Independent films may not get massive releases, but they find interested viewers who appreciate their casting and storytelling choices that deviate from the formulaic methods of mainstream cinema. A few decades ago, one would have to rely primarily on film festivals to find indie work and new artists. Today, however, it is much easier to find good indie films online. One can choose from various sites and apps that continually offer independent films.
1. OVID.tv
Launched in 2019, OVID.tv is a streaming service dedicated to showcasing the work of independent filmmakers. In the initial period following its establishment, it offered users just 350 titles, most of them being non-fiction. As audiences for alternative cinema grew, so did the scope of this platform. Today, one can find more than 2,200 titles on the site, which itself is a diverse collection consisting of documentaries, unheard-of sports films, movies about jazz music, period dramas, and narrative films from national and international makers. One can subscribe to OVID.tv at $6.99 monthly or a discounted rate of $69.99 for a year. OVID.tv also comes with a seven-day free trial for those who want to explore what the streaming platform has to offer before committing to an annual or monthly payment plan. A few titles one can explore on the platform include Tongues Untied, The Pleasures of Being Out of Step: Notes on the Life of Nat Hentoff, Stations of the Elevated, and Sherman’s March.
2. Mubi
This platform caters to users looking for niche films that have won awards at major festivals. It is one of the top streaming services for independent movies, as it updates its library with lesser-known art films that break the norm in terms of storytelling and/or acting. In addition to offering users access to its streaming catalog, Mubi is also a social platform for an active online community that is passionate about cinema. This feature allows users to share their views regarding a film they watched on the platform and recommend titles to other users.
Mubi also offers a free seven-day trial, after which one can opt for subscription plans that cost $14.99/month or $119.88/year. Some of Mubi’s well-known titles include Hara-Kiri: Death Of A Samurai, An Urban Allegory, and The Girl With The Needle.
3. Shudder
Many fans of indie films consider horror films from the independent world some of the most unsettling pieces of cinema. For fans of such content, Shudder might be the right destination. This platform features horror, suspense, and thriller films and TV series with underground, provocative, and/or niche themes. Here, one can also find a collection of popular Hollywood thrillers, cult classics, as well as critically-acclaimed new releases. To get started on the platform, one can choose from titles such as A Woman’s Touch, Nordic Night, Weird Science, Eco-Terror, and Animal Attacks.
A monthly Shudder subscription costs $6.99, and an annual membership is priced at $71.88. That said, one can always start with the week-long free trial before they sign up for the paid plans.
4. Magnolia Selects
This site is known for its wide variety of independent, foreign, and documentary films. At a monthly subscription of $4.99 or an annual membership of $49.99, one can access the complete Magnolia Selects catalog, which consists of indie films from all genres, including sci-fi, romance, and documentaries that explore complex social and cultural issues. The platform also hosts TV series. Here, too, one can start with a one-week free trial before opting for a paid plan.
5. HODTV
Not just Shudder, but even HODTV caters to horror and thriller film enthusiasts. HODTV offers users a catalog of more than 260 titles, which consists of dark feature films, short films, medium-length films, and horror series. One will not find any major studio involvement in any of the productions available for streaming on the site. In this way, the platform ensures emerging alternate filmmakers around the world get opportunities to showcase their work.
HODTV offers a generous free trial period of 30 days, after which users will have to pay a monthly subscription fee of $7.99, which goes down to $5.99 upon choosing the annual plan.
6. Docsville
This platform is designed for those who enjoy watching documentaries. Docsville curates documentaries from around the world, especially those that explore thought-provoking themes like the climate crisis and inequality. On the platform, one can find a wide variety of films under different genres, including award-winning options. While the annual membership cost of Docsville is $29.99, one can explore the platform for free with a three-day trial.
7. Indieflix
This platform showcases independent series, films, documentaries, and shorts from around the world, including certain popular and award-winning titles in the indie landscape. Some titles Indieflix subscribers can explore are The Nostalgist, Freedom Road, and Selfless. The platform’s monthly subscription costs $4.99, and the annual membership is priced at $39.99. Along with offering indie films on its own website, Indieflix also collaborates with other streaming services and allows subscribers of those platforms to discover and stream independent shorts and films.
Some other independent movie streaming services to explore are Flix Premiere, Kanopy, and Fandor.