Mumbai: Documentary Channel (DOC) has reached an exclusive agreement with IMAX Corporation through Norwalk, Conn.-based distributor Northstar Media to televise a collection of 21 films from the IMAX library for the first time in the US, it was announced by Documentary Channel founder and CEO Tom Neff and Northstar Media co-presidents Andy Weir and Pat McDonald.

DOC is the first and only 24-hour US television network devoted exclusively to independent documentary films and secured the exclusive IMAX XXI Film Package with a multi-year contract through Northstar Media.

"IMAX has an unparalleled reputation with both the film industry and general public for producing extraordinary, awe-inspiring film experiences and Documentary Channel is proud to be the network to bring these spectacular films to North American television audiences for the first time," says Neff. "They have been transferred to High Def with meticulous care, and DOC is thrilled with the opportunity of unveiling these films on television."

"The Documentary Channel is committed to bringing high-quality content to their viewers, and the IMAX XXI Film Package is the perfect example of such commitment," says McDonald. "We are very pleased to have delivered this incredible film package on behalf of our client, as it allows both IMAX and the DOC Channel to extend their brands."

Including films like Tom Hanks-narrated Magnificent Desolation, Tom Cruise-narrated Space Station, and T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous, the 21 films in the collection represent some of the most successful films in IMAX history. The films to appear on DOC have a combined estimated total of more than $600 million in gross box office receipts, including three of the top 10 largest grossing films in IMAX history.

The IMAX XXI Film Package will premiere on DOC throughout 2008, with specific titles and telecast schedules to be announced at a later date.