Moving Images Distribution

What Moving Images Distribution does

Moving Images Distribution is a registered Canadian non-profit media distribution company founded in 1979 (originally as Canadian Filmmakers Distribution West) and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company curates and distributes a catalog of 599+ Canadian documentary and media arts titles spanning subjects including Indigenous studies, environment, health, LGBTQ+, arts, and social justice, across 28 subject categories. Its operations include physical DVD distribution (NTSC/PAL, region-free encoding), an on-demand streaming platform (watch.movingimages.ca) offering 3-day rentals at $5-$10 USD, Digital Site Licenses (DSL) for institutional streaming in 3-year and 5-year terms, Public Performance Rights (PPR) licensing for festivals and public screenings, and one-time educational screening licenses at $50 USD. Technology consists of a Shopify e-commerce storefront and a custom streaming platform; no AI or proprietary ML capabilities are evident.

The company serves four primary customer segments: educational institutions (universities, colleges, school boards, libraries), community organizations (registered not-for-profits), cultural institutions (museums, galleries, festivals, theatres), and individual consumers. It operates globally with international DVD shipping and online distribution. Its go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce with direct institutional sales for PPR and DSL licensing, supported by organic social media presence across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Vimeo, plus blog content and newsletter outreach.

Revenue is generated through small-ticket transactions across multiple streams (DVD sales, DSL subscriptions, streaming rentals, PPR licensing, educational screening fees) supplemented by government funding from the BC Arts Council and the Province of British Columbia. The organization is a member of the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) and follows CARFAC-aligned fee guidelines. Leadership includes Executive Director Karen Wong, Creative Director Caid Dow, and a board of directors composed of independent filmmakers and cultural sector figures. The company is not venture-backed and has no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, or M&A activity.

Name

Moving Images Distribution

Legal name

Moving Images Distribution

Website

https://movingimages.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Moving Images Distribution is a Vancouver-based Canadian non-profit founded in 1979 that distributes 599+ Canadian documentary and media arts titles through DVDs, streaming rentals, digital site licenses, and public performance rights to educational institutions, community organizations, cultural venues, and individual consumers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Syndication, Distribution & Rights Management Platforms (BPAMAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Theatrical Distribution (Educational, Airlines, Cruise, Community) (MPADAJAJ), Home Entertainment Distribution (Digital: TVOD/EST) (MPADAJAE), Home Entertainment Distribution (Physical: DVD/Blu-ray) (MPADAJAD)

Keywords

• Independent film distribution
• Documentary film licensing
• Educational media licensing
• Public performance rights
• Canadian media arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. DVD Sales: Physical media distribution of documentary and independent films on DVD. Sales to educational institutions, community organizations, and individuals. DVDs are available in NTSC and PAL formats, with some titles including Digital Site License (DSL) options.
2. Digital Site License (DSL): Educational licensing that permits institutions to host films on private, password-protected servers for the license term. Sold in 3-year and 5-year increments for educational use. Allows unlimited streaming within the institution.
3. Personal Streaming Rentals: On-demand streaming rentals for personal/home use through watch.movingimages.ca. Priced at $5 USD for works under 15 minutes, $8 USD for works under 30 minutes, and $10 USD for works 30 minutes and over. 3-day rental period.
4. Public Performance Rights (PPR) Licensing: Licensing for public screenings, film festivals, community events, conferences, cultural exhibitions, and theatrical showings. Custom-quoted based on event scope, audience size, and number of screenings. Follows CARFAC fee guidelines.
5. One-Time Educational Screening Licenses: Single-episode educational screening licenses available at $50 USD for non-profit, non-commercial educational settings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Moving Images Distribution is a Canadian non-profit media distributor that licenses and delivers a catalog of 599+ Canadian documentary and independent films to educational institutions, cultural organizations, community groups, and individual consumers. Its offerings include physical DVD sales (NTSC/PAL, region-free), Digital Site Licenses (DSL) for institutional streaming on private servers (3- and 5-year terms), Public Performance Rights (PPR) licensing for festivals, theatres, and community screenings, and a personal-use streaming rental platform with tiered USD pricing by runtime.

