On Demand Weekly

In another step to bring the preeminent U.S. film festival to film fans living outside of Park City, UT, Robert Redford has announced Sundance Selects, a new video-on-demand (VOD) service offering films and documentaries. The films will be available to digital subscribers of Comcast, Cox and Cablevision, often available the same day in theaters. The exciting new indie film option will make its VOD debut on August 26 with Spike Lee's new documentary, "Passing Strange: The Movie," which premiered at the 2009 Sundance festival. The film records the Broadway musical of the same name that tells of a young black man finding his way in life.

At Sundance, increasing the size of the market for independent film has always been our mission, in addition to just giving exposure to new voices, so this allows us to electronically take that vision to a broader group," Redford told Reuters.

Sundance Selects will launch with five other titles:

• Animated film "Mary and Max" from Australian director Adam Elliot;
• "Unmade Beds" from Alexis Dos Santos
• "Complete History of My Sexual Failures,"
• "Kassim the Dream"
• "Nick Nolte: No Exit."

I do see a time in the not too distant future when VOD sales for films like these dramatically surpasses theatrical revenue," Sapan said, "and some of these movies will be released with VOD only.(Reuters)

ODW is a big fan of independent film and applauds Sundance Channel’s efforts to bring indie gems to Anytown, USA. This is just what we hoped VOD providers would do to make this platform great. Here’s to more efforts to bring films with little or no theatrical release the attention they deserve.