Building a New Theatrical Marketplace featuring Jackie Brenneman

In this episode of The Marketing and Distribution Podcast, host Alex Stolz welcomes Jackie Brenneman — a trailblazer in the cinema industry and President & CEO of Attend Theatrical Marketplace, Jackie shares the journey behind ATTEND, the groundbreaking platform she helped launch to empower filmmakers and exhibitors through smarter, more transparent theatrical distribution.

A founding partner of The Fithian Group, Jackie brings years of leadership in policy, legal advocacy, and industry innovation. Previously Executive Vice President and General Counsel at the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), she played a pivotal role during the pandemic, securing over $16 billion in relief for entertainment venues through the “Save Our Stages” program. Jackie also founded the Cinema Foundation, launched National Cinema Day in the U.S., and spearheaded the first-ever State of the Cinema Industry Report.

Jackie and Alex dive deep into the structural challenges of theatrical distribution, the opportunity for growth through data and partnership, and why the cinema remains a powerful — and deeply human — space for storytelling. A must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of film, audience connection, and rewriting the rules of theatrical success.

In the episode you’ll discover:

• Why ATTEND is reimagining theatrical distribution with a “matchmaking” platform for filmmakers and exhibitors

• How data transparency and flexible deal terms can drive higher occupancy and lower distribution costs

• The role exhibitors can play in supporting mid-range films and rebuilding moviegoing habits

• What the creator economy means for the future of film marketing and distribution

• Lessons from launching National Cinema Day and securing historic government funding for theaters

• Why pricing, programming, and audience identity all matter more than ever in driving cinema attendance

 

About Jackie Brenneman

Jackie Brenneman is a founding partner of The Fithian Group, a global cinema industry consultancy that partners with the creative community, movie theater owners, leading research firms and innovators to bring custom, market-ready solutions to the marketplace. Jackie is also the President and CEO of the Attend Theatrical Marketplace, Inc., a revolutionary new theatrical marketplace developed by The Fithian Group that aims to grow the theatrical marketplace by increasing both the number and range of movies exhibitors can offer and helping them program and market the titles. Prior to forming The Fithian Group, Jackie was Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the National Association of Theatre Owners. In those roles, Jackie was a frequent speaker and panelist at global exhibition events on the importance of data and optimism in shaping the narrative and future of the industry. During the pandemic she achieved $16.1 billion for venue-specific “Save Our Stages” COVID relief grants, with specific grants targeted for movie theater owners. She also formed the Cinema Foundation and acted as its founding President. In that role, she implemented first-ever National Cinema Day in the United States and oversaw the release of the inaugural State of the Cinema Industry Report. Jackie has been awarded the Top Woman in Global Exhibition (2023), Industry Figure of the Year (2022) and Ken Mason Award for achievement in cinema (2022).