Posted Thu Jul 6, 2023 at 05:30 AM PDT by Matthew Hartman
Vinegar Syndrome's sister company OCN Distribution adds two exciting new labels to their growing consortium of companies dedicated to preserving popular, weird, wild, and obscure films on physical media. That means more Blu-rays, more 4K UHD, and yes - even more Blu-ray 3D discs coming our way!
News broke earlier this week ahead of the 4th of July holiday that exploitation label Culture Shock would be leaving the OCN Distribution partner catalog to go their own way as they expand their collection of titles. While exploitation fans may miss seeing new Culture Shock titles in the new monthly OCN releases, there's good news on the horizon. In a press release OCN Distribution details they've added two new exciting partner labels to their catalog ensuring that not only will their monthly assortment of exciting titles continue to grow, but see films earn their first-time releases on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and even new Blu-ray 3D releases!
The first big highlight of the press releases is the news that the new imprint Art Label run by Warren Xian, formally of Culture Shock releasing, will be joining the OCN Distribution collective. As the name implies, Art Label aims to expand beyond horror and exploitation titles to encompass rare, obscure, and well-known art house titles.
The next big piece of news in this press release is that independent cinema caretakers IFC Films will be joining OCN Distribution! On top of their expansive back catalog, IFC continues to give new films a shot on home video rather than letting them get lost (or deleted) in the streaming weeds. This means back catalog titles that were only issued on DVD may see their Blu-ray debuts and even some 4K UHD upgrades as new titles continue to reach physical media!
Collectors should see the first releases from both Art Label and IFC Films arrive in December!
While it may be sad to see Culture Shock leave this exciting network, it's awesome to hear they're not going away either. When we have more news about where they land and when their next releases arrive we'll let you all know. HDD has had a great time checking out their discs so we're happy and excited to see what's next in store for them. At the same time, it's impossible to hold back enthusiasm for what's coming from OCN with two new labels and current partners expanding their collections. That just means more awesome new movies, more slick exclusive slipcovers, and more money happily vanishing from our wallets every month!
For all the gory details, check out the full OCN press release below:
OCN DISTRIBUTION ADDS TWO NEW PARTNER LABELS FOR FALL 2023
[Bridgeport, CT July 6th, 2023] – OCN Distribution, sister company of popular boutique genre home video label Vinegar Syndrome, is expanding its roster of Partner Labels in 2023 (and beyond) with at least two more new labels introduced in this calendar year.
Following up the addition of labels like the Australian based Umbrella and the US based XYZ Films and Film Desk in 2023 thus far, OCN Distribution is adding two more exciting labels to its consistently expanding lineup this fall, while the current lineup will continue regular releases including the first 4K UHD from Canadian International Pictures and the first 3D BD release from any of the OCN partner labels, via Dekanalog.
The first addition to the OCN roster has been years in the making and we are very excited to announce that IFC Films will be joining OCN, with extras packed upgrades of select titles, including some previously only released on DVD, alongside future UHD upgrades and new to home video releases. It’s a relationship that will build on IFC’s exquisite curation at the forefront of independent cinema both domestic and abroad, which has been cultivated for decades.
The first IFC Films release will land in December’s Partner’s Only month and its director, Alex Ross Perry, had the following to say about working with OCN on the release: "The work being done by OCN is invaluable when it comes to creating essential physical media home video releases of films that might otherwise not be given the luxury treatment. IFC's catalog is nearly unparalleled when it comes to crucial and significant independent cinema over the past few decades. The possibilities of this partnership are endless, and I am flattered that my previous work with OCN on the definitive Her Smell blu-ray - and their desire to release more of my films - has played a small role in building this relationship”.
Also launching in December’s Partner’s Only month will be brand new imprint Art Label, run by Warren Xian, formerly of Culture Shock Releasing which will operate without Xian going forward. As many OCN fans are aware, Culture Shock Releasing will be parting ways with OCN this summer and will seek alternative means of distribution. Xian had the following to say about staying with OCN and forming his own label: “With Art Label, I am excited to broaden the horizons of what I was doing with Culture Shock Releasing. We will be expanding beyond horror and exploitation into past and present art house cinema, from the deep fringe to the well known. Working with OCN has been very liberating, allowing me to focus my energy on acquiring more titles and gathering more bonus material for each release, and I am delighted to be continuing that relationship.”
OCN is very excited about these two new partner labels, and more labels to come in 2024! This fall will be a banner season for OCN Distribution, with an average of 15 releases per month from September through December and that will only increase going into the following year, which will contain even more surprises, including never before on disc titles, unexpected UHD upgrades, comprehensive filmmaker box sets and more!
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