Curzon Home Cinema is a
video-on-demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of ...
streaming service available in the UK and Ireland where movies are available to rent on a 'pay per watch' basis. It is part of the Curzon World group which has roots going back to 1934.
Films on this service are managed by the
Curzon Cinemas
Curzon Cinemas () are a chain of cinemas based in the United Kingdom, mostly in London, specialising in art house films. They also have a video on demand service, Curzon Home Cinema.
History
Curzon Cinemas were established in 1934 when Harold ...
team, focusing on independent,
art-house and foreign-language titles. Initially launched as Curzon on Demand in 2010, and rebranded in 2013, it was the first service in the UK to show selected new cinema releases at home (Premium Video On Demand), the same date they were available to watch in cinemas ("day-and-date"). UK
film distributor Curzon Artificial Eye
Curzon Film (), formerly known as Artificial Eye or Curzon Artificial Eye, is a British film distributor, specialising in independent, foreign-language and art house films for cinema and home entertainment.
History
Artificial Eye was founded i ...
, founded in 1976, is also part of the same
business, providing day-and-date releases to the platform, as well as a catalogue of classic titles, including a significant number of Cannes Film Festival
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
winners. In 2015 more than 60 European films were given day-and-date releases, including Curzon's release of Andrew Haigh's
45 Years
''45 Years'' is a 2015 British romantic drama film directed and written by Andrew Haigh. The film is based on the short story "In Another Country" by David Constantine. The film premiered in the main competition section of the 65th Berlin ...
, the first such UK title to make over £1 million at the box office.
In November 2016, Curzon Home Cinema won 'OTT TV Initiative of the Year' at the second annual Content Innovation Awards. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (
BAFTA) presented the Curzon group, which includes Curzon Home Cinema, with the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award at the EE British Academy Film Awards in February 2017.
From 2017 to 2021, Curzon offered an
SVOD streaming service called Curzon12 where Curzon cinemas members could stream 12 curated films a month for free with their membership on Curzon Home Cinema, whose library featured classics and award winners from filmmakers such as
François Truffaut and
Andrea Arnold.
On 23 December 2019, Curzon Home Cinema, along with Artificial Eye and Curzon Cinemas, was acquired by American film distributor
Cohen Media Group
Charles S. Cohen (born February 8, 1952) is an American real estate developer and film distributor.
Early life and education
Cohen was raised in a Jewish family in Harrison, New York. He is the son of Gloria and Sherman Cohen and nephew to Eddi ...
.
In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Curzon's streaming platform allowed viewers to continue to enjoy new releases, Zoom Q&As with filmmakers and other digital content when cinemas were closed.
In 2021, the company launched a new Curzon Home Cinema website with updated apps and the capacity to download films to watch offline. Curzon rolled out a new membership package to customers, giving them 'credits' that can be redeemed as cinema tickets and films streamed online.
Curzon Home Cinema also features live Q&As across the service in the form of moderated conversations with acclaimed filmmakers (including Mike Leigh, Joanna Hogg and Werner Herzog) and actors (such as Elisabeth Moss, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jesse Eisenberg). Curzon Home Cinema has worked in digital partnership with a number of film festivals, streaming an online programme of movies for
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is a film festival that runs for two weeks in June each year. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all ti ...
(EIFF) and
Raindance among others, as well as broadcasting the
European Film Awards
The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the mo ...
. The Curzon Cinemas team curates weekly collections for the site that comprise a selection of thematically linked films such as biopics, romances or war movies.
Devices and Platforms
Curzon Home Cinema is available to customers through TV and mobile apps and OTT (
Over-the-top Content) platforms, with reach into 6.5 million homes, including mobile apps.
Curzon Home Cinema is available with these partners and devices:
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iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
app
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Apple TV
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Android app
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Android TV
Android TV is a smart TV operating system based on Android and developed by Google for television sets, digital media players, set-top boxes, and soundbars. A successor to Google TV, it features a user interface designed around content discovery ...
*
Chromecast
Chromecast is a line of digital media players developed by Google. The devices, designed as small dongles, can play Internet-streamed audio-visual content on a high-definition television or home audio system. The user can control playback with ...
*
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire TV (stylized as amazon fireTV) is a line of digital media players and microconsoles developed by Amazon. The devices are small network appliances that deliver digital audio and video content streamed via the Internet to a connecte ...
*
Curzon Home Cinema Website'
References
{{reflist
External links
Official WebsiteCurzon.com Website
Subscription video on demand services