Sten Kauber: Audiences, Value, and the Future of National Cinema: Insights from the Estonian Film Market

Sten will talk about his PhD work that he pre-defended in August: In small, publicly funded film markets, such as Estonia, the relationship between industry professionals and audiences plays a decisive role in shaping both the cultural relevance and economic sustainability of national cinema. In this talk, Sten will present the results of his PhD research on the Estonian film industry, which bridges audience and production studies to examine how financing, production, distribution, and exhibition practices influence—and are influenced by—audience perceptions, expectations, and experiences. Based on expert interviews, surveys, focus groups, and industry document analysis, the research reveals how intuitive, often stereotype-driven approaches to audience engagement coexist with emerging data-driven strategies, and how current policy frameworks and industry practices risk narrowing the diversity and value of national film culture. Through the lens of “imagined affordances” and “value creation,” the talk will explore pathways toward more strategic, research-informed, and value-diverse audience engagement strategies and film culture.