Over the last decade, it has grown increasingly more difficult for independent films to find an audience. Local, smaller movie theaters are being shut down, swallowed up by larger billion-dollar chains. In a desperate attempt to maximize revenues, Kerasotes and company earmark three or four separate screens for big-budget snooze-fests, leaving gritty, realistic dramas and comedies out in the cold. It’s in this confusion that a film like The Last Winter would normally be doomed to a few art-houses and an enthusiastic DVD release. Thankfully, IFC has a plan.

The Independent Film Channel has recently begun to offer a Video On Demand service. In short, IFC distributed films will be given dual releases both in smaller, local theaters and on pay per view. This will allow The Last Winter and countless other films to reach a much wider audience. I’ve already used this service once, to view The Wind That Shakes The Barley, and it is convenient, quick, and hassle-free.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Last Winter is an eco-horror thriller about a black-gold exposition team who begins getting creeped out by a looming presence that may or may not be real. Look for a mid-September release on both your OnDemand channel and in a few independent theaters across the country.