How Will She Make Up for 20 Lost Years? Watch Out, Because This Stepmother is Out for Revenge!

How Will She Make Up for 20 Lost Years? Watch Out, Because This Stepmother is Out for Revenge!

Xenon Pictures Announces the DVD Release of 'LA MADRASTRA', One of the Highest Rated Spanish-Language Soap Operas in the U.S.

The March 21st Release Includes English Subtitles and the Theme Song 'Viveme' by Multiple-Grammy Award-Winning Italian Superstar Laura Pausini

Final Episodes Garnered Higher Ratings in Key U.S. Cities Than Many Mainstream TV Series

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Always at the forefront of the entertainment industry, Xenon Pictures, Inc., and Televisa Home Entertainment announce the U.S. DVD release of LA MADRASTRA (The Stepmother), one the most popular telenovelas of all time. The box set, which contains three 2-sided discs, will be available in all major retail and online stores nationwide on March 21st, 2006, and includes 11 hours of content, English subtitles, bonus material such as a photo gallery and interviews, as well as the top-rated primetime special "La Madrastra ... Anos Despues" (The Stepmother ... years later), and features the theme song "Viveme", performed by multiple Grammy-winning Italian superstar Laura Pausini.

"We are very excited about our DVD release of LA MADRASTRA. Based on this telenovela's large fan base and high ratings, we anticipate the DVD to be very strong. Any foreign-language TV show that gets weekly recaps on E!'s "The Soup", as this one did, would indicate that it's release is highly anticipated." -- Kristi Alires, Vice President of Product Management for Xenon Pictures

During its broadcast in the United States, LA MADRASTRA averaged more than 5 million viewers each night, surpassing many mainstream TV programs. Its grand finale garnered 29 points in the Nielsen ratings, joining the highly-rated finales of the popular telenovelas Amor Real (30.9 pts.) and Rubi (33.7 pts.). (Both titles are also available on DVD from Xenon, with sales that topped 125,000 units per title.) The TV-PG rated DVD of LA MADRASTRA has a suggested retail price of $24.99.

Starring Mexican grande dame Victoria Ruffo ("Abrazame muy fuerte", "Vivo por Elena"), Cesar Evora ("Entre el amor y el odio", "Mariana de la noche"), Eduardo Capetillo ("Peregrina", "Marimar") and Jacqueline Andere ("Mi destino eres tu"), some of the most prestigious and recognized talent in Latin America, LA MADRASTRA tells the story of Maria, the wife of a prominent businessman, who is sentenced to life in prison for a murder she didn't commit. Her husband divorces her, bribes his friends to keep silent, and tells his children that their mother has died in an accident. Twenty years later, when she is released on parole, Maria tries to reclaim her children, who no longer remember her as their mother. She is also determined to confront her faithless husband for abandoning her, and to learn the identity of the real murderer.

LA MADRASTRA is a tale of intrigue, deception, love and murder. To date, this telenovela is the subject of countless blogs and fan-based websites in a wide range of languages across the globe, from Mexico to Romania, and from Russia to the United States.

Xenon Pictures' DVD release of LA MADRASTRA demonstrates the growing importance and popularity of Spanish-language television in North America, and the inclusion of English subtitles makes it accessible to an even wider audience. Other titles currently available from Xenon on DVD include Amor Real (Adela Noriega, Fernando Colunga and Mauricio Islas), Rubi (Barbara Mori and Eduardo Santamaria), Rosalinda featuring Latin pop diva Thalia, the epic La Antorcha Encendida, a 4-disc dramatization of Mexico's struggle for independence, and multiple volumes of "Lo Mejor del Chavo del 8", "Lo Mejor del Chapulin Colorado" and "Lo Mejor de Chespirito", all starring beloved Latin American icon Roberto Gomez Bolanos.

Xenon Pictures recently released the feature film Therese, based on the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the most popular saint of modern times; and the telenovelas Mariana de la Noche, Corazon Salvaje, and Huracan, which stars the late Eduardo Palomo (A Day Without a Mexican). The company has also announced the upcoming DVD releases of the hit telenovelas Apuesta por un amor and Clase 406. More information about these titles will be forthcoming.

About Xenon Pictures, Inc.:

Xenon Pictures, Inc., established in 1986 and based in Santa Monica, CA, is the leading distributor of Urban, Spanish-language and alternative programming in the United States, and the exclusive U.S. distributor for Mexican media powerhouse Grupo Televisa under the Televisa Home Entertainment label, with distribution through Visual Entertainment, a division of Universal Music Group, the world's largest music wholesaler.

ON THE WEB: www.xenonpictures.com

For more information:

marcella cuonzo
marcella c. public relations
fusin' cultures
office_310.471.7626
marcella@marcellapr.com
www.marcellapr.com

Source: Xenon Pictures, Inc.

CONTACT: marcella cuonzo of marcella c. public relations, fusin'
cultures, +1-310-471-7626, marcella@marcellapr.com, for Xenon Pictures, Inc.

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

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