Film Movement Plus

Overview

Film Movement Plus is a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service operated by Film Movement, the New York-based independent distributor of arthouse and world cinema. The service launched on October 1, 2018, initially offering 250 festival films and 100 short films for $7.99 per month. It became available as a Prime Video Channel on December 15, 2023, and has since expanded its distribution footprint to Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS, Android, Chromecast, and most Samsung Smart TVs. Current pricing is $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. The catalog has grown to over 300 feature films, with new titles added weekly.

The platform carries the same curatorial identity as Film Movement's theatrical and home entertainment releases: director-driven international fiction, documentary, and arthouse cinema from filmmakers across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Film Movement Plus is not a separate acquisition entity. It is the digital extension of Film Movement's distribution brand, meaning films that Film Movement distributes theatrically and on home entertainment typically appear on Film Movement Plus following their theatrical and digital transactional windows.

Platform Availability and Pricing

Film Movement Plus is available through two access points: direct subscription at filmmovementplus.com and as an add-on channel through Amazon Prime Video. Both paths provide the same catalog and pricing. The $5.99 monthly rate represents a price reduction from the original $7.99 launch price, part of a strategy to increase subscriber volume through the Prime Video Channels integration. An annual subscription at $59.99 offers a 16% discount versus the monthly rate. A limited-time promo code (PLUS30) provides 30% off the first year for new subscribers.

The platform's availability across major connected TV platforms (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, Samsung Smart TVs) and mobile devices (iOS, Android, Chromecast) gives it broader reach than boutique streaming services that operate only through web browsers. The Prime Video Channels integration is particularly significant: subscribers who already have Amazon Prime can add Film Movement Plus as an add-on channel without creating a separate account or payment method, reducing friction for acquisition.

Catalog and Content Strategy

The Film Movement Plus catalog draws from two sources: new acquisitions distributed by Film Movement that transition to the platform after theatrical and transactional digital windows, and library titles from Film Movement's 20+ year catalog of international arthouse cinema. The platform currently offers over 300 feature films, with new premieres added weekly.

Catalog highlights include festival winners from Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Locarno, Sundance, and SXSW. Notable library titles include Sergio Corbucci's 1968 Spaghetti Western The Great Silence and Marleen Gorris's Oscar-winning Antonia's Line. The platform also hosts annual festival programming, including My French Film Festival (running its seventh year on Film Movement Plus in January 2025), which showcases new French-language filmmakers in competition.

Recent North American exclusive premieres on the platform include Under the Open Sky (Japanese drama from director Miwa Nishikawa starring Koji Yakusho), Life as a B-Movie: Piero Vivarelli (documentary), and regular monthly slate additions of 10 to 14 new films. The platform added 32 films in a single December batch, demonstrating the scale of catalog refresh cycles.

Relationship to Film Movement Distribution

Film Movement Plus is accessed through a Film Movement distribution deal, not through a separate submission process. Filmmakers seeking placement on the platform should approach Film Movement's acquisitions team about distribution, not the streaming platform directly. A Film Movement distribution deal typically includes a Film Movement Plus streaming window as part of the rights package, meaning the platform provides a guaranteed digital destination for acquisitions.

This integration is a meaningful differentiator from distributors without owned streaming infrastructure. For filmmakers whose films have limited commercial ceiling but strong critical credentials, the guaranteed Film Movement Plus window provides ongoing audience access that might not be available through licensing to general-purpose platforms. The platform's audience of paying arthouse subscribers represents a more targeted viewer base than AVOD or FAST channels.

Competitive Landscape

Film Movement Plus occupies a niche alongside MUBI, the Criterion Channel, and Fandor in the curated arthouse streaming market. These platforms serve audiences who specifically seek world cinema and director-driven films, rather than the general streaming audience served by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+. Placement on curated arthouse platforms carries different signal value than placement on general-purpose platforms: the audience is smaller but more engaged with the specific type of cinema Film Movement distributes.

For filmmakers evaluating streaming destinations, the key comparison points are: MUBI (curated, rotating selection, global), Criterion Channel (library-focused, US-only, deep catalog of established classics), and Film Movement Plus (festival-focused, US-only, growing catalog of contemporary international cinema). Each platform has different acquisition pathways and deal structures.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Film Movement Plus is not a direct submission platform. Access requires a distribution deal with Film Movement. The platform's value to filmmakers is that it provides a known streaming destination as part of a broader distribution arrangement that includes theatrical, home entertainment, and digital transactional windows.

The platform's subscriber base is not publicly disclosed, but its pricing ($5.99/month) and Prime Video Channels integration position it in the affordable niche streaming tier. Revenue for filmmakers flows through Film Movement's overall deal structure, with the streaming window contributing to the revenue mix alongside theatrical and transactional digital. Filmmakers should ask Film Movement about the specific revenue share or licensing terms for the Film Movement Plus window during deal negotiations.

Example Titles They've Released

The Film Movement Plus catalog of over 300 feature films draws from Film Movement's 20+ year distribution history and new acquisitions. Notable titles include Mother, Couch (2024, starring Ewan McGregor, Taylor Schilling, and Ellen Burstyn), Farewell My Concubine (1993, 30th anniversary 4K restoration), The Great Silence (1968, Sergio Corbucci Spaghetti Western), Antonia's Line (1995, Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, Marleen Gorris), Under the Open Sky (dir. Miwa Nishikawa, starring Koji Yakusho), and Life as a B-Movie: Piero Vivarelli (documentary). The platform hosts annual festival programming including My French Film Festival (running its seventh year on Film Movement Plus in January 2025), showcasing new French-language filmmakers in competition. Recent monthly slate additions typically include 10 to 14 new films, with 32 films added in a single December batch.

Deal Structure Reputation

Film Movement Plus is not a separate acquisition entity; it is the digital extension of Film Movement's distribution brand. Films that Film Movement distributes theatrically and on home entertainment typically appear on Film Movement Plus following their theatrical and digital transactional windows. A Film Movement distribution deal typically includes a Film Movement Plus streaming window as part of the rights package, meaning the platform provides a guaranteed digital destination for acquisitions. This integration is a meaningful differentiator from distributors without owned streaming infrastructure. For filmmakers whose films have limited commercial ceiling but strong critical credentials, the guaranteed Film Movement Plus window provides ongoing audience access that might not be available through licensing to general-purpose platforms. Revenue for filmmakers flows through Film Movement's overall deal structure, with the streaming window contributing to the revenue mix alongside theatrical and transactional digital.

Typical Acquisition Profile

Film Movement Plus is not a direct submission platform. Access requires a distribution deal with Film Movement, which the filmmaker should approach about distribution, not the streaming platform directly. Film Movement acquires arthouse and world cinema from filmmakers across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, typically through festival premieres and sales agent representation at major markets. The platform's subscriber base is not publicly disclosed, but its pricing ($5.99/month or $59.99/year) and Prime Video Channels integration position it in the affordable niche streaming tier alongside MUBI, the Criterion Channel, and Fandor. The platform is available on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS, Android, Chromecast, and most Samsung Smart TVs. A limited-time promo code (PLUS30) provides 30% off the first year for new subscribers.

Watch: Trailers and Interviews

See Also

For the Film Movement theatrical and home entertainment distribution operation, see the Film Movement entry in this directory. For how curated streaming platforms serve arthouse audiences alongside MUBI and Criterion Channel, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue. To model revenue from a distribution deal that includes a streaming window, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.