First Latin America launches for Sundance channel

Sundance Channel has inked a deal with DirecTV Latin America, giving it carriage across seven territories in the region for the first time.

Sundance Channel Global, the international unit of US-listed channels group AMC Networks, said that it will seek distribution deals with other pay TV operators into Latin America following the DirecTV launch in September.

DirecTV will carry the channel in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Sundance said it plans roll out a separate Portuguese-language service although did not specify timing.

The news comes after Sundance founder Robert Redford told TBI that he harbours ambitions to launch the Sundance Festival in Rio, Brazil. Following the channel news, Redford said: “It has long been my hope to see Sundance Channel expand globally to share the compelling stories of independent filmmakers and artists as widely as possible. Bringing Sundance Channel to Latin America builds on this vision.”

The local version of Sundance Channel will be a Spanish language 24/7 linear network and will be available to DirecTV subscribers on the Oro package, one of the pay TV operator’s most widely distributed tiers.

Ahead of the launch Sundance said its critically acclaimed original series Rectify (pictured) will air on DirecTV in-house channel OnDirecTV.