Letterboxd
A social film discovery platform where users log, rate, and review films, building communities around shared cinematic taste.
Definition
Letterboxd is a social networking platform centered on film discovery, logging, and discussion. Users maintain personal film diaries, rate and review movies, create curated lists, and follow other users to discover films through their networks. Founded in 2011 in New Zealand, the platform has grown into one of the most influential film community platforms globally.
Unlike Rotten Tomatoes' aggregation model, Letterboxd is built on social discovery. Its community-driven approach means that lesser-known films can gain significant traction through user lists, reviews, and word-of-mouth within the platform's engaged cinephile community.
Why It Matters
Letterboxd has become a significant discovery engine particularly for independent and arthouse films. Its demographic skews younger (18-34) and more film-literate than the general moviegoing audience, making it a powerful platform for building grassroots buzz around quality-driven content.
For independent film marketers and festival strategists, Letterboxd activity is increasingly tracked as a leading indicator of audience interest. A film that generates organic traction on Letterboxd often sees that enthusiasm translate to theatrical and streaming viewership.
Examples in Practice
An independent film that screened at only a handful of festivals gains unexpected attention when a popular Letterboxd user includes it in a viral list of "underseen gems," driving thousands of users to add it to their watchlists and creating demand that attracts a distribution offer.
A streaming platform monitors Letterboxd trending data to inform their acquisition strategy, noticing that a foreign-language thriller is generating exceptional engagement on the platform weeks before its US release, leading them to secure streaming rights early.