America Film

LA’s Hot Dog Obsession: Canadian Filmmaker dougieluv Tries to Understand America’s Fascination With Hot Dogs

LOS ANGELES, June 18 /PRNewswire/ — In a quest to comprehend America’s passion for the humble hot dog, the three-man Canadian film team of comedian dougieluv, his assistant Paul and cameraman Blake have piled into their stylin’ wheels — a 5 speed 1988 Chrysler Dodge Caravan — and they’re taking the States by storm!

Crash-landing in Los Angeles, the hot dog capital of America, straight into the middle of a 50-person Hot Dog Death March and chatting up Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, dougieluv and his documentary team are getting closer and closer to the elusive secret of America’s and Los Angeles’ favorite food as they explore and discover the smokin’ hot LA hot dog scene!

With National Hot Dog Month around the corner this July, they’re just in time!

For a fun feature or lighthearted story, check out their playful LA hot dog explorations as well as their freshly grilled video trailer on their homepage at http://www.dougiedog.com.

Contact the guys at paul@dougiedog.com or 310.571.7194

You’ll have to hurry, because the boys take off for Chicago via Route 66 on June 20th!

The Dog Deets:

Documentary filmmaker dougieluv & his two-man crew are chronicling their comedic journey into the warm heart of America’s obsession with hot dogs in the hot dog capital, Los Angeles!

Website:http://www.dougiedog.com
Contact email: paul@dougiedog.com
Contact phone: 310.571.7194

SOURCE dougieluv

Nexicon to Track Global Voting of Latin World’s Biggest Music-Based Reality Television Series

Real-time tracking and GPS visualization will pit countries against each other as viewers vote for favorite contestants

LOS ANGELES and MIAMI, June 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Nexicon (Pink Sheets: NXCO), a developer of next generation digital media protection and intelligence solutions, announced today that Esmiplaneta has selected Nexicon’s innovative technology to track worldwide voting for the upcoming “La Batalla de las Americas” (Battle of the Americas), a reality television show that will pit country against country in a global broadcast to pick the final member of Latin America’s newest music super group. Similar in format to the U.S. show “American Idol,” the television series will air from June 28, 2009 through September 20, 2009.

Esmiplaneta is the premier portal for the global Latin community and exclusive online broadcaster of Batalla de las Americas. A global audience will be casting votes during the 13-week airing of the reality show, and Nexicon will geographically track each and every mobile and Internet vote that is cast. Nexicon’s technology will create a real-time graphic to be displayed onscreen during the show’s airing and online at esmiplaneta.com that depicts voter locations across the Americas. As viewers participate from 23 countries and rally behind their favorites, they can see which countries are in the lead and which contestant is likely to take home the ultimate prize: the final spot in the newly formed Latin American super group XM2, which features three of the former members of the boy-band Menudo — Sergio Blass, Rawy Torres and Jonathan Montenegro.

“Batalla de las Americas promises to be the most innovative, provocative and intensive music-based reality show – grabbing the attention of the Americas and the entire entertainment world,” said Roy A. Sciacca, president and CEO of WorldVibe Entertainment Group, which produces La Batalla de las Americas. “This groundbreaking concept required equally groundbreaking technology to bring it to life. Nexicon will help drive an unprecedented amount of viewer participation by allowing viewers to see in real time where votes are coming from and where their contestants are in the race.”

“This is just one example of how our technology can be used to monitor, collect and analyze an extraordinary amount of data transmissions in real time,” said Tommy Stiansen, chief technology officer of Nexicon. “In this case we’re monitoring votes across the Internet and on cellular networks, but there are also exciting applications in any industry where collection of vast amounts of data with real-time analysis and reporting with advanced geolocation is required.”

“During the show’s auditions in El Salvador alone, there were more than 11 million text votes in just 10 days, so we’re expecting an enormous amount of voting once the show begins to air across the world on June 28th,” added Sciacca. “Nexicon will be able to track and pinpoint exactly where each and every vote is coming from and display that in real time for the world to see.”

