Canadian cinemas are screening alternative entertainment from live opera and theatre to live sporting events.

Now Canadian indie movies are joining the event cinema trend at the local multiplex.

Landmark Cinemas is to feature Canadian indie films on the first Wednesday of every month.

The Canadian circuit will give over 17 screens to host Canadian Indie Night, starting in March 2015.

The move, unveiled at the Whistler Film Festival on Friday, is the brainchild of MEI Group, which programs music, theatre and arts programming for cinema chains, and Canadian indie distributor A71 Entertainment.

The initiative will launch next month an online portal tailored to film-goers and indie theatre owners, ahead of the spring 2015 launch for the film series. In-theatre promotion and trailers highlighting the upcoming titles will follow.

A71 and MEI are in talks with Canadian indie distributors and producers to secure homegrown movie titles for the series.

Landmark Cinemas Canada owns and operates 51 theatres with 344 screens.