For the past few years, YouTube has been the ultimate democracy willing to take in every tired, poor, and huddled video. But just this week, YouTube has decided to put on its curatorial hat by establishing The YouTube Screening Room—a site highlighting a few high quality films each week. Sound good? I thought so too. They’re releasing four short films every two weeks (a good starting pace) with the open possibility of releasing a feature film should the right one come around.

The YouTube press release touts the potential of “creating new business opportunities for filmmakers,” that includes enrollment in revenue-sharing (from ads?) and an iTunes-esque “Buy Now” button that’s sure to see little action.

The first four films look great but aren’t reflective of the “new and obscure” selections YouTube is promising: Are You The Favorite Person of Anybody? (2006), The Danish Poet (2007 Academy Award winner), Our Time is Up (2006 Academy Award nominee), and Love and War. I hope more focus is brought to smaller and more current films in the coming weeks.