World Movies

World Movies
Launched	October, 1995
Owned by	Special Broadcasting Service
Picture format	576i (SDTV)
Country	Australia
Language	various
Broadcast area	National
Website	[1]
Availability
Satellite
Foxtel	Channel 430
Austar	Channel 430
Cable
Foxtel	Channel 430
Optus TV	Channel 430

World Movies is an Australian subscription television channel dedicated to foreign films, available on Foxtel, Optus TV and Austar. The channel features foreign film, documentaries, independent cinema, and interviews with international movie stars.

The channel began broadcasting in October 1995, coinciding with the launch of Foxtel. It launched on Optus TV in May 1998. ^[1] In October 2009, free-to-air broadcaster SBS announced it’s intention to buy out the shares of the company’s stockholders, giving it whole ownership of the channel.^[2]

World Movies is owned and operated by SBS Subscription TV, a subsidiary of the free-to-air broadcaster SBS. The two have a close working relationship, with films premiering on World Movies 12 months before becoming available on SBS.

In August 2011, World Movies launched a new look, new logo and tagline, Be Moved. It also introduced more simple monthly themes, making it easier for viewers to find their genres of choice.^[3]

Programming

World Movies broadcasts foreign films spoken in over 200 languages and covers all genres of film, including action, adult, vintage foreign film, as well as independent cinema. Notable films have included:

• Amelie (France) - a romantic comedy starring Audrey Tautou
• Volver (Spain) - a Spanish comedy by Pedro Almodóvar
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (China) - action film directed by Ang Lee
• Life Is Beautiful (Italy) - Academy-Award winning drama starring Roberto Benigni
• City Of God (Brazil) - Brazilian drama set in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro
• Breathless (À bout de soufflé) (France) - Jean Luc-Godard's 1960 classic
• Let The Right One In (Sweden) - a Vampire drama set in Sweden

World Movies also reports from international film festivals and broadcasts footage on the ground at events such as Sundance, Cannes and Venice. The channel also broadcasts documentaries and interviews with high-profile members of the foreign film community. Past interviews have included German Director Wim Wenders, Spanish actress Paz Vega, and French star Clotilde Hesme.

25 Films You Must See

The channel also specialises in curated seasons of essential foreign film viewing. Previous examples have included:

25 Films You Must See Before You Die included:

1. Metropolis - Germany (1927)
2. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Spain (1988)
3. City of God - Brazil (2002)

25 Docs You Must See Before You Die: included:

1. Dont Look Back (1967)
2. The Last Waltz (1978)
3. Spellbound (2002)

25 Filmmakers You Must See Before You Die included:

1. Wim Wenders: Wings of Desire
2. Guillermo del Toro: The Devil's Backbone
3. Akira Kurosawa: Yojimbo

Community Involvement

World Movies aims to promote the importance of foreign film in Australia through partnerships and events. The channel works closely with local foreign film festivals, including the Italian Film Festival, French Film Festival and German Film Festival.

In September 2011, World Movies launched a free foreign marathon event at Palace Verona Cinema in Sydney. The event invited guests to attend a marathon of free foreign films at the cinema including the French comedy Amelie.

External links

• Official Site
• SBS

References

1. ^ "Optus undercuts rival in Australia pay TV". Reuters News. 30 April 1998. 
2. ^ Knox, David (19 October 2009). "SBS more than a flash in PAN TV". http://tvtonight.com.au/2009/10/sbs-more-than-a-flash-in-pan-tv.html. Retrieved 20 December 2009. 
3. ^ http://worldmovies.com.au/blog/meet-the-new-face-of-world-movies/