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Indie studio Gigantic Group is launching an online service, Gigantic Digital, bringing first-run independent films to broadband households, starting with the documentary "Motherland" on Aug. 26.

The streaming service -- priced at $2.99 for three days of unlimited viewing -- is aimed at offering indie filmmakers a means of reaching the potential audience for their pics amid limited opportunities to find an adequate theatrical release. It plans to release at least four more titles by the end of the year.

"As things stand now, financial and market pressures on bricks and mortar exhibitors have largely eliminated the possibility of a truly independent film finding its audience or building word of mouth," said Gigantic prexy Mark Lipsky. "Even with rave reviews, films can be off screens so quickly that the audience has no time to find them. Not only can we keep a film on screen indefinitely, but we can dramatically extend their reach into the marketplace and grow the audience in areas of the country that have never been exposed to indie films."

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