Online startup launches streaming service for indie films

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Yet another online streaming service for film lovers, Fandor, is open for business as of March 8, specializing in independent, artistic, historic, and international films.

For $10 a month, Fandor members have unlimited access to curated films, "to recreate the film festival experience," said the company's founder and head of development and acquisitions Jonathan Marlow to TheWrap.

The Fandor library has more than 2,500 titles under license and includes films dating from 1895 to the present, from Hollywood to Bollywood. It shows a mix of festival award-winners, documentaries, selections from the National Film Registry, and films licensed directly from filmmakers, giving them a distribution outlet online.

In addition to streaming on demand, Fandor will provide an online movie channel. Films include Academy Award-nomined Dogtooth, Winnebago Man, documentaries such as Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould, debuts including In Between Days (So Yong Kim) and international films including The Chess Players.

Fandor is meant to supplement, not to replace, the top US film rental service Netflix, since 80 percent of Fandor's catalog isn't available on Netflix.

The service can be accessed by members through Facebook accounts, and one film can be viewed free-of-charge. Short clips from films can be posted on Facebook accounts. It also integrates with social video tagging service BlipSnips and is available to the 1.6 million subscribers of social media application Boxee.

Reviews, cast and crew information and other details are available on each film page and the blog.

No special computer program is required for viewing, and the service will work on both Macs and PCs. The website lists compatible browsers and other technical specs.

Fandor is founded by veterans of the internet and film industries, and producer Ted Hope ( Adventureland, Towelhead) and Chris Kelly of Facebook are on the board of directors.

The service plans to expand internationally but is currently only available in the US.

http://www.fandor.com

RC