SPI International’s Filmstream launches on Freeview in UK

SPI International, the Canal+ owned channel operator and streamer distributor, is debuting its channel Filmstream on digital-terrestrial platform Freeview UK.

Source: SPI International

Filmstream will showcase classic and contemporary film titles that have featured at international film festivals and won prestigious awards such as the Oscars, Cannes’ Palme d’Or,  Venice’s Golden Lion, and Berlinale’s Golden Bear.

Among the collection of films are Farewell to Arms, Charade, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Ambassador to Bern, and That Trip We Took with Dad.

SPI’s Filmstream is the second channel from Canal+ to launch on Freeview in the UK, after African-based drama channel ROK launched on the platform in 2022.

Filmstream will be available on channel 269 via Freeview.

“We are excited to introduce Filmstream to Freeview users, providing an unparalleled entertainment experience to 15 million households with our curated selection of films. This partnership, facilitated by Global Distribution Services with Axiom managing advertising sales, marks a significant milestone in our mission to expand our global footprint and provide premium, exclusive content across a variety of platforms,” said Georgina Twiss, MD Western Europe and Africa at SPI International.

Freeview is the UK’s biggest TV platform and is operationally managed by Everyone TV, its three shareholders common are public broadcasters BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. Whilst, UK pay TV provider Sky is a shareholder in Freeview and Paramount’s Channel 5 is a shareholder in Everyone TV.

According to company, Freeview reaches over 16 million homes. The connected TV service, Freeview Play, offers over 60,000 hours of on-demand content and more than 1,500 boxsets alongside over 70 live channels, said Freeview.

The platform is host to12 on-demand players, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, UKTV Play, Watch Free UK, PBS America, Great! player, S4C Clic, STV Player, POP Player and BBC Sounds.