About Nexicon

Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Nexicon (PNK: NXCO) delivers next-generation digital media protection and digital media business intelligence products and solutions to many industries, including the motion picture and music industries, software and gaming, publishing, ISPs, financial services and government. Its product line includes: DigitalRanger to identify those who illegally facilitate, promote, and profit from hosting or distributing copyrighted content; GetAmnesty that allows copyright holders to fight piracy and collect revenue lost from illegal downloads; YouScout that helps content owners store, distribute and manage their content on the most popular community-driven sites on the Internet, such as YouTube(TM); Envoy that helps ISPs manage DMCA notices for their subscribers; and more. For more information about Nexicon, visit www.nexiconinc.com and check out Nexicon’s blog at www.nexiconinc.com/corpblog/.

About Esmiplaneta

Esmiplaneta is developing the premier portal for the global Latin community, esmiplaneta.com. Combining the power of social networking with original broadcast content and support for international network programming, it creates a robust internet and cellular experience for the Latin American consumer. Esmiplaneta is the feature sponsor and exclusive online broadcaster of the hot new music-based reality television show “Batalla de las Americas,” which pits country against country in a global broadcast to pick the final member of Latin America’s newest music super group, XM2. Esmiplaneta.com will feature the “Batalla de las Americas Online Show” with behind the scenes looks at the Contestant Mansion, Audition on the Net and much more.

About WorldVibe Entertainment Group

The WorldVibe Entertainment Group is a full spectrum entertainment company focused on providing the best in all forms of Latin entertainment, including Television, Film, Music, World Tours, Major Events and Home Video/DVD to the nearly 600 million Latino consumers throughout the Americas. Roy A. Sciacca, veteran producer and current president and CEO of WorldVibe entertainment, has produced professional music videos and hundreds of live concert events and tour productions for artists such as Korn, My Chemical Romance, Yellowcard, Janet Jackson, Don Henley, Chicago, Alice Cooper, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, and Kiss, while developing sponsorship, marketing and advertising initiatives for these projects. In addition they created and produced popular concept tours for The Elvis Presley Memorabilia – Museum World Tour (1995 & 1996) and in 1997 through 1999 created the 50th Anniversary NASCAR Tour as well as the U.S. and European events, Velocity Tour which combined concerts, extreme-games and drag racing. While co-managing the Latin sensation, MDO (the new Menudo) and Los Ultimos Heroes for their concert tour and new album, then working with Ricky Martin during the “La Vida Loca” explosion (with 22 million units sold and merchandising exceeding $100 million), the Company experienced the erupting U.S. Hispanic market and began to focus on the Latin market on a global scale.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) the Company’s financing plans; (ii) trends affecting the Company’s financial condition or results of operations; (iii) the Company’s growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) the declaration and payment of dividends. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Sam Glines

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=88866

Tommy Stiansen

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=88867

SOURCE Nexicon

Maria Full of Grace Story Originator Announces Next Film Project

World Renowned Community Icon to Bring Another Real-Life Story to the Big Screen

NEW YORK, June 18 /PRNewswire/ — Dona Blanca, LLC, today announced the production of the film Dona Blanca, which is a real-life story co-written by Orlando Tobon, the philanthropic and social icon best known as “The Mayor of Little Colombia.”

Tobon’s reputation as a viable entertainment personality was solidified in 2004 as the chief storyteller for the film Maria Full of Grace, which subsequently won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Tobon played himself in the film and also served as associate producer. He is also the author of Simon & Schuster’s “Jackson Heights Chronicles,” which has been translated into several languages.

Dona Blanca is a powerful, captivating family tale about a mother and a daughter who struggle with the difficult choice between accepting the real value of family and love and the hollow search for status and material possessions. The film’s compelling storyline follows the highs and lows of their journey from Colombia to the U.S., where in the end, as all seems lost, the human spirit triumphs.

The director of the film, Carlos Bolado, is one of the fast rising directors of the New Mexican Film Wave. His 2002 documentary, Promises, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary. Dona Blanca will be shot on location using the new high-definition (HD) RED camera in Colombia, South America; New York City and Queens, New York.

The official Dona Blanca website can be found at www.donablancallc.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Dona Blanca, LLC
Sergio Morales
917-361-1937
sgmorales@aol.com

SOURCE Dona Blanca, LLC

Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story to Premiere Labor Day on Smithsonian Channel(TM)

Two part documentary tells the story of the Federal Writer’s Project of 1930’s to premiere Sunday, September 6 at 8 pm

WASHINGTON, June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — It was a time of unparalleled national crisis; as millions of Americans faced unemployment, vanishing life savings, banks foreclosing on homes and feeling a general loss of hope, Americans turned to a newly elected President to lead them out of this turbulent time.

