Lukas Dhont’s ‘Girl’ will screen on SBS World Movies. (Photo: Kris Dewhitte)
SBS will launch a new channel dedicated to international cinema in July.
Known as SBS World Movies, the 24-hour channel will be free-to-air, in HD and at least half of all titles will be in a language other than English. It will broadcast more than 700 films each year, including recent films such as Amanda (France), The 12th Man (Norway), Just A Breath Away (France), Ash is the Purest White (China), Aligarth (India), Girl (Belgium) and Killing of a Sacred Deer (UK), with more titles to be announced soon.
SBS managing director James Taylor said: “Movies provide people with the opportunity to escape to worlds outside of our own, with stories that entertain and inspire us, make us think, laugh and even cry. International cinema does this in a truly unique way, and has been an important part of SBS’s offering for decades, giving Australians the opportunity to delve into cultures through cinematic masterpieces captivating audiences around the world.
“People come to SBS for content they don’t find anywhere else. SBS World Movies has a proud tradition of showcasing the best international films, reflecting the diversity of global cinema, and we’re excited to further evolve this offering and make it available to all Australians for free this July.”
SBS World Movies will also feature curated seasons of special programming to mark cultural events, festivals and celebrations such as Diwali, Lunar New Year, International Women’s Day and Mardi Gras.
Each week, the schedule will feature a Women in Film double-bill of female filmmakers and lead actors, as well as Festival Favourites and Emerging Territories, showcasing films from far-flung locations.
SBS World Movies will broadcast in HD on channel 32 alongside SBS’s existing channels, SBS, SBS VICELAND, SBS Food and NITV. SBS World Movies will be SBS’s third HD channel, and it will launch July 1.