A24 has added their movie library to Kanopy, a free streaming service. Founded in 2012, the independent studio quickly became a favorite amongst cinephiles by releasing a string of critically acclaimed projects that made a splash at the box office (relatively speaking, of course, considering the scope/budgets of the films) and the awards circuit. Their most notable offerings include the likes of Best Picture winner Moonlight, sci-fi drama Ex Machina, and Lady Bird - their biggest commercial hit that earned five Oscar nominations last year.

Film buffs that follow the ins and outs of the industry on a daily basis might be well-versed with A24's catalog, but the same can't be said for more casual moviegoers. As one might expect, A24 releases typically play in a limited number of locations and have trouble standing out in an ever-growing crowd of Hollywood tentpoles. In order to combat that and help their titles gain more exposure, the studio has taken advantage of a great platform.

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On Kanopy's official website, there's an entire section dedicated to A24's works. There are 72 videos in total, divided into several different categories. Interested viewers can browse the selection by genre or single out the studio's Oscar-nominated movies. Only movies that are out on home media are included.

Moonlight poster (cropped)

It's true that A24's films are available on other services, like iTunes and Netflix, but Kanopy being free gives it a clear advantage over the competition. All one needs to watch any movie they want on-demand is sign up with their library card information. Kanopy also has a free mobile app available for download, meaning interested parties can stream the films on their device of choice. This is a smart and effective way to get A24's filmography out to the general public, giving people easy access to buzzed-about projects. It'll be interesting to see how many take advantage of this offer, and if it encourages other studios to do something similar for their own limited release titles. It's well-known that not every awards hopeful can readily be seen at any time, and with streaming becoming more prevalent, companies would be wise to explore options.

In contrast to last year, when Lady Bird was one of the biggest Oscar contenders, none of A24's 2018 films are considered a realistic threat for the top prizes. That said, there are those looking to make a name for themselves. Paul Schrader's drama First Reformed picked up multiple key nominations at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and Gotham Awards, with more possibly on the way later in the season. Fortunately, First Reformed is one of the titles available to stream, so if it starts to gain traction with the Oscars, cinephiles can quickly find it online.

Source: Kanopy