Lions Gate and Screen Gems Visit HOSTEL

Lions Gate and Screen Gems Visit HOSTEL

Quentin Tarantino Presents Eli Roth's Follow up to His Debut Horror Hit, Lions Gate's CABIN FEVER, Unspooling December 21, 2005

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eli Roth's HOSTEL, a Screen Gems production, will be released in theaters stateside December 21, 2005 by Lions Gate Films, the motion picture acquisition, production and distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE:LGF) Toronto, it was announced today jointly by Tom Ortenberg, President, Lions Gate Films Releasing, and Clint Culpepper, President, Screen Gems.

Continuing the fruitful partnership between Sony/Screen Gems and Lions Gate Films that has included collaborations on pictures such as THE PUNISHER, Lions Gate Films will handle North American theatrical and television distribution, with Screen Gems retaining domestic home video and international theatrical distribution rights to Roth's film.

Writer-director Eli Roth collaborated on the film with executive producers Quentin Tarantino, Scott Spiegel and Boaz Yakin, and producers Mike Fleiss (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACARE) and Chris Briggs. Jay Hernandez (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) stars as an American backpacker who becomes entangled in a demented underground torture ring.

Taking a much more macabre tone than did Roth's feature debut CABIN FEVER, HOSTEL is an amalgamation of many of the most terrifying things about human nature and the world at large, culled from lots of pulpy-but-true stories of international organized crime, human trafficking, and sex tourism. Relentlessly graphic and deeply disturbing, the film is rife with explicit sex and brutal violence that is sure to delight hard core genre fans, and prove difficult to stomach for general audiences.

"I really think that HOSTEL pushes the envelope of the genre, and I am so grateful to have the combined resources of Screen Gems and Lion's Gate supporting its release," said Roth. "It's a dream come true for a horror film director to work with both of these companies together, as they're each so highly respected by genre fans. I know they will do an excellent job of putting the film in front the widest possible audience without deemphasizing its intensity."

"Our previous collaboration with Eli Roth on his feature debut CABIN FEVER was a runaway success, and it's been far too long since we worked with Quentin Tarantino to make RESERVOIR DOGS into such a DVD classic," said Ortenberg. "We're obviously thrilled to be teaming up with each of these filmmakers again, and to be working with them in conjunction with one another is truly an embarrassment of riches for all involved," added Lions Gate's Peter Block, President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions.

"Thanks to the combined talents of Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino, HOSTEL is destined to become a horror classic," predicts Screen Gems' Culpepper, adding, "And we've assembled the perfect team to help this film realize its destiny. I'm so happy to be continuing our working relationship with Lions Gate on this particular picture."

About Lions Gate

Lions Gate is the premier independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library is a valuable source of stable and recurring revenue, and it serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lions Gate brand name is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of; Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/.

About Screen Gems

Sony Pictures' Screen Gems is the genre production division which was created to finance and produce moderately budgeted films that are marketed to targeted audiences. Recent Screen Gems releases include Scott Derrickson's THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE starring Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson and THE GOSPEL starring Boris Kodjoe and Idris Elba. Upcoming releases include Len Wiseman's UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman, Simon West's WHEN A STRANGER CALLS starring Camilla Belle, and THE COVENANT directed by Renny Harlin.

PRESS CONTACTS: Sarah Greenberg Russell Nelson Lions Gate Entertainment Lions Gate Films 310-255-3856 310-255-3858 sgreenberg@lgf.comrnelson@lgf.com

Source: Lions Gate; Screen Gems

CONTACT: Sarah Greenberg of Lions Gate Entertainment, +1-310-255-3856, sgreenberg@lgf.com, or Russell Nelson of Lions Gate Films, +1-310-255-3858, rnelson@lgf.com

Web site: http://www.sonypictures.com/

Web site: http://www.lgf.com/

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