It sounds eerily like today’s current events. But as viewers of a powerful new two part documentary, “Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story,” will see when it premieres on Smithsonian Channel this coming Labor Day Weekend, September 6 at 8 pm, the Great Depression also created a unique opportunity to capture the essence of America. “Soul of a People” explores one of the most controversial public assistance programs of the Great Depression.

The Federal Writers Project was one of four arts programs under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Project employed thousands of unemployed writers, including Richard Wright, Saul Bellow and John Cheever, to fan out across America, interview its citizens, and produce a portrait of the USA from the ground up in a series of state travel guides. They captured a unique portrait of 1930’s Americana. But what began as a program to create guidebooks for every state ended up igniting a storm of controversy when writers sought out not only the triumphs of America, but also its tragedies.

At its peak, the Project employed over 6,600 people in all 48 states. They included a handful of published authors, old newspaper reporters, former school teachers and others. Two of its better-known workers, Studs Terkel (in one of his last interviews before passing away in October 2008) and Stetson Kennedy, are interviewed for the documentary.

In addition to Kennedy and Terkel, the documentary features interviews with a diverse group of leading authors, poets, and historians, including Douglas Brinkley and David Bradley, who provide witty and heartbreaking insights into the Project.

Filmed entirely in high definition, “Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story” is a Spark Media Production produced for Smithsonian Networks(TM) with a major funding grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is produced and directed by Andrea Kalin and based on the book, “Soul of a People,” by David A. Taylor. Taylor also serves as co-producer and co-writer for the documentary. Award winning actress Patricia Clarkson is the narrator.

“Soul of a People” will be the subject of a series of organized exhibits, lectures and panels at over thirty libraries throughout the United States. Each library will work with a local scholar of the era to help present and plan and promote these programs. These exhibits will continue through the Fall of 2009 and are sponsored by the American Library Association and supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“This is the perfect show for Smithsonian Channel,” said David Royle, Executive Vice President of Programming and Production. “It defines our mission of telling America’s stories with our distinctive voice. This is a story that speaks to our times and we feel is ideally timed for a Labor Day airing.”

“Soul of a People” will air exclusively on Smithsonian Channel on Sunday, September 6 at 8 pm.

ABOUT SMITHSONIAN NETWORKS

Smithsonian Networks (SN) is a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create new channels to showcase scientific, cultural and historical programming based largely upon the assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex. Smithsonian Channel features original documentaries, short-subject explorations and innovative and groundbreaking programs highlighting America’s historical, cultural and scientific heritage. Visit Smithsonian Networks on the Internet at www.smithsonianchannel.com

SOURCE Smithsonian Networks

Second Season of Critically Acclaimed Series EPITAFIOS(R)to Premiere in September

First Season of Psychological Thriller Set to Re-Air Starting June 19th,

Leading into the Highly-Anticipated New Season Premiere

NEW YORK, June 19 /PRNewswire/ — The critically acclaimed psychological thriller EPITAFIOS, which captivated HBO television audiences when it made its U.S. premiere in 2005, is returning for a second season on HBO Latino, HBO2 and HBO On Demand this September.

In anticipation of the series’ new season, an encore presentation of EPITAFIOS Season One will begin airing in Spanish on Friday, June 19th at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO Latino, and with English subtitles on Saturday, June 20th at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO2. The thirteen-episode first season will air on subsequent Fridays and Saturdays at the same time on their respective channels throughout the summer, leading directly into the Season Two premiere. In addition, Season One will also be available to all HBO On Demand subscribers (subtitled in English) beginning in August.

Filmed in Buenos Aires, the suspense-filled first season follows a cat-and-mouse game between a morose police detective (Julio Chavez) who is looking for a reason to live and a psychotic serial killer (Antonio Birabent) who is bent on revenge.

“We’re excited to bring back a series that generated such a tremendous following when it first aired,” said Lucinda Desir, vice president, Acquisition & Multicultural Marketing at HBO. “This will allow fans to get back into the action before the new season starts and give new viewers a chance to experience the suspense for the first time.”

