Fandor Bolsters Its Commitment to Documentary Film With New Titles and Partnerships

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 4, 2012) - Fandor, the leading on-demand independent film service, today announced an array of new relationships, acquisitions, and releases that demonstrate the company's commitment to showcasing the best of documentary filmmaking.

Fandor has closed a distribution deal with Syndicado for over 100 compelling documentary titles, including films from Academy Award-winning director Peter Watkins and others. With this announcement, Fandor has now licensed over 1,000 acclaimed and hard to find documentaries, connecting filmmakers and audience members to watch, share and discuss important stories and issues.

"Fandor is an ideal online platform for documentary and art-house films, whether you're a movie lover or a content provider like Syndicado," said Syndicado President Greg Rubidge. "Partnering with Fandor has brought our library of documentary films to a whole new online audience."

Fandor is also enabling audiences to access compelling new content as soon as it's available, with more and more films available to Fandor subscribers day-and-date with their releases on home video. Next up is The Woodmans (2010), directed by C. Scott Willis, which debuts tomorrow on Fandor. Named Best New York Documentary at the 2010 Tribeca film festival, The Woodmans tells the story of a talented family of artists that turns to their art to help recover after a tragedy. The day-and-date release of The Woodmans flows from a collaboration between Fandor and its long-standing partner Kino Lorber, Inc.

Other award-winning documentary films recently added to the Fandor collection include:

• From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995) dir. Mark Rappaport, an unconventional essay film about the actress, exclusive to Fandor (licensed from the director);
  
  
• El Bulli: Cooking in Progress (2011) dir. Gereon Wetzel, a revealing look inside the kitchen of renowned Spanish chef Ferran Adria (licensed from Kino Lorber);
  
  
• The World's Largest Shopping Mall (2009) dir. Sam Green, a documentary on the South China Mall from the Oscar-nominated filmmaker (licensed from Free History Project);
  
  
• The Oath (2010) dir. Laura Poitras, a chronicle of what has happened to Osama bin Laden's bodyguard and driver in the aftermath of 9/11 (licensed from Zeitgeist Films);
  
  
• Inferno (2009) dir. Serge Bromberg & Ruxandra Medrea, the story of an infamously unfinished film by Henri-Georges Clouzot (licensed from Flicker Alley);
  
  

In addition to its online film offerings, Fandor actively supports live screenings and events promoting documentary film and filmmakers. Today, Fandor kicks off a new partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center to present its Art of the Real series. Art of the Real showcases innovative and consciousness-raising documentaries from around the world, such as Money and Medicine (tonight at 6:30pm) and Wagner's Dream (July 19th). Screenings will feature filmmaker appearances, panel discussions, and more. Fandor is also partnering with FSLC Indie Nights, a monthly series focused on the best of independent cinema and co-curated by award-winning producer Ted Hope (Martha Marcy May Marlene and Adventureland).

"Fandor is dedicated to showcasing non-fiction films and filmmakers that challenge audiences to engage with the world around them," said Jonathan Marlow, Fandor co-founder and VP Content Development and Acquisitions. "We are delighted to be partnering with the FSLC, one of the most respected film organizations in the nation, and we will continue to champion documentary filmmakers by presenting future screenings and by providing an outlet for their remarkable work on Fandor."

Fandor's commitment to documentary films is fundamental to the company's mission and vision. Fandor board members Chris Kelly and Kevin Iwashina are passionate about documentary film, producing and backing films like international success Jiro Dreams of Sushi (now in theaters) and festival hit The Power of Two, directed by Academy Award nominated producer Marc Smolowitz. The Power of Two celebrates the life of twin sisters who beat Cystic Fibrosis through a rare lung transplant and is coming soon to Fandor.

For more information on Fandor and its current film offerings, please visit http://www.fandor.com.

About Fandor

Fandor is the leading on-demand independent film service, expanding the audience for independent films and offering an innovative new distribution platform that shares revenue with filmmakers. Fandor's rich editorial environment and active community of film fans makes it easy and rewarding to discover movies from its handpicked library of independent and international films. Launched in 2011 in San Francisco by entertainment and technology veterans, Fandor offers unlimited access to its catalogue of thousands of feature films and shorts for $10 per month. For more information, please visit www.fandor.com, 'like' Fandor on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fandor) and/or follow Fandor on Twitter (@Fandor).