New York-based arthouse distributor Kino Lorber has acquired MHz Networks, the parent company of MHz Choice, an online streaming service dedicated to international television series.

Under the deal, announced Thursday, Kino Lorber will add its library of more than 5,000 titles to MHz Choice, which specializes in non-U.S. TV series, streaming such shows as Scandinavian crime dramas Wallander and Beck, or French period procedural Paris Police 1900. The entire staff of both MHz Networks and Kino Lorber will remain in place, with CEO Frederick Thomas and SVP of Content Strategy Lance Schwulst continuing to lead MHz Networks within Kino Lorber Media Group.

“MHz’s track record of curating best-in-class series from around the world has helped it build one of the most loyal subscriber audiences in streaming,” said Kino Lorber president and CEO Richard Lorber in a statement. “At a time when Hollywood mega-streamers are going bigger and broader, we like the idea of going deeper into specialized content to super-serve the most discerning audiences.”

MHz Networks, which began as an extension of American Public Broadcasting, launched its SVOD service MHz Choice in 2015. Kino Lorber is one of the most prolific distributors in the arthouse space, with a recent slate that includes such features as Maggie Peren’s WW2 drama The Forger, which premiered in Berlin, Cannes titles 1976 from Manuela Martelli and The Worst Ones from directors Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, and Pietro Marcello’s 2019 Venice Film Festival entry Martin Eden, which starred The Old Guard actor Luca Marinelli.

In 2019, Kino Lorber company first expanded into digital distribution with the launch of its TVOD service Kino Now. During COVID, Kino Lorber began a “virtual cinema” offering, Kino Marquee. And last year, the company launched its first ad-supported streaming service, Kino Cult.