IFC Entertainment Titles Available Include American Independent, Documentary and World Cinema Titles, With Films by John Sayles, Errol Morris, Susanne Bier, Christopher Nolan, Catherine Breillat, James Toback, Rebecca Miller and Hirokazu Kore-Eda
NEW YORK, November 20, 2009 – In a move designed to increase the reach of independent cinema, IFC Entertainment, one of the leading distributors of independent and foreign films, and Netflix, the world’s largest online movie rental service, today announced a partnership that gives Netflix U.S. rights to 53 unique titles from IFC Entertainment. Through this agreement select titles from IFC Entertainment’s eclectic library of independent films will become available to be streamed instantly to televisions and computers via the Netflix service. The deal was announced jointly by Lisa Schwartz, executive vice president for IFC Entertainment, and Robert Kyncl, vice president of content acquisition for Netflix.
The partnership gives Netflix members on an unlimited plan the opportunity to instantly watch the newly acquired films on their computers or TVs through a range of Netflix ready devices. Those devices include Netflix ready Blu-ray disc players and new Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung and Best Buy’s Insignia brand; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console and Sony’s Playstation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system; TiVo digital video recorders, and Internet TVs from Sony and, soon, VIZIO. The films will be available beginning Friday, November 20th.
"Netflix has always championed independent cinema and has creatively built audiences for films in this genre, and we’re excited to give their customers instant access to this wide-ranging collection of independent film," said Lisa Schwartz, executive vice president for IFC Entertainment. "Our top priority is to make independent film available to a wider audience and this partnership further underscores that commitment."
"Partnering with IFC Films gives us the opportunity to expand the number of quality films that our subscribers can watch instantly," said Robert Kyncl, vice president of content acquisition for Netflix. "This deal reinforces our commitment to bringing diversity to the library and properties like this collection of titles bring us closer to that goal."
The deal will include 53 contemporary classic, and recent critically acclaimed titles, including English-language independents from John Sayles’ Sundance prize winner THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET and the award-winning RETURN OF SECAUCUS SEVEN, Christopher Nolan’s first film FOLLOWING, Joe Swanberg’s NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, James Toback’s WHEN WILL I BE LOVED?, and Rebecca Miller’s debut ANGELA.
The library will also feature documentaries by renowned filmmaker Errol Morris, including the groundbreaking THE THIN BLUE LINE and his debut feature GATES OF HEAVEN. Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s award-winning BROTHER’S KEEPER, and Jim Stern and Adam Del Deo’s political documentary SO GOES THE NATION are also featured.
In addition, some of the most celebrated foreign language titles of recent years can be instantly streamed from Netflix, including Susanne Bier’s BROTHERS, Patrice Chereau’s GABRIELLE, Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Cannes prize winner NOBODY KNOWS, Lukas Moodysson’s TOGETHER, Christophe Honore’s DANS PARIS, Catherine Breillat SEX IS COMEDY, Alfonso Cuaron SOLO CON TU PAREJA, Kristian Levring THE INTENDED and Hou Hsiao Hsien’s THREE TIMES.
About IFC Entertainment
A leader in the independent film industry, IFC Entertainment consists of multiple brands that are devoted to bringing the best of specialty films to the largest possible audience: IFC Films, IFC Festival Direct, IFC Productions, and the IFC Center. IFC Films is a leading distributor of independent film. Its unique day and date distribution model, ’IFC In Theaters,’ makes independent films available to a national audience by releasing them simultaneously in theaters as well as on cable’s On Demand platform and through Pay-Per-View, reaching 50 million homes. ’IFC Festival Direct’ features a wide selection of titles acquired from major international film festivals and offers them exclusively through Video on Demand. IFC Productions is a feature film production company that provides financing for select independent film projects. IFC Center is a three screen, state-of-the-art cinema with luxurious seating and HD digital and 35mm projection that shows art-house films in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village. IFC Entertainment’s companies are subsidiaries of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world’s most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, and VOOM HD Networks. Through its IFC Entertainment division, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a theatrical feature film distribution company; IFC First Take/IFC in Theaters, a day and date theatrical feature film/VOD initiative; the IFC Center in New York City; IFC Productions, a feature film production company; and IFC Entertainment, which owns and operates a film library. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales division, and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.
About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world’s largest online movie rental service, with more than 11 million subscribers. For only $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. There are never any due dates or late fees. Netflix members can exchange DVDs as often as they want using a postage-paid return envelope. Members can choose from a vast selection of DVD titles and a growing library of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. Netflix is partnering with leaders in consumer electronics to bring to market a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to members’ TVs. These devices currently include Blu-ray disc players and Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, Sony and Best Buy’s Insignia brand; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console; Sony’s PS3 computer entertainment system; TiVo digital video recorders; and Internet TVs from Sony and, soon, VIZIO.