World Cinema On DVD
Foreign language films that are particularly successful in international markets may be taken on by the large film distribution companies for DVD releases. At the other end of the scale, many foreign language films are never given a DVD release outside of their home markets. The majority of those DVDs that are given an international release, come out on specialist labels. These labels include:
- Arrow Films (UK) - Label specialising in foreign language and cult English language films
- Artificial Eye (USA and UK)
- Axiom Films (UK)
- British Film Institute (UK)
- Contender Entertainment Group - Label distributing East Asian films. They bought out Medusa Communications in 2005, and own the sub-labels Hong Kong Legends (specialising in films from Hong Kong) and Premier Asia (specialising in films from the rest of East Asia, particularly Japan, South Korea and Thailand). CEG bought out the label.
- The Criterion Collection (USA)
- Dragon Dynasty (USA) - Label specialising in films from East Asia.
- Eastern Eye (Australia)
- Facets Multimedia (USA)
- Film Movement (USA)
- Fortissimo Films (Netherlands / international)
- ImaginAsian Pictures (USA)
- Janus Films (USA)
- Kino International (USA) - Label distributing foreign language, arthouse and silent films.
- Manga Entertainment (USA and UK) - Label specialising in anime.
- Masters of Cinema (UK)
- Mongrel Media (Canada)
- Optimum Releasing (UK) - Distributor of foreign and English language films in the UK. East Asian films released through their Optimum Asia sub-label.
- Palador Pictures (India) - Distributors of highly awarded foreign language films from across the world.
- Palisades Tartan (USA and UK) - Palisades bought out the back catalogue of Tartan Films when they folded.
- Soda Pictures (UK)
- Studio Canal (France)
- Tartan Films (USA and UK) - Label distributing a variety of foreign and English language films, though primarily East Asian films. The company consists of Tartan Video in the UK and Tartan Films USA, as well as the Tartan Asia Extreme and Tartan Terror horror labels. The company folded in 2008 and were taken over by Palisades.
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Famous quotes containing the words world and/or cinema:
“That the world can be improved and yet must be celebrated as it is are contradictions. The beginning of maturity may be the recognition that both are true.”
—William Stott (b. 1940)
“Compare ... the cinema with theatre. Both are dramatic arts. Theatre brings actors before a public and every night during the season they re-enact the same drama. Deep in the nature of theatre is a sense of ritual. The cinema, by contrast, transports its audience individually, singly, out of the theatre towards the unknown.”
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