Product overview

Moving Images Distribution operates as a not-for-profit Canadian documentary and independent film distribution company founded in 1979. The core offering is its catalog of 599+ films available through multiple distribution channels: physical DVDs, Digital Site Licenses (DSL) for institutional streaming, Public Performance Rights (PPR) for screenings, and an online streaming platform (watch.movingimages.ca). The company also acquires and distributes Canadian filmmakers' works and licenses content for public screenings. Notable series products include 'From the Spirit' (26-part Indigenous art series), 'Nehiyawetan | Let's Speak Cree' (language education), 'SAMAQAN: Water Stories', 'Ohanashi: The Story of Our Elders', 'Healing with Animals', and 'Chiefs and Champions' (Indigenous athletes). Content covers diverse subjects including Arts, Environment, Health, Indigenous Studies, LGBTQ+, Black History, and World History.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Moving Images Distribution Catalog A curated catalog of 599+ Canadian documentary and independent films licensed for educational and cultural distribution across categories including Arts, Environment, Health, Indigenous Studies, LGBTQ+, Black History, and World History. Sold to educational institutions, cultural organizations, community groups, and individual consumers via DVD, Digital Site License, and streaming options.
• Online Streaming Platform (watch.movingimages.ca) On-demand streaming rental service offering 3-day rentals for personal home use with tiered USD pricing by runtime ($5 for works under 15 minutes, $8 for works under 30 minutes, $10 for works 30 minutes and over). Provides individual consumers access to the Moving Images catalog for personal viewing.
• Digital Site License (DSL) Institutional licensing product permitting educational buyers to host films on private, password-protected, closed servers for educational use. Sold in 3-year and 5-year increments with unlimited concurrent streaming during the license term. Used by universities, colleges, school boards, and academic libraries.
• DVD Distribution Physical DVD distribution service for educational institutions, public libraries, and community organizations. DVDs are encoded in DVD-R format for all-region or region-zero playback, with some titles available in NTSC or PAL formats, shipped internationally via Canada Post.
• Public Performance Rights (PPR) Licensing Licensing product for public screenings at festivals, community events, conferences, and cultural exhibitions. PPR allows non-theatrical venue use for educational purposes and community screenings for non-commercial purposes, with custom quotes based on event scope, audience size, venue, and number of screenings.
• Film Acquisition & Submission Acquisition service accepting film submissions from Canadian artists and producers for potential distribution through the catalog. The organization selects a limited number of completed works annually, with selection focused on Canadian creators across documentary and independent film.
• One-Time Educational Screening License Single-episode educational screening license priced at $50 USD for non-profit, non-commercial educational settings such as classrooms, community groups, and book/movie clubs. No admission fees or commercial sponsorships are permitted under this license.

Quantifiable outcome

• Connected audiences with innovative works of Canada's most acclaimed media artists for over 45 years

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoving Images Distribution is a member of the Independent Media Arts Alliance. As a member, they follow IMAA fee guidelines and CARFAC standards to ensure fair compensation for artists and filmmakers. IMAA is a national arts service organization representing independent media arts producers and distributors in Canada.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kino Lorber: US-based distributor of independent, documentary, and repertory cinema with a strong educational and institutional licensing arm (Kino Lorber Edu). Comparable business model spanning physical media, educational licensing, and curated documentary distribution.
• Women Make Movies: US-based non-profit distributor of films by and about women with a strong educational licensing program. Comparable non-profit, mission-driven model focused on social-justice and equity-deserving documentary distribution through educational sales and rentals.
• Documentary Educational Resources (DER): US-based non-profit distributor specializing in ethnographic and documentary films for educational and institutional buyers. Highly comparable educational licensing model targeting universities, libraries, and community organizations.
• Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC): Toronto-based Canadian non-profit distributor of independent film, video, and media art. Highly comparable mission, non-profit status, and Canadian independent film distribution focus to Moving Images Distribution.
• Mongrel Media: Canadian independent film distributor handling theatrical, home video, and digital distribution of independent Canadian and international cinema. Comparable Canadian focus on independent and art-house film distribution across formats.
• Bullfrog Films: US-based distributor focused on environmental, social-justice, and documentary films for schools, libraries, and community groups. Comparable educational, mission-driven distribution model with overlapping subject categories.
• Icarus Films: US-based documentary distribution specialist with a long-running catalog of independent and socially engaged documentaries. Comparable focus on educational, institutional, and festival distribution of issue-driven documentary content.
• Vtape: Toronto-based Canadian non-profit media arts distribution organization with a comparable catalog of independent and artist-made film and video. Direct peer given shared non-profit model, Canadian focus, and reliance on educational and institutional licensing.
• First Run Features: US-based independent film distributor specializing in documentary and feature distribution through theatrical, home video, educational, and digital channels. Closely aligned multi-format distribution model with educational and institutional emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• National Film Board of Canada (NFB): Canadian public agency producing and distributing Canadian documentary, animation, and alternative media worldwide. Larger, government-funded institution; comparable in Canadian independent/alternative film distribution mission but with significantly broader production and distribution scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/movingimagesds?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MovingImagesDS
• Facebookm.facebook.com/MovingImagesDistribution
• Instagraminstagram.com/movingimagesds/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moving-images-distribution

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moving Images Distribution