After a highly successful Season One debut on HBO Latin America in August 2004, the EPITAFIOS series aired for the first time in the U.S. on HBO Latino, HBO Signature and HBO on Demand, compelling critics nationwide to rave about the Spanish-language thriller. NYTimes.com called it “addictive and hard to resist,” while Entertainment Weekly put the show on its “must list,” hailing it as “a superb Argentinean TV series.” The Boston Herald proclaimed at the time that “HBO’s next blockbuster hit may be in Spanish.”

The first full episode of Season One is already available at www.hbolatino.com/epitafios1. In addition, fans can visit www.hbolatino.com/epitafiossweeps to enter the “EPITAFIOS Killer Sweepstakes” for a chance to win a $1,000 gift certificate from GiftCertificates.com.

About EPITAFIOS

EPITAFIOS Season One is written by Walter Slavich and Marcelo Slavich; directed by Jorge Nisco and Alberto Lecchi; executive producers, Adrian Suar, Fernando Blanco and Luis F. Peraza; producer, Diego Andrasnik; directors of photography, Jorge Fernandez and Guillermo Zappino; editors, Alejandro Alem and Alejandro Parysow; production director, Victor Tevah; music, Ivan Wyszogrod; art direction, Horacio Pigozzi; sound direction, Anibal Giral and Adrian de Michele. Cast includes Julio Chavez, Cecilia Roth, Paola Krum, Antonio Birabent, Luis Luque, David Masajnik and Villanueva Cosse.

About HBO Latino

HBO Latino is a dedicated Spanish-language premium channel that delivers compelling and relevant programming to the U.S. Latino market. Exclusive to the channel are the regular U.S. premieres of Spanish-language series, films, and documentaries acquired from North America, Latin America and Spain, as well as top music videos and original short-form programming. Additionally, HBO Latino offers the best Hollywood movies, HBO boxing and HBO original programming from the network’s main channel in Spanish. Visit http://www.hbolatino.com for more information and scheduling.

(C)2009 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO(R) and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.

EPITAFIOS is a registered trademark of HBO Ole Partners.

SOURCE HBO Latino

Anchor Bay Films Acquires Tribeca Festival Audience Favorite City Island

Anchor Bay Films logo. (PRNewsFoto/Anchor Bay Entertainment)

BURBANK, CA UNITED STATES

Writer/Director Raymond De Felitta’s Laugh-Out-Loud Comedy Features An Outstanding Ensemble Cast Including Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Alan Arkin, Emily Mortimer, Ezra Miller, and Dominik Garcia-Lorido

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 19 /PRNewswire/ — Anchor Bay Films announced today it has acquired all distribution rights for North America, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand to writer/director Raymond De Felitta’s comedy about family secrets and lies, City Island. This all-star comedy, which won the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival Heineken Audience Award, features Academy Award(R) nominee Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Academy Award(R) winner Alan Arkin, Emily Mortimer, Ezra Miller, and Dominik Garcia-Lorido. Academy Award(R) winner Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (Finding Neverland) composed the lyrical score.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081009/LATH061LOGO)

“We are thrilled to acquire such a crowd-pleasing comedy,” said Anchor Bay Entertainment President, Bill Clark. “City Island features a fantastic ensemble cast, led by the talented Andy Garcia, whose performance Variety lauded as ‘virtuoso’ and his audition scene a ‘comic mini-masterpiece.’”

Added Anchor Bay Films’ Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Kevin Kasha, “Everyone has crazy family members, which may be why people connect so strongly with City Island. This film is guaranteed to entertain and we’re proud to be including it in the Anchor Bay Films line-up.”

In City Island, audiences are introduced to the Rizzos, a family that might get along a lot better if only they could tell each other the truth. At its heart, City Island is a funny, touching and smart family tale about the secrets of the past catching up with the lies of the present, and accepting that nobody’s perfect – least of all your loved ones.

“I couldn’t feel my movie was in better hands,” said De Felitta, an Oscar(R) nominee for his live action short Bronx Cheers, whose credits include Two Family House and The Thing About My Folks. “Anchor Bay Films is boldly filling a sorely felt gap in indie film distribution and their passion and belief in City Island’s future convinced me they were the right place for this movie.”

