LIONSGATE, ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS, PARTICIPANT MEDIA AND THE WORKS INTERNATIONAL TO EXPOSE THE COVE

Sundance Award-Winning thriller The Cove will be let loose in domestic and international waters beginning this summer. Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) and Roadside Attractions have acquired all U.S. rights, with The Works International (the U.K. based sales agent of Academy Award® winner MAN ON WIRE), in conjunction with James Atherton’s London-based Quickfire Films Fund, acquiring all other territories. 

Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, The Cove is an astounding piece of investigative journalism with the heart of an action thriller. Led by Louie Psihoyos, co-founder of the Ocean Preservation Society, and Richard O’Barry, an internationally recognized authority on dolphin training who is best known for his work on the 1960’s TV show “Flipper,” the film follows a high-tech dive team on a mission to discover the truth about the international dolphin capture trade as practiced in Taji, Japan. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide.

The Cove is also directed by Louie Psihoyos, who brings confidence and precision to his insider’s account of this life-or-death covert operation. A celebrated photographer who has created images for National Geographic for 18 years, Psihoyos captures the magnificence of the dolphins themselves and the ocean that surrounds them.

With multiple companies bidding on the film, William Morris Independent’s Rena Ronson and Submarine’s Josh Braun worked with the filmmakers to carefully craft the multi party arrangement over a period of several weeks since its initial screening in Sundance.

“Thirty years ago, Jaws gave us a terrifying new vision of the ocean,” said Eric d’Arbeloff, Co-President of Roadside Attractions. “I think The Cove will do the same for a new generation, but now it’s the humans who are terrifying.”

“The Cove brings us some of the most magnificent creatures on the planet and shows us why their peril is our peril,” said Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns.

“We are thrilled to be working with this dream team. With the combination of Roadside, Lionsgate, Participant Media and The Works, we feel that this film will have every opportunity to be seen all over the world and not only entertain but have a tremendous impact on the way people see the oceans and creatures that live in it,” said producer Fisher Stevens.

Added Carl Clifton of The Works International, “The Cove is one of the most extraordinarily powerful, engaging (and engaged) films I’ve seen in a very long time. The audience I saw it with in Sundance literally erupted.”

"The Cove provides a powerful and emotional story about the devastating impact that can occur when commercial interests are placed ahead of humane behavior. Participant Media looks forward to working with the film makers and Roadside Attractions to use the film as a vehicle to raise the visibility of this issue with the public," said John Schreiber, EVP Social Action and Advocacy for Participant Media.

The Cove was written by Mark Monroe and is an Oceanic Preservation Society presentation of a Jim Clark production, in association with Diamond Docs and SkyFish Films. The film is produced by Paula DuPre’ Pesmen and Fisher Stevens; executive produced by Jim Clark and co-produced by Olivia Ahnemann.

The deals were negotiated by d’Arbeloff on behalf of Roadside, Burns on behalf of Lionsgate, Carl Clifton on behalf of The Works, Ltd. and by William Morris Independent’s Rena Ronson and Submarine’s Josh Braun on behalf of the filmmakers. Lionsgate and Roadside plan a summer release.

ABOUT ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS
Roadside Attractions is a film distribution company committed to championing independent films with a willingness to entertain. The company works with filmmakers to devise innovative marketing strategies that encourage audiences to see films that are not typical studio fare. Roadside Attractions’ upcoming releases include Ramin Bahrani’s GOODBYE SOLO, winner of the 2008 Venice Film Festival's FIPRESCI International Critics' prize, R.W. Goodwin’s ALIEN TRESPASS starring Eric McCormack, and RJ Cutler’s much anticipated documentary THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE.

Previous theatrical releases include Patrick Creadon’s Sundance sensation I.O.U.S.A; Toronto Film Festival People's Choice winner, BELLA; Andrew Wagner's Spirit Award-nominated STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING; Tarsem’s groundbreaking visual marvel THE FALL; the outrageous comedy SARAH SILVERMAN: JESUS IS MAGIC; Cannes Directors Fortnight hit CARAMEL; Academy Award® nominee SUPER SIZE ME; Spirit Award winner THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO, as well as box office hits such as AMAZING GRACE, LADIES IN LAVENDER and WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?

ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is the leading next generation studio with a major presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. The Company is leveraging its content leadership and marketing expertise through the recent acquisition of TV Guide Network, one of the 25 most widely distributed cable networks, and partnerships that include the FEARnet branded VOD and Internet horror channel with Sony and Comcast, the expected fall 2009 launch of EPIX, a new premium entertainment channel with partners Viacom and MGM, investment in the leading young men's digital distribution platform Break.com, the recent acquisition of the content and navigation portal TV Guide.com, ownership of the premier independent television syndication company Debmar-Mercury and an alliance with independent filmed entertainment production and distribution company Roadside Attractions.

The Company is an industry market share leader at the North American theatrical box office for calendar 2009 to date and has had recent theatrical box office successes that include TYLER PERRY'S MADEA GOES TO JAIL, which generated a $41 million opening weekend, largest in Lionsgate history, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D, SAW V, RELIGULOUS, FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, RAMBO and THE BANK JOB. Lionsgate has also forged strong positions in television and home entertainment with the production of such critically-acclaimed television series as “Mad Men,” “Weeds” and “Crash,” the distribution of Tyler Perry's “House of Payne,” “Family Feud” and “South Park” and upcoming shows including Tyler Perry's “Meet The Browns” and “The Wendy Williams Show,” as well as market share of nearly 7% and the industry's leading box office-to-DVD conversion rate in home entertainment. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 12,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
ABOUT THE WORKS INTERNATIONAL
The Works' current slate includes the hugely acclaimed and Oscar-winning feature documentary MAN ON WIRE.

Established in 1986, The Works International is one of Europe's leading sales agents. The company is owned by The Works Media Group plc, a stock market quoted company. Over the last few years, The Works International has cemented its position in the marketplace with a string of commercial and artistic successes.

Highlights over the years have included Oscar winners NO MAN'S LAND, THE CRYING GAME and ANTONIA'S LINE; Oscar nominees VENUS and WHALE RIDER; Golden Globe nominee and worldwide smash hit BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM; IN THIS WORLD and THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO, winners of the Berlin Golden Bear and Silver Bear respectively; and Cannes Competition award winners SWEET SIXTEEN and CLEAN.

ABOUT PARTICIPANT MEDIA
Participant Media is a Los Angeles-based entertainment company that focuses on socially relevant, commercially viable feature films, documentaries and television, as well as publishing and digital media. Participant Media is headed by CEO Jim Berk and was founded in 2004 by philanthropist Jeff Skoll, who serves as Chairman. Ricky Strauss is President.

Participant exists to tell compelling, entertaining stories that bring to the forefront real issues that shape our lives. For each of its projects, Participant creates extensive social action and advocacy programs which provide ideas and tools to transform the impact of the media experience into individual and community action. Participant’s films include THE KITE RUNNER, CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR, DARFUR NOW, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, GOOD, NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, SYRIANA, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE and THE VISITOR.
 

ABOUT OCEAN PRESERVATION SOCIETY
The Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 by photographers, filmmakers and preservationists. OPS provides an exclusive lens for the public and media to observe the beauty as well as the destruction of the oceans while motivating change.