LOS ANGELES, May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Vantage and Overture Films
will co-finance and distribute Oscar(R) winner Michael Moore's next film, a
searing and provocative follow up to his groundbreaking 2004 documentary
Fahrenheit 9/11. The announcement was made today by Moore, Nick Meyer,
President of Paramount Vantage, John Lesher, President of Paramount Film
Group, and CEO Chris McGurk and COO Danny Rosett of Overture Films. Paramount
Vantage will handle international distribution in all media and Overture will
handle domestic distribution in all media. Paramount Vantage will be launching
the film into the international marketplace this week in Cannes. The film is
scheduled for release in 2009.
Moore has made three of the top five highest-grossing documentaries of all
time including Fahrenheit 9/11, 2008 Academy Award(R) nominee Sicko, and
Bowling for Columbine, the Academy Award(R) winner for Best Documentary in
2003. He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation and The Awful
Truth, both of which established his trademark style of presenting serious
documentaries in humorous and engaging ways. As with all of Moore's projects,
the subject matter of the new film is being kept under wraps by all the
principals.
"It's great to be working again with Chris McGurk and John Lesher," said
Moore. "Both of them have been exceptional to work with in the past and I look
forward to their assistance in this new project."
"We are thrilled to be working with Michael again," said McGurk and Rosett
jointly. Adding, "His fearless filmmaking has become an important catalyst
for challenging mainstream thoughts and values regarding the important
critical issues facing this country and the world. Everyone on the Overture
team is delighted to be involved with Michael's exciting new film."
"Michael is one of the most inspiring, innovative and thought-provoking
filmmakers of our generation," said Meyer. "With his unquestionable mark on
our culture and politics, Moore is renowned and iconic within the
international marketplace and we could not be more enthusiastic about this
partnership."
Most of the principals involved have previously worked with Moore -- John
Lesher represented Moore as one of his agents at Endeavor and was involved in
Fahrenheit 9/11, and McGurk and Rosett, while at MGM/United Artists, oversaw
the release of Bowling for Columbine.
This announcement marks the second major deal between Paramount Vantage
and Overture Films. The two studios entered into an exclusive international
distribution deal last year that allows Overture access to Vantage's
international sales division as well as the distribution arm of Paramount
Pictures International.
Moore is represented by Ari Emanuel of Endeavor, who brokered the deal on
his behalf. Justin Alvarado-Brown oversaw the deal for Overture Films and Jeff
Freedman negotiated on behalf of Paramount Vantage.
About Overture Films
Overture Films (http://www.overturefilms.net) develops, produces,
acquires, and distributes feature length, theatrical motion pictures
worldwide. The studio is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and is attributed to Liberty
Capital Group (Nasdaq: LCAPA, LCAPB), a tracking stock group of Liberty Media
Corporation. Its affiliated companies, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Starz
Entertainment, make the films available domestically to viewers via home
video, premium television, Internet and other outlets.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of
filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading
content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital
entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures,
Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies and
DreamWorks Studios. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital
Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International,
Paramount Licensing, Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television
Distribution.
SOURCE Overture Films; Paramount Vantage
