Watch our how-to video for a guide to FLC’s Virtual Cinema!
General
How does it work?
Start by creating an account or logging in to to browse our full catalogue. To watch a film, hover over the thumbnail and click “Rent,” or navigate to the film page and click the “Rent” button. You will be prompted to enter your credit card number in the pop-up window. If you have a promo code, it can be entered in this window as well. You will be emailed a link to watch your rental, or your film will appear in “My Library” shortly. Visit here for specific viewing windows.
How can I watch from my TV?
The FLC Virtual Cinema app is available on Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad via the Apple App Store and on FireStick via Amazon App Store.
You can use AirPlay via Safari to watch on your Apple TV or Roku. You can use Chromecast to watch on your TV with Chromecast built in or with a Chromecast dongle. You can also connect an HDMI cable from your laptop/desktop to TV.
Mirroring is not supported. Chromebook is also not supported due to lacking the DRM support required. If you do not see the Chromecast button on your player window, see here for troubleshooting.
Can I watch the films in the Virtual Cinema from anywhere in the world?
No, only those living in the U.S. or U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands) will be able to watch films on the Film at Lincoln Center Virtual Cinema. Exceptions may apply.
Are group sales available for films and screenings in the FLC Virtual Cinema?
Discounted group sales are available for orders of 6 or more tickets to a specific screening in the FLC Virtual Cinema. To learn more or to arrange a group sale, please contact groupsales@filmlinc.org.
Can I share my FLC Virtual Cinema account with a friend?
No. Your account is unique to you. A friend must create a new account and purchase a rental to watch on their devices. If a user shares their account, their account will be revoked and purchases will not be refunded. Exceptions apply only to dual memberships.
Account Management
How do I create an account/log in?
In the top-right corner of the Virtual Cinema, click “FLC Virtual Cinema Login” or “Create Account” and follow the onscreen prompts. You can review or update your account again by clicking your name and selecting “My Account” from the drop-down menu.
Do I use my existing Film at Lincoln Center login, as I have for past screenings at the Walter Reade Theater and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center?
No. You will be required to create a new account. We recommend using the email address associated with your FLC Account (if you have one) to access our Virtual Cinema. Click “Create Account” and follow the onscreen prompts.
How do I change/reset my password?
In the top-right corner of any page, click your name and select “My Account” from the drop-down menu. Next to your current password, you have the option to change it. If you have forgotten your password and need to reset it, click “FLC Virtual Cinema Login” and then “Forgotten Your Password?” You will be emailed a link to reset your password.
Rentals
Do I have to watch the films at a specific time?
Most films are available on demand at any time of the day once you rent them. Some films may be available to rent before they are available for viewing. If you rent a film ahead of time, your rental window will begin as soon as the film is available for viewing. Exceptions apply to Limited Viewing Window films, which are available for a specific time and your stream will end at the noted end time. Please ensure you give yourself enough time to view the entire film during the viewing window. Check film pages for details.
How long do I have to watch my rental?
Visit here for specific rental and viewing windows.
I recently rented a film and don’t recall the rental and/or playback window.
Viewing details for upcoming festivals, films, and special screenings that are currently on sale can be accessed here.
Can I start a film and come back to it later?
Yes, films can be paused and resumed within 24 hours of pressing play. Exceptions apply for Limited Viewing Window films.
Can I rent a film that is available at a future date?
Yes. You can pre-order it now, but you won’t be able to watch it until the day it’s listed as available. Visit here for specific rental and viewing windows.
How much does a film cost to rent?
Prices vary. Find the rental price on each respective film page.
What is your refund and exchange policy?
No refunds or exchanges are permitted on virtual rentals.
Where can I find my rental history?
Your past rentals will still appear in your Library as long as they’re in the Virtual Cinema catalogue, but will be marked “Expired.” Once a film has been removed from the catalogue, you will no longer see it in your Library.
I’m getting an error message that the film is not available in my country, but I’m in the U.S. What’s going on?
It may be that you’re using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which masks your IP address. Sometimes VPNs make it appear as though you are in another country. All of our films are geo-blocked so that they are only available to IP addresses in the U.S., so you’ll need to turn off or modify your VPN before proceeding.
I’d like to test playback before I rent a film. Can I do that?
Yes. We recommend renting our free Q&A playlist featuring NYFF58 filmmakers and their past visits to Film at Lincoln Center. Watch here.
Navigation
What is the difference between “My List” and “My Library”?
Adding films to “My List” allows you to bookmark titles to watch later. This is not the same as renting a film. Rented films will appear in “My Library” after purchase. To remove a film from your List, hover over the title and click the checkmark next to “My List.” Films will automatically be made unavailable in your Library after their rental window expires. Visit here for specific viewing windows.
