SPI preps arthouse movie net

Independent Polish distributor-turned-broadcaster SPI International has set an autumn launch date for a new global film channel.

Piotr Borys

Filmbox Arthouse will air independently produced features and arthouse-style films from festivals, and will be available via cable, IPTV, smart TVs and VoD platforms.

SPI, which has offices throughout Europe, currently distributes 36 channels across four continents, including Fightbox, Fashionbox, Filmbox Live and Docubox.

“The new channel is called Arthouse, and is to launch this autumn,” acquisition and programming director Piotr Borys told C21. “It will be very interesting; [arthouse content] is not so accessible right now. We already have some good stuff for this channel.”

Borys also revealed SPI is looking to explore new markets, adding: “With regards to movie channels, we are present mainly in Central and Eastern Europe, but we have plans to expand into Africa and India in the near future.”

Borys was formerly programming director for Tele5 and Polonia1 at Polish pay TV broadcaster Polcast Television but moved to SPI last month. Prior to Polcast, he was deputy director of pubcaster TVP’s programming unit.