Petition to Save FilmStruck Passes 5,000 Signatures as Cinephiles Rally Behind the Streaming Service

Major filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, Barry Jenkins, and Edgar Wright have already lamented the upcoming loss of FilmStruck, the streaming service for foreign cinema and classic film, and now cinephiles are rallying to save the platform. An online petition entitled “Keep FilmStruck Alive” launched in the wake of the announcement of FilmStruck’s closing and has earned over 5,300 signatures and counting. The petition is seeking 7,500 total signatures.

“FilmStruck has given cinephiles an indispensable resource for appreciating cinema, and provided so much joy to all those who thought that many of these movies would never see the light of a streaming platform,” petition leader Kevin Bahr wrote in a statement. “FilmStruck is not just a niche market, it is a massive archive dedicated to keeping art of the past alive. … It deserves to live, not only to provide an outlet for film lovers of the past but also to create new fans through the next several generations, and perhaps open some more eyes along the way.”

Related Stories

Petitions Launch for Chadwick Boseman Memorial to Replace Confederate Statue in His Hometown

Criterion Channel Lives! Company President Explains Going Solo After FilmStruck’s Death

Turner and Warner Bros. Digital Networks issued a joint statement October 29 announcing the end of FilmStruck. The companies said FilmStruck “remains largely a niche service” and they would “take key learnings from FilmStruck to help shape future business decisions in the direct-to-consumer space.” FilmStruck launched October 19, 2016 and touted itself as “the largest streaming library of contemporary and classic arthouse, indie, foreign and cult films.” The service was best known for being the exclusive streaming home of The Criterion Collection.

Criterion issued its own statement informing cinephiles it will work to find a new streaming home for its world-renowned library of films. “In the weeks ahead, we’ll keep you informed about the great programming you can watch on the Criterion Channel before it shuts down on November 29,” the company said. “And we’ll be trying to find ways we can bring our library and original content back to the digital space as soon as possible.”

Click here for more from the “Keep FilmStruck Alive” petition. FilmStruck officially closes November 29. For any cinephile looking for another streaming home for art house, foreign, and classic films, here’s a list of 11 alternatives to FilmStruck.