Bleecker Street will release the film “Military Wives” directly on digital platforms next month, with half of the proceeds going to participating community cinemas, military organizations and performing arts organizations.
“Military Wives” — starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Sharon Horgan — will be available on AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and other video on demand platforms starting May 22, ahead of Memorial Day weekend. It will also hit some drive-in theaters across the country.
With its release, Bleecker Street will work with theatrical exhibitors, performing arts centers, community centers, choir groups and military organizations though the expanded “Community Cinema” program, providing part of revenues to those organizations. The production company has done something similar with Sally Potter’s “The Roads Not Taken,” a drama starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek and Laura Linney.
“We want the joy and emotion of this film to be seen by as many people as possible, and Memorial Day weekend felt like the right moment to share this moving and inspiring movie,” said Andrew Karpen, CEO of Bleecker Street in a statement. “In addition, while we all are experiencing hardship during this crisis, we wanted to collaborate with other organizations and share proceeds of this unique release with those businesses and partners that are being affected.”
The film follows women who are separated from their partners while they are serving in Afghanistan. In order to build community through their common plight, the group starts the first military wives choir. Peter Cattaneo (“The Full Monty”) directed the movie, which is based on true events.