David Farnor | On 16, Aug 2013

The British Film Institute and Samsung have teamed up to launch a new Smart TV app.

The app, which is part of the BFI’s digital initiative, will feature footage from the BFI’s vast collection of archived content – offering people around the country a new, easy way to access rare Edwardian films unseen for over a century.

The British Film Institute announced their ambitious plans for digital earlier this year, planning to digitise 10,000 films and make them available via the BFI Player, their new video on-demand service. Now, with Samsung, they’re taking a step towards achieving that goal.

The app includes seven channels and showcases content from film features and shorts, interviews, documentaries and, excitingly, will feature content from the BFI London Film Festival.

Archive footage and rare films are also on the new app, including films from the Mitchell and Kenyon collection. These extraordinary films give viewers a snapshot of British Edwardian life from holiday makers strolling along Blackpool’s Victoria Pier (1904) to a Punch and Judy show in Halifax (1901) providing Samsung Smart TV viewers with a truly unique and inspiring film experience.

The seven channels are: Highlights (including Ridley Scott and Joss Whedon in conversation); Films of the week (including Martin Scorsese’s episode of Century of Cinema for August); Treasures from the Archive (the UK’s National Collection on film curated by the experts at the BFI National Archive, including an early Audrey Hepburn screen test); Beginnings (early short films by now-famous filmmakers including Shane Meadows, Derek Jarman and Ken Russell); BFI London Film Festival (returning in October for 12 days of amazing films, film talent, red carpets and glittering parties); In Conversation (interviews and on stage events from the BFI’s year round programme including Danny
Boyle and Marion Cotillard); and Insights (compelling documentaries from the BFI with extraordinary access to legendary film icons like Tippi Hedren and Kim Novak).

Guy Kinnell, Head of TV and AV, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said at the launch : “Guy Kinnell, Head of TV and AV, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said: “Our partnership with the BFI is testament to our commitment to make great film and content even more accessible to the British public. With the largest Smart TV install base in the country coupled with award winning picture quality and industry-leading design, the launch of the BFI App onto Samsung Smart TV brings this celebrated archived film content to life.”

BFI’s Digital Director Edward Humphrey welcomed the Samsung development: “It’s thrilling to take the riches of film culture and especially British film into so many homes with Samsung. This new app gets Samsung’s customers closer to the BFI’s rich and varied world of film. It’s a key step in realising the BFI’s ambitions for a wider suite of on-demand services, connecting audiences with our amazing content, no matter where they live
in the UK which will continue to be brought to life in the coming months.”

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