Corus Entertainment and Rainbow Media today announced that they have finalized a licensing agreement that will enable Corus to add Sundance Channel to its portfolio of Canadian specialty services. Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel features a broad range of programming, from niche, genre-focused cinema to socially provocative films, documentaries and original series. Sundance Channel will launch on Monday, March 1, 2010.
“Sundance Channel is a unique movies and lifestyle channel that will provide a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries and original programs that are typically not offered by other services in Canada,” said John Cassaday, President and CEO, Corus Entertainment. “Corus is proud of the opportunity to launch this world-renowned brand in Canada and enhance the quality and breadth of programming for our audiences.”
Films on the network will include titles such as the 1984 John Sayles’ urban fantasy comedy/sci-fi gem The Brother from Another Planet, Dae-wung Lim’s horror picture Bloody Reunion and the American Film Theatre’s film adaptations of stage plays such as The Iceman Cometh starring Jeff Bridges. Documentaries include Errol Morris’ off-centre look at pet cemeteries in the acclaimed 1978 Gates of Heaven, Rupert Murray’s exploration of the ocean crisis in The End of the Line and an entertaining look at a rapidly expanding musical subculture in Nerdcore Rising.
Original series will include Isabella Rossellini’s critically acclaimed Green Porno, which takes a scientifically accurate yet extremely entertaining look at the reproductive habits of marine animals and other creatures; and The Lazy Environmentalist, which makes the case that helping the planet doesn’t have to be hard.
Sundance Channel is available in Canada based on a licence agreement with Rainbow Media.