How has the cinematic trailer evolved over the last fifty years? And what role does it continue to play in film promotion, in a media landscape that is increasingly fragmented among television, digital platforms, and social networks?
These are the questions that will be addressed at the panel The Power of the Trailer – At the Heart of Film Promotion. Fifty years of evolution across TV, radio, web, and social, the panel organized by Coming Soon and Trailers FilmFest, scheduled for Monday, October 19, 2026 at 4:30 PM, at the Spazio Coming Soon, in Viale Pietro De Coubertin 6 in Rome.
The event is part of the program of activities at the Spazio Coming Soon, set up for the 21st Rome Film Festival, taking place from October 13 to 25. Located in the area adjacent to the Ennio Morricone Auditorium Parco della Musica, the space managed by Coming Soon Service hosts during the festival interviews, press junkets, press conferences, and events dedicated to professionals in the audiovisual industry.
From 1977 to the social media era: how the trailer language has changed
The panel stems from a collaboration between two entities that have contributed, through different activities, to enhance the trailer as a tool of cinematic communication.
Coming Soon, a brand of AnicaFlash, began promoting trailers as early as 1977, bringing film previews into Italian homes through its television segments. This path continued over the years with the evolution of media—from television to the web and digital platforms.
Trailers FilmFest has instead developed a dedicated activity recognizing the trailer as an autonomous expressive form, capable of combining editing, music, writing, and audiovisual creativity.
From these experiences, the meeting will trace the evolution of a format that often represents the first contact between a film and its audience. From television campaigns to content designed for smartphones, the trailer has progressively altered its language, duration, and distribution methods, adapting to the new viewing habits of audiences.
The guests: from cinema distribution to TikTok
A moderator will be the journalist and co-artistic director of the festival, Alessandro De Simone, who will steer the discussion among professionals from various sectors of communication and the film industry.
They will include Marco D’Ottavio (Marketing Director, Coming Soon), Francesca Sofia Allegra (Artistic Director, Trailers FilmFest), Max Giovagnoli (Transmedia Producer and Visual Arts Coordinator, IED Rome), Manuela Farina (Creative Film Marketing Producer, P&B Communication), Giovanni Santonocito (Co-Founder, Slim Dogs Production), Giuseppe Suma (Consumer Services Director, TikTok) and Alessia Garulli (VP Marketing & Distribution, Sony Pictures / Eagle Pictures).
The involvement of editors, creatives, distributors, and experts from digital platforms will allow addressing the topic from complementary perspectives, analyzing both the transformations of the audiovisual language and the strategies by which films today reach their audiences. Particular attention will be given to the proliferation of promotional formats, the influence of social media, and the opportunities offered by new modes of content distribution.
The Power of the Trailer is one of the professional events organized at the Spazio Coming Soon during the Rome Film Festival 2026, reaffirming the space’s role as a meeting and discussion venue for professionals in the audiovisual sector.
As mentioned, the panel will take place on Monday, October 19 at 4:30 PM, at the Spazio Coming Soon, in Viale Pietro De Coubertin 6 in Rome.
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