The Case of the Baltic Film Industries

Abstract The aim of the study is to analyse the development of the Baltic film distribution markets and to provide new recommendations for its potential growth based on mission economy approach and bigger role of the states in co-creating and co-shaping the markets especially for the Baltic co-production of films and their distribution. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods for data extraction and analysis. Firstly, descriptive statistics as a method was used to analyse the market shares of the main film distribution companies in Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian film industries. Furthermore, 5 semi-structured interviews with experts from the Baltic film industries were conducted. As a result of the research, the author concludes that there is a potential in family genre films that are produced in the Baltic States, but in general the Baltic co-production films lack quality, storytelling that would arouse the interest of the audience and potentially new regional film fund “Baltic Film and TV Fund” would have to focus not only on increased financing for co-productions, but also on other measures that would help to produce better quality genre films including co-productions and their distribution.