Sofy.tv aims to become the Netflix of short films. The platform showing films with a maximum duration of 40 minutes was launched today. Over 250 short films including critically acclaimed films are already online.
Short films have always existed; however their popularity has diminished due to a lack of screenings and TV stations broadcasting them. Production of short films has continued, yet the target audience is still unable to find their desired short films on online streaming channels. At movie festivals where many short films are presented, only a small part of the potential audience is able to attend.
The Swiss startup Largo Films has found the solution: it has developed Sofy.tv, an online a brand new video on demand entertainment platform that has been specifically created for short films. The idea and the innovative technologies for Sofy.tv are developed at EPFL in Image and Visual Representation Lab.
The platform aims to facilitate the distribution of short films to a larger audience and to support the filmmakers themselves by providing them with a means to commercialize their short films.
Artificial intelligence at the backbone of Sofy
The streaming platform, Sofy.tv, includes a powerful search function to allow audiences to find their desired movies faster. It also uses artificial intelligence based features that enable the platform to analyse users’ behaviour and preferences to offer high-level film recommendations. Additionally, it employs an Artificial Jury, an AI-based program that uses deep learning to help Sofy.tv rate the value of each film automatically under categories such as cinematography, audio, and editing among others.
The platform already has more than 250 high quality short films, including a number of critically acclaimed short films such as Must Kill Karl (2017), Black Clothes (2017), and the popular Washingtonia (2014). Many of these films have already received awards at international film festivals over the past few years.
Following the release of beta version of Sofy.tv, the platform is now officially launched. Filmmakers are invited to submit high-quality short films from all genres and filmmakers at no cost. The viewers on other hand have two streaming options: through a monthly subscription or renting.
(Press release)
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