The Independent Film Channel, or IFC for short, first ventured into motion pictures in 1997 with their film distribution label, Next Wave Films. The label helped fund "no-budget" movies, IFC also launched a film company, IFC Productions, which set up operation in March 1997 to produce their own feature film projects. In January 1999, IFC launched a film production label called Agenda 2000, which set up their own film projects, which had their world premiere on the IFC. In September 2000, IFC launched its own feature film unit, branded IFC Films, to be headed by
Bob Berney, who also served as a consultant for the launch of
Newmarket Films and would later be the founder of
Picturehouse in 2019. IFC has several ventures in
video on demand (VOD), available through cable television
pay-per-view, Apple
iTunes, and formerly
Blockbuster's
Movielink. In 2002, IFC Films struck a deal with
MGM Home Entertainment to release its theatrical films to home video on DVD and VHS, In 2006, IFC launched
IFC First Take, combining a limited theatrical release with
video on demand being available the same day. The films included would be shown at IFC owned
IFC Center, as well as other theaters;
Landmark Theatres were the first outside theaters announced. That same year, IFC Films began distributing some films to Apple
iTunes. The first batch were thirteen IFC films with nominations in the
Film Independent Spirit Awards. In October 2008, Arianna Bocco joined IFC, as VP of acquisitions and production, to spearhead the acquisition of 24 films a year for the IFC First Take banner, IFC’s day-and-date division. That same year, IFC launched
IFC Festival Direct, a platform for
video on demand distribution, for films without a slated theatrical release in the United States. In 2010, it was announced that IFC Films would be launching a division titled
IFC Midnight, which would focus on releasing
horror,
sci-fi,
thrillers, erotic arthouse, and action. In 2009, IFC signed home video deals with
MPI Media Group, known primarily for disc releases of classic U.S. and British television titles, documentaries and a Dark Sky line of horror pics, In 2010, IFC introduced a new tagline: "Always On. Slightly Off." as well as phasing out the full "Independent Film Channel" name entirely. Still, IFC Films kept its focus toward independent films. In February 2015,
Shout! Factory's
Scream Factory made a deal with IFC Films to release their titles on their IFC Midnight label. This included the Blu-ray and DVD releases of
The Babadook (2014) and the
Vicious Brothers'
Extraterrestrial (2014), among others. In May 2015, IFC Films struck another home video distribution deal with
Paramount Home Media Distribution. Some titles included in the deal were
The D Train (2015),
Clouds of Sils Maria (2015),
Good Kill (2014), and
Sleeping with Other People (2014)
. In July 2018,
AMC Networks reached a definitive agreement to acquire
RLJ Entertainment, where AMC would pay $65 million for the remaining RLJE shares not owned by AMC or Robert L. Johnson. The transaction was approved by RLJ Entertainment's stockholders on October 31, and AMC Networks completed the acquisition on November 1. RLJ Entertainment became a privately owned subsidiary of AMC Networks, with Johnson and his affiliates owning a 17% stake. took over home video distribution of their titles in December 2021. In April 2022, it was announced that IFC Films had signed a Pay 1 (post-theater window) output deal with
AMC+ (
AMC Networks' streaming platform). Beginning in May 2022, AMC+ would launch Friday night movie night, featuring a new movie direct from theaters, every Friday, from IFC Films, IFC Midnight, RLJE Films, and
Shudder. a name that holds the IFC
backronym, with its parent group renamed from AMC Networks Entertainment Group to IFC Entertainment Group. Independent Film Company unveiled a new logo, alongside an on-screen logo animation featuring music composed by
Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz of
Beastie Boys. In January 2026, IFC and Shudder acquired the rights to
Saccharine, an Australian, supernatural
body horror, that will premiere at the
Sundance Film Festival. ==Film library ==