Netflix is opening a new window onto Filmin’s film and documentary catalog through a collaboration launching for members in Spain on Thursday.
The arrangement will bring a Filmin-curated selection to a dedicated section of Netflix each month. The debut collection, titled “October Mysteries,” has been programmed for the Halloween season and includes David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds (Los sudarios) and Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ Late Night with the Devil (De noche con el diablo).
Under the agreement, 10 titles licensed from Filmin and chosen by its editorial team will be added to Netflix on the first day of each month. Each collection will remain available for two months, with the previous month’s lineup continuing to stream alongside the newly added selection during its second month.
Seasonal collections will shape the lineup
The monthly themes are expected to change with the calendar. In addition to the first collection’s Halloween-focused mystery programming, the companies cited award-winning movies timed around the Academy Awards as another example of how future selections could be organized.
“This agreement gives titles already beloved on Filmin the chance to reach a wider audience, with monthly themes changing with the seasons, such as mystery for Halloween, or award-winning films around the Academy Awards,” the partners said.
Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.
The deal brings together Netflix’s broad membership in Spain and Filmin’s editorial approach to film and documentary programming. Filmin, which is based in Barcelona, operates as a subscription streaming service with monthly and annual plans and is known for its selection of independent films.
Diego Ávalos, Netflix’s vice president of content for Spain, Portugal and Turkey, said the partnership builds on the different audiences and strengths of the two streaming services.
“We deeply admire Filmin’s commitment to film and documentaries,” Ávalos said. “They’ve built a very close relationship with a discerning, specialized audience, while at Netflix we work every day with the focus of entertaining the world’s largest and most diverse audience.”
He added: “That combination makes us perfect partners: together we can offer our audience even more films and documentaries to enjoy, handpicked by Filmin’s editorial team.”
For Filmin, the collaboration provides an opportunity to place its selections before a wider audience without giving up the editorial curation behind the monthly collections.
“The fact that the world’s largest streaming service has taken notice of us represents enormous recognition of the nearly 20 years of work and love for cinema behind our project,” said Juan Carlos Tous, Filmin’s CEO and founder.
“Our goal is to bring the cinema we’re passionate about to the widest possible audience, and this alliance with Netflix gives us a unique opportunity to achieve that,” Tous continued.
What Happens Next?
Netflix members in Spain will be able to find “October Mysteries” in its own section beginning Thursday. After that debut, a fresh Filmin-curated package of 10 films and documentaries is scheduled to arrive on the first day of each month, while the preceding collection remains available for one additional month.