The deal for City Island was negotiated by Clark, Kasha, and Richard Turner for Anchor Bay Films, and Andrew Ruf for Paradigm Motion Picture Finance Group, which packaged the project, Mark Halloran and Michael Roban for Lucky Monkey Pictures, Irwin Tenenbaum and Kenneth Weinrib.

The film is a joint venture between Andy Garcia’s CineSon Productions, Inc., Raymond De Felitta’s Medici Entertainment, Inc., Lauren Versel’s and Maria Teresa Arida’s Lucky Monkey Pictures, LLC, Zachary Matz’s Filmsmith and Gremi Film Productions. Producers are Garcia, De Felitta, Versel, and Zachary Matz. Executive Producers are Maria Teresa Arida, Lucia Seabra, Milutin G. Gatsby, Michael Roban, Greg Hajdarowicz. The foreign sales company is U.K-based WestEnd Films.

Anchor Bay Films is unique in that it offers the creative community a fully integrated distribution capability and an international solution extending beyond the U.S. Anchor Bay Films, a division of Anchor Bay Entertainment, is on the ground providing quality distribution with operations in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as distribution capabilities in other key territories. The company focuses on a platform release strategy for its films with an eye toward maximizing their potential across all ancillary distribution platforms. Anchor Bay Films acquired Spread, starring Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche, at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and most recently, The Open Road, starring Jeff Bridges and Justin Timberlake.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment

Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray formats. It is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

SOURCE Anchor Bay Films

American Film Institute Honors Michael Douglas at 37th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala

Jack Nicholson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Annette Bening, Tobey Maguire Among Those Saluting Douglas’s Career

Gala Event to Air on TV Land PRIME on July 19th

LOS ANGELES, June 12 /PRNewswire/ — Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Martin Sheen, Oliver Stone, Benicio Del Toro, and Kathleen Turner were among those honoring Michael Douglas at the 37th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute held at Sony Pictures Studios this evening. The star-studded black tie gala will air on July 19th at 9pm ET/PT on TV Land PRIME, TV Land’s prime time programming block.

After introductions by Sony President and CEO Sir Howard Stringer and AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale, the show opened with a surprise “made-for-the movies” moment as a stunt double fell through a fake ceiling (re-enacting Douglas’s climactic dinner entrance in his film, THE GAME). The show pulled out all the stops in celebrating both Douglas’s impressive career as an Academy Award-winning actor and producer, and the art of film itself.

Show highlights included a moving appearances by the honoree’s father, film legend and 1991 AFI honoree Kirk Douglas, and Steve Swankay, an ex-child soldier from Sierra Leone whose education Douglas had sponsored, as well as a show-stopping performance of “One” from the musical A CHORUS LINE (the film version of which starred Douglas), featuring Douglas’s wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones and a surprise musical performance by Bob Dylan. Several of Douglas’s notable co-stars and friends also paid tribute.

Jack Nicholson, 1994 AFI Life Achievement recipient and star of the Douglas produced 1975 classic ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, had the honor of presenting the award to Douglas saying, “I’ve had so many of my high moments and so many of my fine moments with you.”

Upon receiving the award, Douglas thanked the NBA for making sure the Lakers had an away game so Nicholson could attend. Douglas continued, saying that in his travels around the world he is frequently struck by the fact that American films export the nation’s culture in a way that reflects incredibly well on the country and its values.

Among those he thanked were both of his parents for his “acting DNA”, noting that both continue to act. Douglas also paid tribute to former THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO co-star and mentor, Karl Malden. Following up on Malden’s taped thoughts that he considered Douglas an adopted son, he said, “I’ll be his adopted son anytime.”

Also among the guests present were Viacom’s Sumner Redstone, Anne Archer, Sean Astin, Genevieve Bujold, Christopher Lloyd, Eric McCormack, Jesse Metcalfe, Sharon Stone, Deborah Unger, Paul Verhoeven, and members of the AFI Board of Trustees.

The evening was presented by HP and Intel.

Additional sponsorship was provided by Stella Artois.

The 37th AFI Life Achievement Award marks the first of a four-year deal between AFI and TV Land.

EVENT PHOTOS are available through Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com.

About the American Film Institute

AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media.

AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, preserves the legacy of America’s film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, and explores new digital technologies at AFI Digital Content Lab. For 37 years, the AFI Life Achievement Award has remained the highest honor for a career in film. AFI’s 100 Years … series has introduced and reintroduced millions of film lovers to classic American movies. As the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the United States, AFI’s festivals include AFI FEST presented by Audi in Los Angeles, the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival Founding Sponsor Victory Park, Presenting Sponsor NorthPark Center, and AFI-Discovery Channel SilverDocs Documentary Festival in Silver Spring, Maryland, in addition to year-round programming at the ArcLight Theaters and Skirball Center in Los Angeles, and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in the Washington, DC area. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.

About TV Land PRIME and TV Land

TV Land PRIME is TV Land’s prime time programming destination designed for people in their mid-forties and the exclusive home to the premieres of the network’s original programming, contemporary television series acquisitions and movies. TV Land PRIME is part of TV Land, a network dedicated to presenting the best in entertainment on all platforms for consumers in their 40s and 50s. Consisting of original programming, acquired shows, hit movies and full-service Web site, TV Land is now seen in over 93 million U.S. homes. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information including releases and photographs, please visit TV Land’s press-only Web site at www.tvlandpress.com.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

SOURCE TV Land

ST. LOUIS, June 15 /PRNewswire/ — As part of Stella Artois’ long-standing commitment to the film community, the Belgian beer is sponsoring select American Film Institute (AFI) 2009 events, including the Life Achievement Award honoring Michael Douglas on June 11 and the 23rd annual AFI FEST Oct. 30 – Nov. 7 in Los Angeles. AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. AFI also trains the next generation of filmmakers, maintains America’s film heritage and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education. “AFI plays a vital role in training the next generation of filmmakers, while helping preserve the film industry’s rich heritage,” said Paul Byrne, product manager, Belgian brands. “Stella Artois also has a history of supporting the global film industry including major film festivals and independent cinema. Sponsoring AFI is another way we can reinforce our commitment to the art of filmmaking and the filmmakers who have supported our brand over the years.” Most recently, Stella Artois partnered with Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey and film networking site TriggerStreet.com to create the Stella Artois Short Film Project, which discovers and showcases emerging filmmaking talent, and awards one independent filmmaker a $50,000 cash prize for their short film displaying the themes of “sacrifice” or “perfection.” “We applaud Stella Artois’ support for the film community,” said AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale. “Stella Artois understands the vital role AFI plays in bringing together artists and audiences to celebrate excellence in film.” The AFI Life Achievement Award is the highest honor for a career in film. Founded in 1967, AFI’s mission includes ensuring that great accomplishments of the past are recognized so that masters of film can take their deserved place in history beside leaders in other arts. The AFI Life Achievement Award honors an individual whose career in motion pictures has greatly contributed to the enrichment of American culture. Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminum cans. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com. SOURCE Anheuser-Busch

Plymouth Rock Studios Sponsors First Ever Producers Guild of America ‘Produced by Conference’

PLYMOUTH, Mass., June 8 /PRNewswire/ — Plymouth Rock Studios was the lead sponsor at the first Producers Guild of America “Produced by Conference” June 6th-7th at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, CA. The sold out two day conference was attended by producers and directors from the television, motion pictures and new media communities. The conference examined a broad range of entertainment issues, with guest speakers including James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, producers from Pixar and panels ranging from the “Future of 3D” to “Performance/Motion Capture Production Technology.”

Plymouth Rock Studios, Executive VP of Studios Operations, Rae Ann Del Pozzo, introduced the panel, “How to save the Planet from Green Production,” featuring the studios own CEO, Earl Lestz and moderator Arianna Huffington Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post. David Kirkpatrick, Plymouth Rock Studios, Chairman, took part in “The New Big Bang: Participant Content and The Future of Storytelling,” with Frank Moss, Director of MIT Media Lab Center for Future Storytelling.

Marshall Herskovitz, President of the Producers Guild of America said, “David Kirkpatrick and his team from Plymouth Rock are now re-inventing the studio system, heading up what will become the first major studio facility on the East Coast since the earliest days of our industry. He and Plymouth Rock have been the essential sponsors of this event.”

The Producers Guild of America comprises 4,000 members working in all areas of film, television, and ancillary production. The Guild’s leadership is committed to just treatment for members of the producing team, from rigorous enforcement of workplace labor laws, to fair and impartial standards for the awarding of producing credits.

