Canada launches new documentary multiplatform initiative

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is behind an initiative to launch a new international multiplatform destination for documentaries, featuring curated content and interactive elements.

The launch, planned for 2014, will take place initially in North America and Europe, World Screen reports. The destination would span across the web, connected TV and mobile devices. It would allow audiences to have access to documentary creators and subjects. The service would be subscription based and would be bilingual and eventually multilingual.

“As one of the most important world centers for documentary, we have a responsibility to audiences here and around the world, and to the documentary community, to respond to those needs,” said Tom Perlmutter, the government film commissioner and chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada.

“We are convinced that this new service will be an enormous boon to the global documentary community. It will build audiences, enable documentary creators and filmmakers to be connected more directly and almost instantaneously with their audiences, and serve as a commissioner of original documentary programming,” concluded Perlmutter.