BitTorrent Bundle and indie distributor FilmBuff are teaming up to release 16 award-winning documentaries.
The films have been split into four thematic collections: Sonic Journeys, Arcade Stories, Digital Revolution and American Roots. Each bundle will cost $15 and contain four HD feature-length documentaries that can be downloaded or streamed instantly.
The BitTorrent Bundle project was created to allow artists to use the popular peer-to-peer file sharing protocol — most often associated with illegal downloading — to distribute content directly to fans. The platform has been used by a number of high-profile documentaries, including Academy Award nominee The Act of Killing and most recently Sony Pictures Classics’ Red Army, to distribute free bonus content like behind-the-scenes videos and exclusive photos. Tuesday’s release of the FilmBuff collection marks the first time feature-length films have been made available for purchase from BitTorrent Bundle.
According to director Doug Hamilton, whose Broadway Idiot is part of the Sonic Journeys collection, the ability to sell films through BitTorrent is a win-win for filmmakers.
“More options for filmmakers, more ways to help them profit from their projects, leads to better content,” says Hamilton. “This isn’t just for the sake of filmmakers. It’s for the sake of everyone who wants to see better films.”
The FilmBuff Documentary Collection is available for purchase now.
