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Movie Central and The Movie Network present HBO Films' Bernard and Doris(Canada Newswire English Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Attention Entertainment Editors/Writers - Starring Oscar(R) winner Susan Sarandon, Academy Award(R) nominee Ralph Fiennes and Executive Produced by Kevin Spacey - Premiering day-and-date with HBO on Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m. PT on Movie Central and 9 p.m. ET on The Movie Network TORONTO, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (western Canada) and Astral Media's The Movie Network (eastern Canada) present the premiere of HBO Film's Bernard and Doris - the fictional story of the very real tobacco billionairess, Doris Duke, and her impoverished butler Bernard Lafferty. The film premieres day-and-date with HBO on Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m. PT on Movie Central and 9 p.m. ET on The Movie Network. She was the world's richest woman, a society icon with a reputation for being difficult and demanding. He was her butler, a closeted homosexual who, despite his subordinate status and a troubled history of alcohol abuse, became the sole executor and primary beneficiary of her massive estate. Together they shared a relationship nobody could have imagined - until now. Starring Oscar(R)-winning actress Susan Sarandon and Academy Award(R) nominee Ralph Fiennes, Bernard and Doris is the bittersweet fictional tale of two real-life individuals who didn't fit into each other's worlds. While Duke's decision to name Lafferty her executor was the subject of multiple lawsuits and headlines, this film goes beyond the sensationalism to tell a witty, endearing tale about the unconventional bond between a society "princess" and her flawed "pauper" of a butler. Directed by Bob Balaban (producer of Gosford Park) and written by Hugh Costello and executive produced by Kevin Spacey, the film was shot on location in fabled mansions and stately homes on Long Island. Bernard and Doris will also be simulcast on Movie Central and The Movie Network's High Definition channels and will be available on Movie Central On Demand the week following its network premiere and The Movie Network OnDemand the Tuesday following its network premiere. Movie Central is a 24-hour-a-day, commercial-free premium pay TV service available to Western Canadians. Exclusive multi-year output agreements with major Hollywood studios ensure that Movie Central is the preferred destination for box office titles. In addition to being the first window, Canadian home to the best of HBO and Showtime, through its investments, pre-buys and licence fees for Canadian feature films and original series, Movie Central is recognized as a major force in the Canadian independent film and television production industry. The launch of Movie Central On Demand and Movie Central High Definition demonstrates that Movie Central remains committed to being first with innovations that enhance the viewing experience. Visit the Movie Central website at www.moviecentral.ca. Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising and digital audio services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, Movie Central, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com. The Movie Network is an Astral Media network available in eastern Canada. With premiere access to Hollywood hit movies, critically-acclaimed HBO and Showtime series, and first-rate Canadian programming, this pay-television service presents Canadians with some of the best television entertainment available. The Movie Network service includes five 24-hour multiplex channels - M, MMore, MExcess, MFun! and MFest - which deliver diverse and entertaining programs in an uncut and commercial-free television environment. The Movie Network also offers The Movie Network HD and MMore HD, two dedicated high-definition channels providing hundreds of titles in HD; and The Movie Network OnDemand, a Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service, available in select areas across eastern Canada. For more information, please visit www.themovienetwork.ca. Astral Media is a leading Canadian media company, active in specialty, pay and pay-per-view television, radio, outdoor advertising and the Internet. Astral Media's solid and dynamic presence in the country's major markets rests on its commitment to offer a unique combination of high-quality, targeted media for all its audiences. For access to The Movie Network's media room or Movie Central's press site, please visit http://tv.astral.com or http://pressroom.corusent.com. Media contact: Movie Central (western Canada): Alex Chapple, (416) 530-2249, [email protected]; The Movie Network (eastern Canada): Nicolle Balen, (416) 956-8638, [email protected] Copyright ? 2008 Canada Newswire Ltd. All Rights Reserved. |