The streaming service Kanopy offers thousands of high-quality educational and entertaining films for public libraries and universities. If your public library is looking to access Kanopy at an affordable rate, consider Kanopy PLUS. Kanopy PLUS provides librarians with exceptional and diverse film collections at a fixed price. This new subscription model is easy to set up for your institution and requires little effort to maintain.
With Kanopy PLUS, users have the option to choose from a curated selection of films in four different PLUS Packs. Each PLUS Pack contains 250-300 titles that correspond to four themes: Favorites, Easy-Watching, Diversity, and World Cinema. You can take a look at the PLUS Packs in detail here
Video Librarian has selected one film in each PLUS Pack to showcase its unique benefits for library patrons.
Favorites PLUS Pack - Howards End
Favorite titles include well-known films patrons love to watch from acclaimed actors and filmmakers. Titles in the Favor Dial M for Murder and Joe Bell. One popular title with critics and audiences is the period drama Howards End (1992). In the film, Emma Thompson and Helen Bonham-Carter play kind and well-meaning sisters, Margaret and Helen, who become entangled with the wealthy and manipulative Wilcox family when the family’s dying matriarch bequeaths her beloved summer home to Margaret. The Wilcox family, led by Henry Wilcox (Anthony Hopkins), prevents the sisters from taking the home, although they don’t need or particularly want the house for themselves.
The film is elevated by the dynamic performances of the leads, particularly Anthony Hopkins. While many actors would choose to focus on the calculated cruelty of Henry Wilcox, Hopkins teases out other aspects of Henry’s personality, like his awkwardness and inability to empathize with others. In many instances, Henry Wilcox does not appear to be acting maliciously but is carelessly toying with the lives of the less fortunate simply because he doesn’t know any better. The result is a layered performance that is far more captivating and authentic than other period roles. Viewers will be drawn to the opulent costumes and production design of this Merchant-Ivory Production and stay for the intriguing acting delivered by the cast.
Easy-Watching PLUS Pack - My Afternoons with Margueritte
Films in the Easy Watching PLUS Pack include comedies, fun documentaries, family-friendly films, and popular classic cinema. These charming titles, like Charade and Life, Animated, would be wonderful selections for families and community events. A fine example of the films in this category is My Afternoons with Margueritte (2010). This French film directed by Jean Becker stars the beloved actor Gérard Depardieu as Germain, a handyman who befriends an older woman named Margueritte. Although he is gentle and kind, Germain is ridiculed and seen as the village fool in his small town.
Flashbacks throughout the film demonstrate how young Germain was belittled by his mother and teachers, convincing him that he isn’t worthy of love and attention. However, Margueritte treats Germain with kindness and helps him develop his reading skills, beginning an unexpected and beautiful friendship between the two. By choosing an elderly woman and an uneducated man as its heroes, the film shines a light on people that are often overlooked in our society and rarely the lead characters of a film. My Afternoons with Margueritte is a story of everyday people learning to better themselves and cultivate positive relationships, making it a feel-good selection for any library patron.
Watch My Afternoons with Margueritte on Kanopy
World Cinema PLUS Pack - The Scent of Green Papaya
The World Cinema PLUS Pack includes international films from various cultures that span many different genres, perfect for library patrons interested in films from other countries. Titles include films like Transit, Nowhere in Africa, and Downfall. An excellent selection is Tran Anh Hung’s French-Vietnamese film, The Scent of Green Papaya (1993). The film follows Mui, a young woman who works as a servant for a family in Vietnam who has fallen in hard times. Despite the hardships surrounding her, Mui chooses to embrace the beauty in her life. When she first comes to work, Mui is just ten years old, and we see the world through her perspective.
Hung illustrates Mui’s wonder and joy through the film’s lush and serene depictions of nature. The film languishes in long shots of rain, frogs and insects, and lots of ripe fruit, demonstrating the peaceful and harmonious balance of the environment. These images juxtapose the tense family inside the house, who are mourning the loss of their daughter and trying to overcome the turmoil caused by the father’s frequent affairs. Their cold, emotional distance contrasts Mui’s childlike spirit. Many of the conflicts in The Scent of Green Papaya are shown to the audience without words. The thoughtful and quiet nature of the film makes it a great choice for both cinephiles and library patrons who want to start exploring world cinema. International films such as The Scent of Green Papaya offer patrons and students a glimpse into another way of living. Since international films are a product of their culture, they have a unique perspective, and their stories are often told in a more creative way. World Cinema titles like The Scent of Green Papaya often take risks with their filmmaking style and are very different from American films.
Watch The Scent of Green Papaya on Kanopy
Diversity PLUS Pack - Whale Rider
Films in the Diversity PLUS Pack include narrative titles and documentaries that celebrate our differences and help broaden viewers’ understanding of diverse topics. This pack includes films that are perfect for classroom learning, like Miss Juneteenth and Ken Burns: The Central Park Five. In this category, Video Librarian recommends Niki Caro’s Whale Rider (2002). The film follows Paikea, a twelve-year-old Maori girl growing up in New Zealand who wants to become the leader of her village, despite her grandfather’s wishes. Although she is in line to inherit the leadership position, Paikea is ineligible because she is a female.
Whale Rider is respectful of Maori culture while also embracing the idea of incorporating progressive elements into tradition. The film portrays Maori customs and cultural traditions that are rarely shown on screen, such as how to use a taiaha or a Maori fighting stick.
This window into a unique group of people and country makes it a wonderful selection in the Diversity PLUS pack. The Diversity PLUS pack is especially important for librarians because it educates patrons and students on communities with racial or religious differences.
Why You Should Order Kanopy PLUS
These titles and many more are available through Kanopy PLUS packs. Each pack contains a diverse collection of films available with no overlap at one flat price. Payments are made through annual subscriptions with pricing determined by the library’s annual circulation. Patrons do not need to use play credits to access the films and each title is available for unlimited viewing.
PLUS packs provide libraries of all sizes with a wide range of high-quality films and television shows. This innovative subscription model allows library patrons to easily discover new films or rewatch their favorite ones. The built-in collections, or PLUS packs, are an easy, streamlined way to supply your public library with thoughtful titles while keeping your budget in mind. Click here to order Kanopy PLUS for your library today.