San Francisco, Calif. July 8, 2021. Kanopy, a company committed to providing access to high-quality films that inspire, educate and entertain, has partnered with ARRAY Releasing to offer a selection of independent films created by storytellers of color and women of all kinds to academic and public libraries worldwide. Founded by the award-winning writer, producer and director Ava DuVernay, ARRAY Releasing aims to represent varied voices and images in cinema.
According to recent Kanopy surveys, 78% of academic and 88% of public libraries say collection diversity is critical to their streaming video collections, yet 65% and 67% respectively say they are not meeting their users' needs for diverse cinema.
"Over the past decade, ARRAY Releasing has distributed more than 30 films and we are thrilled to partner with Kanopy to bring many of these titles to academic and public libraries around the world," said ARRAY President Tilane Jones. "Inclusive storytelling is at the core of ARRAY Releasing's mission and is vital to ensuring audiences of all backgrounds see themselves represented on the big screen."
The ARRAY Releasing partnership includes the following eight films which are available under a variety of acquisition models. Academic libraries can choose to access through PDA programs and firm orders and public libraries benefit from a cost-effective pay-per-use model. Additional films will be added on a go-forward basis.
- AYANDA: After tragedy strikes, a young woman begins a journey of self-discovery as she struggles to save her father's car repair shop along with her memory of him. Directed by Sara Blecher.
- ECHO PARK: Takes viewers inside a diverse East Los Angeles neighborhood where residents contend with life and love while being challenged to define themselves in spite of their zip code. Directed by Amanda Marsalis.
- HONEYTRAP: Girlhood and gang culture collide as 15-year-old Layla contends with bullying at a new school by transforming herself inside and out. Directed by Rebecca Johnson.
- I WILL FOLLOW: Maye is a success. Hot career. Hot boyfriend. But when her world is turned upside down by tragedy, she must struggle to keep her balance. Directed by Ava DuVernay.
- MIDDLE OF NOWHERE: Written and directed by Ava DuVernay, the film chronicles a woman's separation from her incarcerated husband and the journey to maintain her marriage and her identity amidst crisis and chaos.
- NAMOUR: Chronicling the unraveling of Steven Bassem, a valet driver for a trendy Los Angeles restaurant caught between his dead-end job and the demands of his Arab-American immigrant family. Directed by Heidi Saman.
- OUT OF MY HAND: This film takes viewers inside the humble life of Liberian rubber plantation worker Cisco. Directed by Takeshi Fukunaga.
- VANISHING PEARLS: This film chronicles the untold story of personal and professional devastation in Pointe à la Hache, a close-knit fishing village on the Gulf coast, following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Directed by Nailah Jefferson.
"We're immensely excited to partner with such an incredible distribution partner," said Kanopy CEO Kevin Sayar. "It's our mission to expand access to films that make a difference, which aligns perfectly with ARRAY's goal of amplifying voices and images of women and people of color in film. Kanopy makes an excellent home for ARRAY."
About Kanopy
Kanopy partners with libraries and filmmakers around the globe to give patrons, students and faculty free access to high-quality films that stimulate imagination, promote learning, and spark meaningful conversations. Many of the titles found on Kanopy, including iconic films produced by A24, Criterion Collection, Paramount, PBS and Kino Lorber, are unavailable elsewhere in the library market. Kanopy is used by millions of students and library patrons and is available on all major web, mobile and TV platforms.
About ARRAY
Founded in 2011 by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, ARRAY is a multi-platform arts and social impact collective dedicated to narrative change. The organization catalyzes its work through a quartet of mission-driven entities: the film distribution arm ARRAY Releasing, the content company ARRAY Filmworks, the programming and production hub ARRAY Creative Campus and the non-profit group ARRAY Alliance. www.arraynow.com
