If you’ve been following the box office news and the film industry over the past couple of years, you know the big discussion surrounds the idea of an exclusive theatrical window for films. It’s important for theater owners and studios to come to an agreement about how long a film stays exclusive to theaters before hitting streaming, VOD, Blu-ray, or other mediums. Well, it appears NEON is going the extra step of making one of its new films, “Memoria,” stay in theaters forever.
Yes, that’s right— the highly-anticipated film, “Memoria,” from filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, is not only going to debut in theaters on December 26, but it is actually going to stay in theaters for the entire life of the film. The new film will never, ever see a release on VOD, streaming, or Blu-ray/DVD. Instead, NEON has planned what is clearly one of the most unique release strategies ever. You see, not only is “Memoria” going to be exclusive to theaters forever, but it is also going to play one theater only per week, moving from city to city each time. So, if you’re watching the film in New York City on December 26, you know it’s the only screen that is showing “Memoria” at that exact time.
Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul said, “For ‘Memoria,’ cinema experience is crucial or maybe the only way. Let’s embrace the darkness and dream, one at a time.”
READ MORE: Fall 2021 Movie Preview: 60+ Must-See Films
The film’s star, Tilda Swinton, added, “‘Memoria’ is the perfect film for this moment…Big cinema or bust…Throughout the universe, in perpetuity…”
For those not familiar with “Memoria” or any film from director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the film isn’t your typical filmgoing experience. “Memoria” tells the story of an ex-pat in Bogota, Colombia (Swinton), who goes on a sensory quest after hearing a unique sound that unlocks memories.
“Memoria” premiered at this year’s Cannes and quickly became one of our favorites from the event. It’s a film experience like no other and seems perfectly suited for this type of unique release strategy. So, if you are lucky enough to be in a city that will show “Memoria,” make sure you go out and see it because you never know when you might get that chance again.