1976–2008: founding as Kino International Kino Lorber was founded as Kino International in 1976 by Bill Pence, then vice president of
Janus Films, and based in
Colorado. It began by importing and releasing international films that may have not otherwise reached the market in the United States. The first films distributed by Kino were in association with Janus Films. In 1977, Kino International was purchased by Donald Krim who at the time founded
United Artists Classics. At this time, the company acquired rights to distribute theatrically films in the Janus Films library, which became the foundation for its international library of films. Two of the first films imported under Krim was
Ballad of Orin. and Peter Lillienthal's
David. Kino International was responsible for the theatrical release of films by
Charlie Chaplin beginning in 1977, including the premiere of
Woman of Paris. The Chaplin films became the foundation of a silent film collection for Kino International By 1989,
American classics accounted for 80 percent of the company's distributions, with the other 20 percent made up of
international films.
Since 2009: merger with Lorber HT Digital In 2009, Kino International was acquired by Lorber HT Digital to form Kino Lorber. Kino Lorber launched its "Kino Lorber Studio Classics" line of films in 2014. Its licensing deal with
MGM allowed them access to MGM's library of remastered and high-definition films. It released approximately 40 films by the end of 2014, including the
Billy Wilder films
Witness for the Prosecution and
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. In 2017, Kino Lorber entered into a partnership with
Zeitgeist Films to co-acquire films for theatrical release and taking over home entertainment distribution of their library. In 2019, Kino Lorber launched a digital streaming service known as "Kino Now." Described as an "arthouse iTunes," it allows the purchase and rentals of films in its distribution library. During the
COVID-19 pandemic lock-downs in 2020, Kino Lorber launched an online distribution service to stream new films in partnership with closed theaters. Known as "Kino Marquee," the service was seen as a way to help closed theaters generate revenue during the pandemic, In 2021, Kino Lorber launched "Kino Cult," a free ad-supported streaming channel for
genre films. It also entered into a distribution agreement with
Milestone Films, a New Jersey–based film company known for restoring and distribution of classic films outside the mainstream. On August 29, 2023, Kino Lorber announced via email that "Kino Cult" was being replaced by "The Midnight Picture Show," "a new free streaming service featuring more movies from the deliciously dark and devilishly bizarre side of cinema." == Filmography ==