International Journal of Film and Media Arts

National and International Cultural Resonance as a Promotion Driver for European Markets’ Films

Tatiana Chervyakova — 2026-04-27

European markets, while legally bound by specific standards, showcase a rich tapestry of cultural diversity and unique nuances. A key factor in the success of films produced in smaller European markets is cultural resonance (Nielsen et al., 2024). This cultural resonance is not just an artistic endeavour; it plays a fundamental role in the film industry by facilitating meaningful dialogue within national contexts. We argue that this resonance has dual potential both nationally and internationally that enhances the export potential and success of European small-market films beyond their domestic contexts.

To illustrate this argument, we present a qualitative case study of the Irish-produced (UK co-produced) film Kneecap (2024), which focuses on a music band from the North of Ireland and addresses the topic of the Irish language (Gaelic) and its relationship with British culture. The findings indicate four main elements of the Kneecap’s promotion strategy: 1) transmediality, 2) celebrity power, 3) tailored targeting, and 4) lack of promotional censorship. We contend that both the film itself and its promotional campaign exemplify effective practices in realising the duality of cultural resonance.

In the discussion, we broke down the components of dual cultural resonance in our case study into three key elements: 1) inductive reasoning, 2) narrative credibility, and 3) ‘unfiltered’ promotional campaigns.

This proposal builds on research conducted under the EU Horizon 2020 project CRESCINE (ID: 101094988), which aimed to enhance the international competitiveness and cultural diversity of the small European film industry.

Educating Future Filmmakers on Balancing Creativity with Ethics and Social Responsibility Under the Cinematography Law in Vietnam

Hà Đặng Thu Hà — 2026-04-12

Within the legal framework of Vietnam’s Cinematography Law, this paper examines how film education institutions can equip learners with the capacity to reconcile creative individuality with ethical and social responsibility through cinematic works. The study focuses on managing sensitive topics, such as spirituality, superstition, violence, and sexuality, which often encounter censorship barriers in Vietnam. In doing so, the paper aims to contribute to fostering conscience, ethics, and humanism in twenty-first century cinema.

Employing a qualitative methodology, the research combines statutory analysis of current regulations (Cinematography Law 2022, Circular 05/2023/TT-BVHTTDL), benchmarking age-based film classification systems, and case study analysis of three publicly controversial Vietnamese films: The Third Wife, Taste, and Bụi đời Chợ Lớn. Findings reveal that the decisions of the Film Appraisal Council are substantially influenced by context, artistic intention, and potential harm to audiences rather than by the mere presence of sensitive content. On this basis, the paper contrasts legal provisions with practice, and proposes a set of ethical principles to be integrated into film education. These guidelines are intended to help future filmmakers address sensitive content in ways that are legally compliant and culturally appropriate, without diminishing artistic value or audience appeal.

Table of Contents and Editorial

Manuel José Damásio — 2026-04-11

Access over Attention: How Smaller European Cinemas Navigate Streaming Platforms

Gaman Palem — 2025-12-31

Small European cinemas face new opportunities and challenges in the streaming era. Global platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime extend the potential reach of national films, yet their catalogues are often shaped by market logic and linguistic dominance. This article focuses on two interrelated aspects: the distribution of films from smaller European countries through streaming platforms, and the role of policy and institutional support in sustaining access to audiences.

The analysis is framed by the concept of the attention economy, which emphasises how cultural visibility is determined not only by production but also by the ability to secure space within highly competitive digital platforms. Instead of primary audience surveys, the study draws on secondary sources: reports from the European Audiovisual Observatory, Creative Europe funding data, and examples from smaller markets.

Findings suggest that while streaming platforms offer an expanded geography of access, they rarely guarantee visibility. Films from smaller cinemas are more likely to find durable circulation through hybrid strategies: co-productions supported by European schemes, festival premieres, and partnerships with curated or niche streaming services such as MUBI. Policy frameworks remain crucial in this ecosystem, ensuring that cultural identity and diversity are not subsumed by commercial priorities.

The article concludes that “access over attention” provides a useful way of understanding the resilience of smaller cinemas. Success may no longer lie in attracting mass audiences, but in creating sustainable routes of availability across digital platforms. By highlighting distribution practices and institutional support, this study contributes to ongoing debates about how European cinema can maintain diversity in the shadow of global streaming monopolies.

Table of Contents and Editorial

Manuel José Damásio — 2025-12-31

Performing Trauma and Memory in Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema: Multimodal Perspectives on the Guide

Tetiana Krysanova — 2025-12-31

This study explores the multimodal construction of trauma and memory in contemporary Ukrainian cinema, focusing on The Guide (2014). Ukrainian films increasingly address historical and political trauma, negotiating personal and collective suffering through embodied and sensory cinematic practices. Drawing on multimodal discourse theory and trauma studies, the analysis examines how visual, verbal, auditory, gestural, spatial, and temporal resources converge in constructing trauma and memory. In The Guide, trauma is foregrounded as a bodily phenomenon which renders psychological and moral conflict visible, transforming suffering into an affective experience. It merges individual grief with collective trauma. Multimodal orchestration collapses the temporal distinctions between past and present. Memory is enacted through ritualized practices, including musical performance and material artifacts. Songs, clothing, and instruments such as the bandura function as mnemonic tools that frame memory as participatory and situate Ukrainian national identity within sensory frameworks. The Guide exemplifies a distinctive trajectory in Ukrainian cinema by emphasizing corporeality and ritualized memory as central to cultural resilience. By showing how trauma and memory are multimodally enacted, the film demonstrates the inseparability of historical suffering and cultural continuity, offering a new insight into the ethical and aesthetic dimensions of post-Soviet cinematic practices.