Lionsgate and Tribeca are teaming up to launch a subscription VOD service in 2015.

The partnership between the distributor and Tribeca Enterprises, which owns and operates the Tribeca Film Festival, is a response to the “growing online audience” for premium content.

The service, called Tribeca Short List, will encompass a selection of Lionsgate and Tribeca titles, as well as critically-acclaimed films drawn from around the world. The films will be curated by Tribeca and leading voices in contemporary culture and refreshed on a weekly basis.

“The launch of the Tribeca Short List service unites two powerful brands and underscores our commitment to collaborate with blue-chip partners around the world to deliver premium content to online audiences,” said Lionsgate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer. “The Tribeca name resonates with movie aficionados everywhere, and our service will encompass a highly curated, diverse and prestigious portfolio of quality films.”

The new service will be based in New York and appears to be only available to US viewers, but underscores the industry’s focus on online video. Indeed, Lionsgate has just backed a feature-length project from one of YouTube’s more popular channels.

As the sector becomes increasingly fragmented, with more services launching on a regular basis, the unveiling of Tribeca Short List also highlights how important it is to differentiate a VOD brand from the crowd.

Jane Rosenthal, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, says the plan is to “disrupt the ‘more-is-more’ model in today’s streaming on-demand landscape”.

“Tribeca Short List aims to be a service where you can see films you never got to watch, forgot to watch, and want to watch,” she adds.

In the UK, a similar approach has seen arthouse SVOD platform build a significant audience. Can Tribeca and Lionsgate emulate its success? And, if so, will it expand into international waters?

The service is set to launch in the first half of next year.

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