USA-launched and internationally renowned leader in gay and lesbian cinema, TLA Releasing, adds its wealth of movies to TV Polari – the first, UK-launched and globally broadcast, lifestyle IPTV channel for a gay and lesbian audience.
Broadcasting online and via IP set-top box services on the Global Digital Broadcast (GDBTV) platform since 2007, TV Polari promotes national and international publicity for the gay community. TLA Releasing joins a number of other high profile production houses such as Top Gayer and the PLANitGAY travel channel on the platform; along with many independents.
TLA Releasing set up its London-based branch in 2006, which is dedicated to spotlighting quality gay, lesbian and international cinema throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. From wry comedies to stirring independent visions, TLA’s award winning and critically acclaimed modern gay classics have screened at a wide range of festivals around the world and include: ‘Boy Culture’ (winning sixteen awards and screening at three film festivals); ‘Another Gay Movie’ (screening at seven film festivals); ‘Amnesia’ (screening at three film festivals); and ‘Bangkok Love Story’ (winning the 2007 Grand Prix awards for all categories at the 34th Brussels International Independent Film Festival and screening at seven other festivals). Also known to often feature cameos from celebrities, TLA movies have seen guest appearances from RuPaul, Graham Norton, Perez Hilton and Brent Corrigan, to name but a few.
TLA movies, as a starring sub-channel on TV Polari, will all be pay-per-view and new releases will be added on a continual basis, including upcoming titles such as hit gay musical, ‘Were the World Mine’ (an adolescent love story which incorporates the tale Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’); raucous Spanish comedy ‘Chef’s Special’ (which won the Audience Award for Best Film at the 2009 San Diego Latino Film Festival and screened at nine more festivals); and hot new Brit flick, ‘Shank’; in addition to many more.
Adam Silver, operations manager at TLA Releasing, comments: “TV Polari presents the perfect opportunity for us to become part of this ever-evolving marketplace. In addition to TV Polari being a great fit for TLA’s extensive catalogue, the TLA Movie Channel will offer consumers another exciting avenue through which to view our films. We have no doubt the relationship between TLA and TV Polari will be of significant benefit to the greater queer audience.”
Lancelot Fougere, channel director for TV Polari, adds: “We have always aspired to build a fabulous film channel on TV Polari and TLA Releasing is simply the best. TLA has both quantity and quality, across all genres and we are over the moon to have them on board. I believe TLA and TV Polari are a match made in movie heaven and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”
TV Polari and its sub-channels are available to view globally online via TV Polari’s own website and GDBTV’s Go UK TV portal; and on the Something TV set-top box to television service in the UK.