Alternativa Distribution launches to bring Global South films to TV and streaming with Cannes titles in debut slate

Alternativa, a film and media company focused on documentary and impact-driven storytelling, has launched Alternativa Distribution, a new arm that will acquire and license films from the Global South for television and streaming platforms. The company says the effort is designed to broaden access to international films for audiences outside traditional festival circuits by building distribution relationships with broadcasters and streamers. Alternativa Distribution will be led by Avital Lavi, described in the announcement as a former executive at yesDocu and TikTok. Alternativa says the new division will go to market with a slate of 10 films, indicating an immediate push to secure programming windows for international works. The launch marks Alternativa’s move further into rights sales and licensing, an area that can determine how quickly and widely films reach mass audiences once they have completed festival runs. The debut slate includes Cannes titles “If Only I Could Hibernate” and “A Poet,” which were selected for inclusion based on their performance and visibility in the festival environment. “If Only I Could Hibernate,” directed by Zoljargal Purevdash, screened in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, according to the announcement. The company did not specify in the provided reporting what dates the titles will become available on particular platforms or which buyers have been signed at launch. Alternativa says its distribution strategy will focus on broadcasters and streaming services rather than limiting releases to boutique theatrical markets. That approach is aimed at turning festival recognition into longer-run audience reach, including via subscription and linear channels that can sustain viewership after a film’s initial premiere. The company frames the slate as “impact-driven,” and the distribution effort as a way to bring Global South productions into mainstream viewing ecosystems. In practical terms, that means licensing negotiations will likely determine subtitles, regional reach, marketing requirements, and the schedule for when the films can be slotted into seasonal programming or catalog rotations. For the films selected for Alternativa Distribution’s first slate, the launch provides a new route to audiences after festival exposure. For partners, the immediate availability of multiple titles may offer a package model for acquisition, with distributors weighing how each film performs with viewers once it is placed alongside other international offerings. Alternativa has not provided, in the available reporting, a detailed list of all 10 slate entries, nor has it outlined specific release dates by territory or platform. Additional information on buyers, territories, and marketing commitments would be the next items to watch as the distribution arm begins executing licensing agreements and servicing windowing requirements for broadcasters and streamers.

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