A Case Study Webinar with Director Sandi DuBowski—marking one year of our Substack by revisiting the power of the long theatrical
We’re back from our August break and excited to get the fall started with intrepid filmmaker Sandi Dubowski and a case study on the release of his extraordinary documentary Sabbath Queen. It is especially exciting because it is a year since I launched this Substack with the post “Day-and-Date Is Dead, Long Live The Long Theatrical”. In that post, I noted the emergence of a new wave of very long “event theatrical” releases (see this Friday’s forthcoming post). Our company handled the theatrical release of Sabbath Queen which might break records for its epic, long-tail rollout that’s still going strong nearly a year after its premiere.
This is an opportunity to learn how Sandi and his team have eventized screenings, built deep relationships with community partners, and resisted the pressure to rush the rollout. Instead, they’ve cultivated a steady, meaningful release strategy that continues to grow momentum and impact.
Sabbath Queen, filmed over 21 years, follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie—dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis—as he redefines faith, identity, and ritual in the 21st century. Amichai becomes a drag-queen rebel, queer bio-dad, and founder of Lab/Shul, an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation.
The film challenges patriarchy and supremacy, champions interfaith love, and stands for peace and justice in Israel/Palestine.
What We’ll Cover
Sandi will take us inside the release strategy that has propelled Sabbath Queen to $110K+ in box office & a yearlong theatrical run. Key topics include:
- Theatrical Success Through Partnerships
How working with organizations and communities sustained and expanded the release. - Community Outreach & “Soul Spa” Events
From dinners and feasts to unique non-theatrical experiences that eventized the film. - Festivals + Theatrical, Side by Side
How festivals and theatrical distribution overlapped and fueled one another and also made the release more complicated to execute.
The Creative Process
Twenty years in the making, with intensive workshops, collaborations with editors, and turning the editing itself into an event.
About Sandi DuBowski
DuBowski is the Director/Producer of Sabbath Queen and Trembling Before G-d, Producer of A Jihad for Love, and Co-Producer of Budrus.
His films have screened at Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca, Toronto, and been theatrically released in 150+ cities worldwide. He spearheaded a groundbreaking impact campaign with Trembling Before G-d, personally leading 850 live events for 250,000+ people.
From 2009–2016, he worked with 125+ social justice documentaries as Outreach Director of Doc Society’s Good Pitch. In 2020, he became a member of the Academy’s Documentary Branch.https://jonreiss.substack.com/p/case-study-webinar-sabbath-queen