Fandor
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (September 2022) |
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| Company type | Subscription independent film streaming service |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 2011 |
| Founder | Philip Hopkins |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, United States |
Area served | United States, Canada |
Key people | Philip Hopkins (President) |
| Products | Fandor: www |
| Services | Independent Film Streaming Service |
| Owner | Cinedigm (2021-present), Our Film Festival, Inc. (2011-2021) |
| Website | www |
Fandor is a division of the American entertainment company Cinedigm. It is a streaming service dedicated to independent films, documentaries, international titles and classics.
History
[edit]Fandor was founded in 2010 in San Francisco, California by Dan Aronson, Jonathan Marlow and Albert Reinhardt.[1] Fandor announced its initial launch in 2011 at SXSW. Leadership has included former Facebook chief privacy officer Chris Kelly,[2] independent film producer and former director of the San Francisco Film Society Ted Hope[3] and Larry Aidem,[4] former Sundance Channel head. In 2018, Fandor announced the layoff of its staff and the sale of its assets to an undisclosed investment firm.[5]
In January 2021, American independent entertainment company Cinedigm announced the acquisition of Fandor, with plans to relaunch the service and the digital editorial publication Keyframe.[6] Cinedigm announced that Fandor would relaunch under the leadership of film producer, film archivist and president of The Film Detective Philip Hopkins.[6] Fandor returned to SXSW, ten years after its initial launch, to announce the return of the service, dedicated to cinephile culture and independent filmmakers.[7]
In October 2021, Fandor launched its revamped independent streaming service, with a focus on independent films, documentaries, international titles and classics.[8]
Services
[edit]Fandor offers over 1,300 independent films from many genres and subgenres ranging from comedy, drama and festival favorites to those of the pre-Code, creature feature and film noir genres.[9]
Fandor is available to stream for free with ads or as a paid premium subscription on the Fandor app, available across web, iOS, Android and Roku. Fandor is also available as an add-on channel on Amazon Prime, available for $3.99 per month following a seven-day free trial. Fandor is also available on Comcast Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex and YouTube TV.[9][10]
Films and episodic titles available on the Fandor service include independent films, festival favorites, documentaries, international films and classics from a variety of time periods, including silent films and modern-day festival films and independent titles.[9]
The Fandor Festival Podcast
[edit]The Fandor Festival Podcast is a podcast dedicated to independent filmmakers, film festivals and the exploration of cinema. It is available through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and across multiple major podcast platforms. The podcast features veteran morning radio personality and producer Hooman Khalili, former Fandor executive Chris Kelly and executive producer Bryn Nguyen.[8]
The podcast releases weekly episodes composed of interviews, such as those with RogerEbert.com CEO Chaz Ebert, Noir Alley host Eddie Muller, Elvira, filmmaker Camille Griffin, University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh and celebrity chef Tyler Florence.[11]
Keyframe
[edit]Keyframe is Fandor's digital publication dedicated to independent and international film. An extension of Fandor's independent film-streaming service, Keyframe publishes film reviews, written interviews, video essays, podcast episodes and other written and video works connected to the art of filmmaking.[8]
Fandor features written and video works from a global community of filmmakers, writers, reviewers, video essayists and cinephiles. Keyframe offers curated recommendations in Weekly Watchlists, covering topics from director George A. Romero to exploitation filmmaking, spaghetti westerns and 1980s slashers.[12]
Fandor Exclusives
[edit]Fandor offers various exclusive content, such as:
| Premiere date | Title | Plot summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1/24/23 | Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater | A young woman moves into a New York City apartment. |
| 2/15/22 | Black Belt: Kuro-Obi | In 1932 Japanese-occupied Manchuria, a deceased karate master's pupils vie for his black belt. |
| 2/11/22 | Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony | A documentary about two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins. |
| 2/1/22 | Maizidian | A documentary that captures the experiences of nine foreign nationals during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. |
| 1/28/22 | Break | A young Japanese-American man enters the Tokyo underworld while trying to fit into Japanese society. |
| 1/21/22 | Way of the Cross | An FBI agent investigates a serial killer who is murdering people according to the Stations of the Cross in the Philippines. |
| 12/1/21 | Distancing Socially | A series of comical vignettes that share a telecommunications application as a common thread. |
| 12/1/21 | Into Schrödinger's Box | A musician must cope with the stress and isolation of quarantine after her husband is infected with COVID-19. |
| 11/26 | A Girl Like Her | A teenage girl resists the relentless harassment that she faces at her high school. |
| 11/19/21 | The River | A documentary about a homeless encampment in Aberdeen, Washington. |
| 10/22/21 | Opeka | An Argentine priest teaches people living in Madagascar's largest landfill to build a city. |
| 9/1/21 | Our Father | A brother and sister seek their uncle who vanished 30 years ago. |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Sengwe, Stephanie (19 January 2021). "Cinedigm Acquires Independent Film Streaming Service Fandor". The Streamable. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (2018-10-17). "Fandor's Chris Kelly Takes CEO Spot, Streamer Taps John Zamoiski as CMO". Variety. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Kilday, Gregg (2014-01-08). "Ted Hope Named CEO of Fandor, Film Streaming Service". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (2015-09-24). "Larry Aidem Joins Fandor as CEO (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Lopez, Matt (2018-12-08). "Fandor Lays Off Entire 40-Person Staff Ahead of Pending Assets Sale". Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ a b Hayes, Dade (2021-01-19). "Cinedigm Acquires Fandor, Will Expand Film Streaming Service With Free Tier". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Fandor Returning to SXSW Online 2021 to Celebrate 10 Years Streaming Independent Cinema – Media Play News". 11 March 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ a b c "Fandor Unveils New Look, User Experience and Podcast". Cord Cutters News. 2021-10-05. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ a b c "The Home for Cinephiles | Fandor". www.fandor.com. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (2021-01-19). "Cinedigm Acquires Fandor, Plans to Reboot Indie-Film Streaming Service". Variety. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Podcasts". Fandor: Keyframe Editorial Hub for Cinephiles. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Home". Fandor: Keyframe Editorial Hub for Cinephiles. Retrieved 2022-02-16.