New Posts to Support Further Asian Growth
Oscar-Winning Films & Acclaimed Series to Debut in Coming Months
New York, NY — 18 April 2013 — AMC/Sundance Channel Global, the international division of AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX), has announced numerous personnel appointments and the acquisition of a wide array of award winning films and acclaimed series. Bruce Tuchman, President of AMC/Sundance Channel Global, made the announcement ahead of the company’s participation at next week’s Asia Pacific Pay-TV Operators Summit in Bali.
The company has announced several new appointments to support growth momentum across the Asia Pacific region. Courtney Williams has been appointed to the newly created position of Managing Director of Business Development and Strategy, Asia Pacific, AMC/Sundance Channel Global. Donovan Castillo-Mohlman has been named Head of Programming and Scheduling, Asia Pacific, and Lorraine Ou has been appointed Marketing Manager, Asia Pacific, AMC/Sundance Channel Global.
In addition, the company has acquired the Academy Award-winning film Amour (2012 Best Foreign Language Film) and the documentary Searching for Sugar Man (2012 Best Documentary Feature). Amour, which also won the Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, will be made available on transactional video on demand prior to the linear service premiere in a deal with Les Films du Losange. Searching for Sugar Man, which has been acquired from Protagonist, will be available on both the linear and subscription video on demand services. Both films will debut on Sundance Channel Malaysia in the coming weeks.
For Sundance Channel services across Asia, the hit period drama Mr Selfridge (1 x 90’ + 9 x 60’) has been acquired in an exclusive premiere window rights deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Sundance Channel has also acquired exclusive premiere window rights for the British miniseries Secret State (4 x 60’) from ALL3MEDIA International (produced by Company Pictures). Premiere dates for all acquisitions will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tuchman commented, “These new acquisitions and appointments reflect the strong growth we are experiencing across the Asia Pacific region as well as our ambitious plans for the future. Sundance Channel and WE tv will continue to showcase the best content from AMC Networks, as well as offer exclusive series and films for our expanding audiences.”
Sundance Channel will also debut several other films over the coming months in Asia, including The Unloved, Shifty, The Imposter, Faintheart, Cosmopolis and Official Story, among others.
WE tv Asia will premiere numerous series over the next few months including You Deserve This House (40×60’), season 3 of Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best (8×60’), World Kitchen (6×60’), season 5 of My Fair Wedding With David Tutera (12×60’) and I Found the Gown (8×60’). The channel recently announced the acquisition two new unscripted series for WE tv Asia; the critically acclaimed docu-series Push Girls (14×30’) and Cyndi (12×30’), which showcases the over-the-top life of Grammy winning music icon Cyndi Lauper.
Background on Acquisitions
Mr Selfridge, which was created by award-winning writer Andrew Davies, stars Jeremy Piven as the flamboyant and visionary American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge. The series premiered on ITV in the UK in January, where it achieved an impressive average of 8 million consolidated viewers. It is being aired in 89 countries and has recently been commissioned for a second series.
Secret State stars Gabriel Byrne as the reluctant hero at the heart of this four-part conspiracy thriller inspired by Chris Mullin’s novel A Very British Coup. When the deputy prime minister finds himself thrust into the spotlight of front-line politics he risks everything by taking on the might of the Establishment. The miniseries, which was originally commissioned by Channel 4 in the UK, also stars Charles Dance, Gina McKee and Rupert Graves.
Amour is a French-language drama written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke. The film centres on retired music teachers Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) who are in their 80s. Their daughter (Isabelle Huppert), who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. When Anne has a stroke, the couple’s bond of love is severely tested. Riva received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, and Haneke was nominated for his screenplay and direction.
Searching For Sugar Man is a documentary where two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rocker Rodriguez. Written and directed by Malik Bendjelloul, the documentary has won more than 20 major awards around the world in addition to the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Background on Personnel
Williams will oversee revenue generating activity and the strategic development of the AMC/Sundance Channel Globalbusinesses across the Asia Pacific region and will report to New York-based Tuchman. He has over 20 years of experience in the industry with active roles in the Asia Pacific region including tenures heading up sales and business development in the region for Nickelodeon and MGM Networks.? He is also the founder of Blue Orange Europe, a company that specializes in the distribution of linear channels and the buying and selling of film and television content of all genres. Williams earned an M.B.A. at New York University, and previously worked at Lehman Brothers.
Castillo-Mohlman will oversee programming and scheduling for Sundance Channel and WE tv in the Asia Pacific region based out of Singapore and will report to New York-based Patrick Connolly, Director of Programming and Scheduling, AMC/Sundance Channel Global. Previously he was Vice President, Network Programing & Promotions at MediaCorp where he developed programming strategies for Channel NewsAsia and oversaw the creative for award-winning campaigns.
Ou will support affiliate marketing efforts across the Asia Pacific region and will report to Keith Mak, who oversees affiliate distribution and marketing for Sundance Channel and WE tv in Asia. Ou is based in Singapore and Mak is based in Hong Kong. Ou most recently held marketing and PR positions at FOX International Channels in Hong Kong. Previous to that, she worked at STAR TV and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of award-winning independent films, documentaries and original programs. It is available to pay-TV operators as a standard and high definition linear television channel, VOD service and via mobile and online authenticated streaming.? Additionally, select VOD program offerings are available during theatrical windows so audiences can watch films that are still in theatres from the comfort of their own homes.
In addition to Sundance Channel, AMC/Sundance Channel Global offers WE tv in Asia, a women’s lifestyle focused network featuring top industry figures in food, weddings and fashion with acclaimed series by Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray and Joe Zee, inspiring viewers with their expertise and innovation.
About AMC/Sundance Channel Global
AMC/Sundance Channel Global delivers compelling and globally renowned entertainment to audiences worldwide in multiple languages through locally tailored programming services, cutting edge media and subscription television platforms. The international arm of AMC Networks Inc., the division’s flagship channels include Sundance Channel and WE tv and are broadcast in both high and standard definition. Sundance Channel was founded by Robert Redford and showcases acclaimed independent films, from the newest festival award winners to the genre’s most beloved movies. Central to Sundance Channel’s appeal is its broadcast of original series from leading talent both in the US and abroad, including celebrated series Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and Hell on Wheels. Recently launched in Asia, WE tv is a leading entertainment brand in the US and caters to audiences who can’t get enough of programming featuring the best of food, weddings and fashion.
About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AMCX) owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming origination and distribution company.
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