This past January, Plymouth Rock Studios also was the presenting partner at the 20th Annual Producers Guild of America Awards 2009 at the Hollywood Palladium, in Hollywood CA.

About Plymouth Rock Studios:

Plymouth Rock Studios is projected to create over 2,000 high-income jobs and provide the infrastructure for the sustained growth of the entertainment industry in New England. The Studios will have 14 soundstages and a 10-acre back lot, plus production offices, post-production facilities, a theater, hotel, and an amenity village all being LEED(R)-certified.

For more information on Plymouth Rock Studios: http://www.plymouthrockstudios.com

SOURCE Plymouth Rock Studios

The World’s Most Beloved Fairy Returns in an All-New Magical Adventure

Walt Disney Pictures Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

On Blu-ray(TM) Hi-Def and DVD October 27, 2009

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Also Announces The Fifth Film in the Immensely Popular Fairies Franchise

BURBANK, Calif., June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — In 2008 audiences around the globe re-discovered and fell in love with one of the world’s most iconic characters, as Walt Disney Pictures launched the breathtaking origin story of a beloved character in the fantastic all-new animated adventure — Tinker Bell, the debut film in the exciting new “Disney Fairies” movie series. The delightful tale thrilled audiences of all ages, soaring to reach the year’s number one spot as the biggest Direct-To-DVD release of 2008.* Releasing on October 27, 2009, the enchanting pixie-dusted tale continues in an even more action-packed adventure, as Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure delightfully expands the world of fairies and takes Tink far beyond Pixie Hollow in an original full-length CG animated film that flies to Blu-ray (”Combo Pack” Blu-ray +DVD) and standard def DVD.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) also announced today that the wondrous adventures will continue in a fifth installment beyond the previously announced four films with Tinker Bell: Race Through the Seasons (working title), which is currently in development by DisneyToons Studios and is directed by Bobs Gannaway.

In the original Tinker Bell, for the first time ever, fans heard Tink’s voice, met her fabulous fairy friends, got a glimpse into the world of Pixie Hollow and learned about her true origins and the unexplainable, mystical wonders of nature. Produced by DisneyToon Studios, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is the highly anticipated second film in the continuing Disney Fairies Franchise and a captivating story that continues the overwhelmingly popular adventures through breathtaking animation, spectacular music and an all-star cast of voice talents.

In Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure Tinker Bell’s greatest adventure yet takes place in Autumn, as the fairies are on the mainland changing the colors of the leaves, tending to pumpkin patches, and helping geese fly south for the winter. The rare Blue Moon will rise, and when its light passes through the magical Fall Scepter that Tinker Bell has been summoned to create, Pixie Hollow’s supply of pixie dust will be restored. But when Tinker Bell accidentally puts all of Pixie Hollow in jeopardy, she must venture out across the sea on a secret quest to set things right.

Along her journey Tink meets new friends, including Blaze, a cute and courageous firefly that helps Tinker Bell complete her mission. It’s a long and dangerous journey, full of astonishing encounters, a few narrow escapes and a daring rescue by Tink’s friend Terence. Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is an exciting adventure and a once-in-a-blue-moon experience for the entire family.

The Disney Fairies is the latest franchise from The Walt Disney Company and has become one of the company’s most successful franchises — driven on multiple platforms and across several business units of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Consumer Products, Parks and Resorts, Disney Interactive Media Group, and Disney Channel. The Disney Fairies films are based on a series of books released beginning 2005 by Disney Publishing Worldwide, with more than 18+ million books sold to date. The series includes 10 Chapter Book titles reaching the New York times best-sellers list in the US with many reaching international best-sellers list and Disney Fairies magazines selling 7.5 million copies in 28 countries. The Consumer Products line, encompassing a wide assortment of categories including apparel, toys, role play, stationery, personal care, home decor, and youth electronics has been a huge success at retailers around the world, driving more than $850 MM in global retail sales.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has created an interactive meet and greet at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort with walkaround characters of Tinker Bell, Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta, and Silvermist, producing a popular environment for park visitors to meet their favorite fairies.

The story of Tinker Bell comes to life in the spectacular production of Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Currently in the second year of its US tour, this Disney On Ice show reveals the mystical world of Pixie Hollow and the arrival of Tinker Bell, as well as three other classic Disney stories: Disney/Pixar’s Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid.

