Montreal - Cinema Politica (CP) is thrilled to announce the launch of its Video On Demand (VOD) service today. Utilizing the Vimeo platform, CP is initiating this new arm of political film circulation with 21 fantastic social justice documentaries, many of which are premiering online for the first time. CP organizers see this expansion of the organization’s mandate as one more way to not only deliver social justice cinema to audiences, but as another way to support independent political filmmakers.
CP Executive Director Svetla Turnin comments: “So many people have approached us over the past few years with one question: ‘How can I watch your films online?’ This question forced us to think of new ways to distribute our films and reach audiences who are unable to attend our on-the-ground screenings of provocative POV documentaries or fiction. We are so excited to finally have an answer for them: Check out Cinema Politica VOD!”
This new, virtual venture into screening truth to power can be accessed on the CP site at vod.cinemapolitica.org and at the organization’s Vimeo account: vimeo.com/cinemapolitica/vod_pages. Winton explains there are two categories of CP VOD programming: “We want our online offerings to be carefully curated, not just a grab-bag of content. As such, our VOD titles fall under the categories of Complementary Programming and Encore Programming. The first is comprised of films we couldn’t, for various reasons, screen at our CP locals, and the second is made up of films that are already in circulation in our network, have had a significant number of on-the-ground screenings and we’re now making available to our online audiences.”
Five standout “Launch Leaders”—titles that CP hopes will garner special attention and mention, are included in today’s initial VOD program offering.
Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott’s THE CORPORATION, a provocative and informative documentary that broke box office records with its exploration of corporate psychopathy, has been an audience favorite since its 2003 premiere. We are happy to collaborate with Hello Cool World and offer the film for the very first time on VOD, in its 10th anniversary cut! Long-time Cinema Politica supporter Achbar says, “Cinema Politica successfully delivers independent art to the eyes and ears of the public.”
Watch THE CORPORATION on VOD here.
Debuting as a fierce corrective to mainstream media in 2013, Fahim Alam’s RIOTS REFRAMED repositions England's 2011 riots through diverse voices of resistance, challenging commercial media and government narratives of protest in the UK. Alam writes: “Sometimes there are deep and profound opportunities within the biggest injustices and if we can use these things to speak to power then we should.” Cinema Politica is proud to offer the online premiere of Riots Reframed as part of our VOD launch.
Watch RIOTS REFRAMED here.
Made available online for the first time ever, Beata Bubenec’s award-winning GOD’S WILL follows Dmitry Enteo, a former neo-Buddhist who has become an ardent defender of Russian Orthodox values. Enteo has gathered a movement of Orthodox activists who have been accused of terrorizing Russia’s LGBTQ community and who rally against the creative acts of groups like Pussy Riot and the Voyna. God’s Will is a provocative, disturbing account that asks: Who is Enteo, and what does his ascension say about the society and culture around him?
Watch GOD’S WILL here (warning: scenes of violence throughout).
Read the Cinema Politica interview with director Bubenec here.
A finalist for the Cinema Politica 2015 Audience Choice Award, Rémy Huberdeau’s TRANSGENDER PARENTS is an intimate portrayal of the ways in which non-conforming interpretations of sex, gender, and sexuality coalesce around family, as well as the ways in which families and communities build positive (alternative) futures together. Our VOD offering marks Transgender Parents’ online premiere.
Watch TRANSGENDER PARENTS here.
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers’ A RED GIRL'S REASONING was a huge, standing ovation success at the launch of CP’s Indigenous-focused program First Peoples, First Screens, provoking audiences with its noir-inspired social commentary on violence against Indigenous women. We are offering this must-see short online for the first time.
Watch A RED GIRL’S REASONING here.
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For interviews with filmmakers or the Cinema Politica organizers, please contact Ezra Winton at ezra@cinemapolitica.org or by phone at 514-265-1217. To see the complete lineup of VOD films visit vod.cinemapolitica.org. Prices vary by film.