How do I locate films I rented before they were available to view?
Films that you have already paid for are located in “My Library.” You can access this section by clicking on your profile in the top-right corner of the page and selecting “My Library” in the drop-down menu.
How do I add to “My Devices” and is there a limit?
When you sign in on a device like your phone, tablet, or laptop, it is automatically registered to “My Devices.” You can edit or remove registered devices by clicking on your profile and selecting “My Devices” in the drop-down menu. Users may have up to two registered devices. You can only watch films on registered devices.
Is there any bonus content that comes with my rental?
Some titles may include bonus content like introductions or Q&As with filmmakers. To watch them, click on a title and scroll down to “Bonus Content.” Please note: you must rent a title in order to watch its bonus content.
Accessibility
Where can I find films that have closed-captioning?
If a film is available with closed-captioning, this is noted below the description on the film page.
How do I enable closed-captioning on my rental?
You can enable closed-captioning or descriptive sound by clicking on the “CC” button in the lower-right corner of the player and enabling captions.
Technical Information
What are the system requirements?
You can watch on PCs running Windows 7+ and Intel-based Macs running macOS 10.12+. You will need a broadband or fiber internet connection––dial-up will not work. You’ll find a complete list of requirements below.
What are the browser requirements for Windows computers?
Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
Google Chrome (version 89 or later), Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Opera (version 75 or later), Firefox (version 88 or later). We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported.
What are the browser requirements for Mac computers?
MacOS 10.12 or later.
Google Chrome (version 89 or later), Safari, or Opera (version 75 or later), Firefox (version 88 or later). We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported.
Can I watch content on my iPhone/iPad?
Yes, you can watch content using Safari and this requires iOS 11.2 or later. We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported.
Can I watch content on my Android device?
Yes, you can watch content using Chrome and this requires Android 6.0 or later. We recommend using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported.
I can’t stream any of the content. What’s going on?
Check your minimum system requirements above. We recommend that you update to the latest version of your browser. We use adaptive bitrate streaming, which means the streaming quality will automatically adjust based on your internet speed. For high-definition (HD) streaming we recommend VDSL, cable, or fiber connections as we cannot guarantee consistent HD streaming on ADSL.
I’m getting a black screen when I try to play my rental. What can I do?
Please ensure your system meets the minimum requirements. As an anti-piracy initiative, our Virtual Cinema platform will not work if you have a video sharing program open. Please make sure you have completely closed down all applications that have the ability to record your screen. This includes, but is not limited to Zoom, Google Hangouts, Facetime, or any other screen recording programs. If you were hoping to join a friend virtually to watch a film together, please ensure that neither of you are using one of the above devices from the same device you are streaming your film from.
Why does video playback stall or not play smoothly?
If your internet connection is poor or inconsistent you may experience problems during playback.
Member Questions
Why do I have to use a promo code to get the member rate on tickets?
The FLC Virtual Cinema platform is not compatible with our Membership database. Therefore, the FLC Virtual Cinema platform has no way of detecting who is a Member and who is not.
How much is the member rate for rental?
Members save on the cost of most rentals. This discount is applied only when you enter the promo code provided to you by email, and can be used for virtual screenings across all programs and bundles.
Where can I find the promo code for members?
Please check your email for promo codes which will apply the member discount. This can also be found on the password-protected Member Corner. Please contact members@filmlinc.org to verify your membership and receive the password if needed.
I’m a Member, but didn’t use the member promo code when making my rental payment. Can I have it retroactively applied?
No. Our system does not support partial refunds. Please make sure to apply the Member discount code every time for each distinct title in the Virtual Cinema. It must be used each time, it will not be automatically applied after one use. Please email members@filmlinc.org if you have difficulty locating the code.
Can I give my member promo code to my friends?
Please do not. The member discount is a benefit which is shared among the FLC membership community. Due to the nature of our virtual rental platform, we must rely on our members to use the code responsibly and to preserve the integrity of our program.
I have two people on my membership account. Can we both rent films?
If you have two people under your membership, only one account holder will be able to rent films or purchase tickets for the household (in the same manner as in years past).
Can I use my Film at Lincoln Center log-in information to access the Virtual Cinema platform?
No. The FLC Virtual Cinema platform is distinct from filmlinc.org. You will need to create a unique account.
Can someone at FLC create my account?
No. For security reasons, you need to create your own account and set your own password that you will be able to remember.
Can someone at FLC process my order for virtual screenings?
No. For security reasons, FLC staff do not have the ability to process your virtual screening rental order.
I’m having a problem with my virtual rental. Who should I contact?
Please contact virtualsupport@filmlinc.org for additional support. If you are having a technical problem with Chromecast or Airplay, please visit the respective pages for assistance.