Disney Online recently introduced Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow (www.PixieHollow.com), an online destination where fans can experience the wonder and magic of Tinker Bell’s world. In Pixie Hollow, guests can create their very own personalized Fairy and help bring about the change of seasons by making friends, playing games and embarking on quests. To date, more than 16 million Fairies have been created.

Slated for release the same day as Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure for Nintendo DS(TM) from Disney Interactive Studios follows last year’s release of Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell for Nintendo DS. According to NPD data, Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell continuously ranked in the top five adventure genre DS games from October – December of 2008. The new video game mirrors the upcoming movie’s storyline and also lets players create and customize up to five of their own Fairies. The game also allows players to experience new levels of integration with the PixieHollow.com virtual world from Disney Online, including the ability to upload a Fairy avatar and various gatherables from the DS game to the virtual world.

Both the Blu-ray and DVD have magical bonus features including animated “scenes you never saw,” a guide to Pixie Hollow, and much more, offering viewers an extraordinary trip deep inside the enchanted world of Pixie Hollow.

Bonus Materials

* Scenes You Never Saw – These fairy funny alternate scenes did not make it into the movie.
* Magical Guide to Pixie Hollow – Tinker Bell and Terence are your guides as you explore the autumn area of Pixie Hollow.
* Deleted Scenes with Filmmaker Introductions – Play deleted scenes with optional intros by Director Klay Hall and Producer Sean Lurie.
* Pixie Hollow Comes To Florida – Discover how the filmmakers helped transform Epcot into Pixie Hollow.

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is directed by Klay Hall and produced by Sean Lurie.

STREET DATE:            October 27, 2009
Suggested retail price: U.S. $29.99 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray Combo Pack
Canada: $35.99 DVD, $44.99 Blu-ray
Feature run time:       Approx. 70 minutes
Rated:                  This movie is not yet rated
Technical specifications may only apply to feature
Aspect ratio:           Family-friendly wide screen, 1.78:1
Sound:                  Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound
Languages:              English, Spanish and French
Subtitles:              English, Spanish and French
FastPlay:               FastPlay enabled

About Disney’s Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack:

To provide consumers with unprecedented quality, value and portability of their favorite Disney movies, in 2008 Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment pioneered the Combo Pack – a Blu-ray Disc plus a DVD in a single package. Current WDSHE titles available as Combo Packs include Snow White, Hannah Montana The Movie, Race To Witch Mountain, Jonas Brothers, Bedtime Stories, Bolt, Pinocchio, High School Musical 3 and Sleeping Beauty.

About Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Walt Disney Home Entertainment is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Worldwide Home Entertainment, Inc., a recognized industry leader. Walt Disney Studios Worldwide Home Entertainment is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, and Buena Vista DVDs and Blu-rays.

About Disney Fairies

Disney Fairies is rooted in Disney’s rich heritage of children’s storytelling. The franchise builds upon the enormous popularity of Tinker Bell and introduces girls to her secret, magical world and a new circle of enchanting fairy friends – Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta and Silvermist – each with an incredibly diverse talent, personality and look. Launched just a few years ago, the $850 million franchise boasts a thriving publishing and lifestyle merchandising program. To date, over 575 Disney Fairies books and over 125 Tinker Bell movie books have published worldwide in 60 countries and 35 languages, selling nearly 18 million copies; Disney Fairies magazines have sold over 7.5 million copies in 28 countries and an array of products from apparel and toys to electronics, home decor and stationery has extended storylines into many girls’ homes across the globe. DisneyFairies.com is now available in more than 20 territories across North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. Fans have created more than 17 million personalized Fairy avatars to date that can now take flight in the virtual world of Pixie Hollow. Disney theme parks have also launched a Pixie Hollow attraction where fans can meet the Disney Fairies. The Disney Fairies are highlighted in the production of Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy, and additionally, Tinker Bell is in four other Disney On Ice shows touring the world. Following the success of Walt Disney Pictures Tinker Bell on Disney Blu-ray and hi-def DVD, Disney will release Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure this fall as the second title in the series.

These press materials are available in electronic form at www.WDSHEpublicity.com

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Inc.

*Source: Extrapolated Nielsen Home Entertainment data for calendar years 2007 and 2008. Titles released the current year. DVD only. North America.

SOURCE Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment