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Starz Entertainment (April 2009)

STARZ ENTERTAINMENT PICKS UP AWARD WINNING MOVIE The Controller

Starz Entertainment recently acquired the US broadcast rights to distribute the live-action/animated, action/comedy feature The Controller. Starz, one of the leading premium entertainment television channels will premiere the movie on their Starz Kids & Family channel on April 20th, 9:45/6:45am ET/PT and 4:50/1:50pm ET/PT.

The Controller centers around a bored billionaire stuck in his "perfect" world, until his wife is suddenly abducted. Now, he is forced to play a video game and win within eight hours to get her back. In his new "surreal" world, we follow along as the billionaire joins forces with an oddly diverse team of unsung heroes known as the “Armchair Combat Professionals”. With the endorsement of video game console giant XBOX, this highly anticipated movie is the directorial debut of award winning filmmaker Frank Michels who also penned the original fiction screenplay about the world of online console video game players.

"We're thrilled to be starting off our US movie television premiere by appearing on Starz", says Michels. "The movie highlights diverse characters and portrays a lighthearted and adventurous story throughout. We wanted to show that not all gamers are just kids, and I believe there will be a hero in this movie for everyone. Video games are a misunderstood medium and I believe there is a lot of good which can be taken from playing the games, as is shown in this movie".

The movie, which was filmed in Arizona at locations such as the US Airways Corporate Headquarters and Donovan's Steak & Chop House, stars Bob Rue, Tank Jones, Lolita Sahwany, John Dobradenka, Jeff Niemoeller and Vince Reign with appearances by Laura Durant, Tony Casanova, Carin Sprague, Byron Browne and Cathy Rankin.

Maitland Primrose Film Distribution in association with Moving Pictures Film and Television is pleased to be the worldwide distributor of The Controller.