As the independent film landscape continues to shift, the recent expansion of Pablo Larraín’s Pijama distribution deals signals a significant move toward solving one of the industry’s most persistent crises: the “orphaned” film. The new transactional video on demand (TVOD) platform, co-founded by acclaimed director Pablo Larraín and producer Juan de Dios Larraín, has successfully secured its first major commercial agreements with several prominent international players, including MK2, Alpha Violet, Visit Films, Les Films du Losange, Electric Shadow, and Utopia Films.
The move marks a rapid scaling for the platform, which aims to provide a global stage for cinematic works that fail to secure traditional worldwide distribution. By partnering with established sales agents, Pijama is quickly building a library of high-caliber titles that might otherwise remain inaccessible to international audiences due to complex rights issues or lack of acquisition by major streaming services.
The Larraín brothers, known for their work on critically acclaimed projects like “Jackie,” “Spencer,” and the upcoming “Maria,” are leveraging their industry expertise to address a systemic failure in the current film economy. Their platform, Pijama, was designed to bridge the gap between producers who hold valuable content and audiences who are hungry for it but unable to find it through conventional channels.
Addressing the Global Distribution Gap
The rationale behind Pijama is rooted in a sobering industry statistic: approximately 80% of films produced never find global distribution. While streaming giants have revolutionized how we consume media, they can only acquire a small fraction of the world’s annual film output. This leaves a vast middle ground of high-quality independent cinema in a state of limbo, where films are produced but effectively invisible to the public.
This lack of access creates a secondary problem: the loss of monetization for creators. When a film cannot be sold to a major streamer or a regional distributor, producers, sales agents, and studios lose the ability to recoup investments and generate ongoing revenue. Pijama intends to act as a direct conduit, allowing rights-holders to bypass traditional bottlenecks.
The platform’s current growth is evidenced by its recent expansion of content. In a single week, 20 new films were added to the service, bringing the total library to just over 100 titles as of May 10. The platform’s technical footprint has also expanded rapidly; after launching as a website on January 25, it added iOS and Android support in April, followed by Roku, FireTV, LG, and Samsung smart TV integration this month.
| Feature / Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial Launch Date | January 25 |
| Current Library Size | 100+ films |
| Target Curated Catalog | 100–200 films |
| Primary Revenue Model | TVOD (Transactional Video on Demand) |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Roku, FireTV, LG, Samsung |
A Curated Library of Cinematic Essentials
Through its first-phase deals, Pijama is gaining critical mass by securing non-exclusive, often geo-blocked rights to iconic and contemporary works. The partnership with MK2, for instance, has brought Mike Leigh’s “Secrets and Lies”—a winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or—to the platform in early May.
The library also features several notable titles that face significant accessibility hurdles in certain territories. These include Sally Potter’s “Orlando,” Krzysztof Kieslowski’s “The Double Life of Veronique,” and Michael Haneke’s “The Piano Teacher.” Perhaps most strikingly, the platform now hosts Justine Triet’s 2023 Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall,” a film that remains unavailable in parts of Africa and Australasia.
Alpha Violet has also contributed festival hits to the lineup, such as Laurynas Bareisa’s “Drowning Dry” and Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s “The Tribe.” Pijama continues to showcase the breadth of the Larrains’ own production house, Fabula, which provides 24 titles to the platform, including Pablo Larraín’s “Neruda” and the Oscar-winning “A Fantastic Woman.”
The Mechanics of Pijama’s Business Model
Pijama operates on a dual-track model to ensure both quality and volume. The first track is a highly curated selection of 100 to 200 films, sourced from approximately 10 select sales agents, producers, and distributors. This curated list is intended to provide users with high-quality, recommended viewing experiences.
The second track offers a more open ecosystem. Outside of the curated recommendations, independent producers are permitted to upload their own films directly to the platform. This feature allows them to select specific territories for availability and retain 80% of the generated revenue. This “self-service” approach is designed to appeal to the many producers at major festivals like Cannes, where only a small percentage of films typically secure worldwide sales deals.
Born from Industry Frustration
The impetus for Pijama was not merely commercial, but a response to the practical frustrations of filmmaking. Juan de Dios Larraín noted that the idea emerged after witnessing the difficulties faced by filmmakers like Sebastian Lelio, whose Cannes Premiere title “The Wave” failed to secure a distribution deal in the United Kingdom.
“We couldn’t believe it. So we looked for some system which would allow access to the film – TVOD, VOD, whatever – and we just couldn’t find one,” Juan de Dios Larraín said. He expressed disbelief that in 2025, a system did not exist that allowed a producer to upload a film, select a territory, set a rental price, and make it available directly to the world.
“Our reaction was, well, ‘Let’s make one ourselves.’ We had to bring something to the conversation when most films just aren’t seen,” Larraín added. He emphasized that the lack of distribution does not equate to a lack of interest, stating that the goal is to offer a platform to every producer and studio regardless of their size.
As the platform moves into its next phase, Pijama is preparing to launch two distinct marketing campaigns: one targeting producers to encourage uploads, and another, slated for late May and June, aimed at building a global user base. The company is also expected to sign agreements with two broadcasters in the coming week.
The Larraíns will continue to expand the platform’s reach through a series of international film festival appearances, including Karlovy Vary, Locarno, Toronto, San Sebastián, and Cairo. The success of these initial commercial deals and the subsequent marketing push will likely determine the platform’s long-term trajectory in the evolving digital distribution landscape.
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