SkyLife Offers Sundance

By Han Sang-hee

Staff Reporter

Local television channels have a lot to offer, but how about tuning into a less mainstream one for a change?

The Sundance Channel is being offered to SkyLife subscribers and aims to satisfy independent movie lovers with its diverse and interesting programs.

Launched in 1996 under the creative direction of movie star and director Robert Redford, it shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression.

``The Sundance channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, imaginative and uncompromising, (the) channel offers the audience a wide range of engaging films, documentaries and original programs,’’ the channel representatives said through a press release.

It started airing in Korea in December of last year, and became a licensed channel on IPTV this January. Since then, viewers have slowly begun to recognize its distinctive features.

One of the most interesting aspects of the channel is that it offers avant-guarde films and shows no other channel can.

The channel airs numerous independent films made by numerous directors, including Hollywood movies stars such as Ed Harris, Meryl Streep, Liv Tyler and Naomi Watts.

Films may get movie buffs excited, but the channel also offers additional programs that may attract regular viewers a bit more.

``In the House with Peter Bart & Peter Guber’’ presents news and interviews focused on the entertainment industry hosted by the film producer Gruber and the editor-in-chief of Variety magazine, Bart. The show highlights breaking news and pop culture trends, along with interviews of some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, including Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman and Quentin Tarantino.

Other interesting series are also waiting to be discovered.

The Eco-friendly Series offers a line of environmental friendly programs, including ``The Lazy Environmentalist’’ and the ``100 Mile Challenge.’’

``The Lazy Environmentalist’’ is hosted by entrepreneur and author Josh Dorfman who seeks out environmental skeptics and helps them realize that keeping the world and their lives green can be done without sacrifice and inconvenience. ``100 Mile Challenge’’ is a show where hosts James MacKinnon and Alisa Smith challenge villagers to live on a strict diet of food that is grown, produced and sold within 100 miles of their homes. The two hosts follow six families to monitor their new way of life, and further encourage people to think before they eat.

The Sundance Channel reaches more than 34 million subscribers in the United States and is available in France, Belgium, Singapore and now Korea. It is available through local satellite television provider SkyLife.