In continuation with its development strategy, OSN has teamed up with Gulf Film, a distributor of major studio productions and independent movies. The two have signed a six-year exclusive partnership through 2021 for premium film content.
The partnership is underlined by OSN’s acquisition of the entire transaction window building exclusivity for the first-time across all platforms including over-the-top (OTT) content access available on OSN Play and GO.
The deal will give OSN access to nearly 1,000 brand new films distributed by Gulf Film in Arabic and English over a period of six years. All the films will be available in high-definition (HD), and most of these films will be available for OSN viewers shortly after their theatrical release.
“The exclusive multi-year output deal with Gulf Film is industry defining for the MENA region. It marks the first time that an exclusive content sharing agreement has been signed with the region’s leading distributor of films. While OSN has built an incredible library of content through our ‘only-on-OSN’ partnerships with leading Hollywood studios, our association with Gulf Film significantly enhances our brand-new film content to define OSN as the home of blockbuster and the latest movies,” said David Butorac, Chief Executive Officer, OSN.
OSN will provide movie fans with 56 trailers of the newest movies playing at Novo Cinemas, owned by Gulf Film, daily on its various channels. Further, Gulf Film will cross-promote OSN content at all Novo Cinema screens across the Middle East.
“As the pioneering film distribution house in the region, Gulf Film brings new theatrical releases every week. Through our partnership with OSN, we can further strengthen the visibility of our new releases via movie trailers and other behind-the-scenes looks. OSN subscribers will also have the opportunity to watch their favorite movies first on television on their network, and in truly spectacular HD quality. OSN will be the only platform to offer these movies to viewers in the region,” said Selim El Azar, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Film.
OSN has already entered into multiyear partnerships for content with BBC, NBC Universal and has launched five new channels.
OSN has also launched ‘OSN Store’, the region’s first and largest buy & keep, electronic sell-through platform in the Middle East that enables customers to purchase and ‘store’ movies in high-definition for unlimited viewing. More than 1,500 movies, including over 20 titles, will be available just days after its theatre release exclusively on OSN Store.
