Filmmakers Launch Platform Giving Indie Films Global Reach

Brothers Juan de Dios and Pablo Larraín, the filmmakers behind acclaimed movies like Spencer and Jackie, just launched a streaming service that could change everything for independent cinema.

Their platform, Pijama, offers indie filmmakers something traditional studios rarely provide: direct access to global audiences without losing creative or financial control. For a flat $100 fee, filmmakers can host their work on the platform for up to two years, set their own rental prices between $3.99 and $9.99, and keep 80% of all revenue after costs and taxes.

The numbers reveal why this matters so much. Four out of five independent films premiering at major festivals like Sundance, Cannes, and Venice never secure distribution deals. That means thousands of stories, perspectives, and artistic visions simply vanish after their brief festival moment, never reaching the audiences who might love them most.

"We see a cultural crisis rooted in the end of physical media and the current logic of the market," the Larraín brothers explained in their launch statement. They designed Pijama specifically to break down the traditional barriers that keep festival favorites locked away from everyday viewers.

The platform's model puts filmmakers first. Unlike traditional streaming services that purchase content outright or take large revenue cuts, Pijama functions more like a tool that creators control. Filmmakers decide their pricing, maintain ownership, and receive the vast majority of earnings directly.

The Ripple Effect

This approach could reshape the entire independent film ecosystem. When filmmakers can reach audiences directly and earn fair compensation, they gain freedom to take creative risks and tell stories that might not fit mainstream studio formulas. Viewers benefit too, gaining access to diverse films they'd otherwise never discover.

The timing feels especially crucial as physical media fades and streaming giants focus primarily on blockbuster content. Pijama creates space for the quieter, stranger, more personal films that often define artistic movements but struggle to find commercial homes.

By democratizing distribution, the platform doesn't just help individual filmmakers. It preserves cultural diversity in cinema, ensuring that film festivals aren't the only place audiences can experience truly independent voices.

One simple platform is opening doors that the traditional film industry kept closed for decades.