Try and Try Again

Don’t say Tri-Star doesn’t try hard: “A quality film will succeed about 8 out of every 10 times,” said Tri-Star president David Matalon.

The biggest challenge for the 4-year-old company has been “Gaby,” the true story of a Mexican girl with severe cerebral palsy who, against all odds, became an accomplished writer. “We loved the film and always believed given time and word of mouth, it would find its audience. The response from research screenings was always sensational.”

When it premiered in NYC last October, the ad campaign avoided the film’s content, an approach Matalon admitted had failed. So, in L.A., a new campaign was based on critical kudos. But the response--despite a major ad budget--was little better.

The third campaign emphasized that “Gaby” was an uplifting experience. Again, supported by ads and extensive personal appearances by title actress Rachel Levin, it didn’t work.

Matalon then took an unprecedented move--sending videotapes to all 1,500 acting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: “We had to be pragmatic,” said Matalon. “In order to get a nomination, people must see the movie.”

The result: Argentine actress Norma Aleandro, who plays the peasant woman who cares for and becomes the friend of Gaby, is a supporting-actress contender.

“Whether Norma wins or not,” said Matalon, “this has to have benefits for the film. I think it will mean strong openings overseas and in domestic video sales. In truth, nothing we’ve tried has taught us how to market this kind of film, but we’ll keep at it.”