E75 • Distribution Starts With Knowing Your Audience • ALAN D’ESCRAGNOLLE, Co-Founder of Filmhub

Past Present Feature with Marcus Mizelle

Past Present Feature with Marcus Mizelle
E75 • Distribution Starts With Knowing Your Audience • ALAN D’ESCRAGNOLLE, Co-Founder of Filmhub
Apr 28, 2026 Season 2 Episode 20
Marcus Mizelle

Alan D’Escragnolle breaks down how his company Filmhub is rethinking distribution, shifting away from gatekeeping toward flexible, film-specific strategies. Instead of a single path, films are matched with what they actually need, whether that’s AVOD, SVOD, or a more hands-on sales and marketing push.

The bigger shift is economic. With hundreds of thousands of titles entering the market each year, access is easier than ever, but monetization is harder. Success now comes down to positioning, artwork, and understanding where a film fits in an oversaturated landscape.

At its core, the model has flipped. Distributors can get your film out, but they won’t build your audience. The takeaway is simple: know who your film is for, think long-term, and treat distribution as part of the process, not the finish line.


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Introducing the Past Present Feature Film Festival, a new showcase celebrating cinematic storytelling across time. From bold proof of concept shorts to stand out new films lighting up the circuit, to overlooked features that deserve another look. 

Sponsored by the Past Present Feature podcast and Leica Camera. Submit now at filmfreeway.com/PastPresentFeature


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The Past Present Feature Film Festival - Nov. 20-22, 2026 in Hollywood, CA - Submit at filmfreeway.com/PastPresentFeature


Episode Artwork E75 • Distribution Starts With Knowing Your Audience • ALAN D’ESCRAGNOLLE, Co-Founder of Filmhub 48:34 Episode Artwork E74 • From Prison to Premiere • TAWFIK SABOUNI, dir. of ‘Other Side of the Sun‘ at Berlinale 42:04 Episode Artwork E73 • Facing the Future Without Looking Away • CHARLIE TYRELL, co-dir. of ‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’ Now in Theaters from Focus Features 57:54 Episode Artwork E72 • Feel the Fear, Do it Anyway • FREDERIKE MIGOM, dir. of ‘Everyone’s Sorry Nowadays’ at Berlinale 59:55 Episode Artwork E71 • Don’t Wait For Perfect Conditions • JEREMY WORKMAN, dir. of ‘Secret Mall Apartment’ now on Netflix 43:55 Episode Artwork E70 • Build It Small, Release It Smart • GILLE KLABIN, dir. of ‘Weekend at the End of the World’ 1:19:35 Episode Artwork E69 • When the Story Becomes the Evidence • SHARON LIESE, dir. of ‘Seized’ at Sundance 47:02 Episode Artwork E68 • Finding the Frame in a Shared Landscape • GABBY OSIO VANDEN & JACK WEISMAN, dirs. of 'Nuisance Bear' - Sundance Grand Jury Award WINNER 52:53 Episode Artwork BeastGrip - Proud Sponsor of the Past Present Feature Podcast 🎙️ use code PASTPRESENTFEATURE for 10% off 0:32 Episode Artwork E67 • Taking the Scary Road on Purpose • STEPHANIE AHN, dir. of 'Bedford Park' at Sundance, U.S. Dramatic Competition (Special Jury Award) 35:21 Episode Artwork E66 • Finding the Soul of Your Film • J.M. HARPER, dir. of ‘Soul Patrol’ at Sundance, U.S. Doc Competition (Best Director Winner) 49:49 Episode Artwork E65 • Curation as Craft, Responsibility, Intuition • ANIA TRZEBIATOWSKA, Sundance Programmer & SANDS Festival Director 48:27 Episode Artwork E64 • Make The Struggle Worth It • PARSIFAL REPARATO, dir. of 'She' - Best Doc, Adelaide Film Festival following Locarno 55:27 Episode Artwork E63 • More With Less Through Technique and Resilience • SHIH-CHING TSOU, dir. of ‘Left-Handed Girl‘ - Taiwan’s '25 Oscar Submission, Now on Netflix 34:52 Episode Artwork Past Present Feature Film Festival (Nov. 19-21) in Hollywood, CA • Tickets @ pastpresentfeature.eventive.org 2:58 Episode Artwork E62 • From Lockdown to Locarno • JANICKE ASKEVOLD, dir. of ‘Solomamma‘ at Locarno 50:53 Episode Artwork E61 • Prioritizing Audience Experience, Enjoying the Process • MERCEDES BRYCE MORGAN, dir. of ‘Bone Lake’ now In Theaters from Bleecker Street, following Fantastic Fest 46:03 Episode Artwork E60 • From Stroke Survivor to Digital Age Storyteller • AUDUN AMUNDSEN, dir. of ‘Click the Link Below’ at Doc Edge 48:25 Episode Artwork E59 • Breaking Taboos and Crafting The Anti-Heroine • NINA KNAG, dir. of ‘Don’t Call Me Mama’ at Karlovy Vary, Crystal Globe Competition 54:04 Episode Artwork E58 • Inside the Mind of a Festival Gatekeeper • THOM POWERS, Lead Documentary Programmer of the Toronto International Film Festival 55:58 Episode Artwork E57 • From Collab’ing With Coppola to Creating ‘The Purge‘: 30 Years in Hollywood • JAMES DEMONACO, dir. of ‘The Home’ starring Pete Davidson, now in Theaters via Miramax 54:12 Episode Artwork E56 • The More Specific, The More Universal • MADELEINE GAVIN, dir. of ‘Beyond Utopia’ now on Hulu following the Sundance Audience Award 1:14:14 Episode Artwork E55 • How to Build a Nightmare, and the Art of Letting Go • JULIA MAX, dir. of ‘The Surrender’ Now on AMC+ following SXSW 1:11:35 Episode Artwork E54 • Genre Blending: Creating a Hilarious Horror • DAVID JOSEPH CRAIG & BRIAN CRANO, dirs. of ‘I Don’t Understand You’ Now in Theaters following SXSW 1:02:17 Episode Artwork E53 • Making Films Without Fear • NATESH HEGDE, dir. of ‘Tiger’s Pond’ at Berlinale 39:05