EXCLUSIVE: Streaming television and FAST channel operator acTVe has acquired Documentary+, the documentary streaming platform that’s available in 70 countries and more than 100 million American households.
acTVe CEO Geoff Clark assumes the role of CEO of Documentary+, with Kyle Brunick as COO, aiming to build the service into the “definitive documentary streaming platform for global audiences.”
Financial terms of the acquisition from XTR were not disclosed.
“Under Clark’s leadership, Documentary+ will evolve into a premium, highly curated destination for documentary storytelling—positioned as the ‘Netflix of documentaries’—while staying true to its core mission: amplifying important stories and championing filmmakers worldwide,” notes a release.
In a statement, Clark said, “Documentaries have always held a special place in my life. As a filmmaker, I’ve experienced firsthand the power of real stories to inspire, challenge, and create meaningful change.”
He continued, “Documentary+ is more than just a platform—it’s an opportunity to build a true home for filmmakers and a global stage for stories that matter. Our vision is to create the definitive destination for documentary content—premium, curated, and deeply impactful—where audiences know they can always find something extraordinary, and filmmakers know their work will be valued, elevated, and seen.”
Documentary+ is available across major platforms including Roku, Apple iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Google Play, and Amazon Fire TV, with upcoming launches planned on Vizio, Samsung TV, Xbox, and LG. In addition to its on-demand offering, Documentary+ operates a FAST channel distributed on Samsung TV Plus, DirecTV, Plex, Sling TV, Fubo, and other leading platforms, reaching millions of viewers globally.
Documentary+ is positioned for rapid growth across SVOD at $4.99/month, AVOD & FAST, “creating a scalable ecosystem for premium nonfiction storytelling,” according to the release. Documentary+ intends to expand its content library “through a combination of strategic acquisitions, original productions, and filmmaker partnerships, while investing in curation, discoverability, and global distribution. The platform will also introduce new initiatives designed to support independent filmmakers and bring underrepresented stories to wider audiences.”
Currently number 1 on the Documentary+ platform is Trango, a feature about mountaineers Jim Morrison and Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger and others who “attempt the first-ever ski descent of Pakistan’s formidable Great Trango Tower.” No. 2 on the site is Jeffrey Epstein: The Unredacted Story, directed by Macready Massey. Among other notable films streaming on Documentary+ are Oscar-shortlisted Apolonia, Apolonia, directed by Leah Glob (trending at no. 8); Still Working 9 to 5, directed by Camille Hardman and Gary Lane and featuring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and the late Dabney Coleman (trending at no. 18), and the Oscar-shortlisted short film A Swim Lesson, directed by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.
“We want to be the number 1 place that people think of when they think, where do I go to watch a great documentary?” Clark explained in an interview with Deadline. “We want it to be a nice, curated destination so that people know where to go. That’s kind of our main sentiment because there’s so many great films out there that just somehow don’t find a home, which is insane to me.”
Clark outlined plans for significant acquisitions of features, shorts, and series — some on an exclusive basis, others non-exclusive. By way of example, he cited an award-winning film Documentary+ is in talks to acquire that premiered at Sundance in 2024. “It’s just has been sitting on a hard drive for a year and a half,” since then, Clark said, a fate shared by many quality nonfiction films that are struggling to find distribution. “We want to be the place for those movies. That’s a big goal both personally and of the platform… As many of those films as we can get, we’re going after them. And also the films that for some political reason or something, never found the light of day.”
In the near term, Clark said, “Our plan for April is to release one new film every single day that you can only find on Doc+ at least to start, and then grow from there.”
Parent company acTVe, based in West Hollywood, describes itself as “a next-generation streaming television company operating a portfolio of FAST channels and digital networks distributed across major connected TV platforms worldwide. The company specializes in building, scaling, and monetizing premium streaming brands across sports, documentaries, science, and entertainment.”
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