Gravitas Ventures and Kino International Reach Agreement to Offer on Demand Entertainment Content

Gravitas Ventures and Kino International Reach Agreement to Offer on Demand Entertainment Content

Partnership Provides Quality Theatrical Titles for Cable Video-On-Demand Platforms

LOS ANGELES, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravitas Ventures, a licensor and programmer of content across Video On Demand (VOD) platforms, today announced a partnership with Kino International, a theatrical distribution company specializing in classics and foreign language art films. Under the multi-title, multi-year partnership, Gravitas will handle VOD licensing of select Kino titles to over 100 cable, satellite, and telco operators including AT&T, Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DIRECTV, dish NETWORK, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOs.

Through Gravitas' established relationships, Kino titles will be available via VOD in up to 50 million households. In addition, Gravitas will help license certain titles through major Internet VOD platforms including Amazon VOD, Cinema Now, Microsoft Xbox and iTunes.

"This is a very exciting partnership for cable providers and consumers as Kino International is a highly regarded theatrical and DVD distributor with VOD rights to an excellent catalog of acclaimed films," said Nolan Gallagher, CEO, Gravitas Ventures. "This relationship will deliver films, previously only available at film festivals and in NY and LA, to premiere nationwide in the homes of tens of millions of cinema lovers."

As part of the pact, the acclaimed Sundance film Momma's Man, Toronto Film Festival favorite Love Comes Lately, and other well regarded Kino films 1/3rd, Skyfighters, and Psychopathia Sexualis will be available July 1st through the Gravitas Movies On Demand video on demand package available with 30 North American cable operators.

"Kino has been committed to bringing classic films to worldwide audiences for more than 30 years," said Don Krim, President, Kino International Corporation. "We are thrilled to team with Gravitas in offering our critically lauded films to larger audiences."

In 2008 Gravitas Ventures released more than 200 films to the cable VOD industry, and is on target to release 250 films in 2009 to meet the growing demand for VOD content. The company currently aggregates quality independent films specifically for VOD platforms on behalf more than 100 directors, producers and distributors.

Gravitas Ventures content can reach up to 50 million homes in North America and millions more worldwide. The company offers a single point of contact to handle the logistics of film delivery as well as insightful guide optimization within each VOD storefront in order to increase buy rates for operators and filmmakers alike.

About Gravitas Ventures

Gravitas specializes in the aggregation of entertainment content for worldwide distribution via established and evolving platforms in the Video On Demand (VOD), broadband, mobile and airline/hospitality viewing windows. The company offers thousands of hours of quality entertainment content including feature films, documentaries, animation, alternative sports, wrestling/mixed martial arts, comedy, poker and music concert programming. The Gravitas Ventures mission is to deliver your ideas to the digital market; bridging the gap between independent producers and cable, satellite, and telco operators.

About Kino International

Kino International is an independent New York based film distribution company specializing in international arthouse, classic and American independent films to theatres and for home entertainment in the US and Canada. Founded in 1977 Kino has introduced a number of important directors and films to American theater screens followed by permanent inclusion in Kino's catalogue now numbering 500 titles. Among the contemporary directors introduced and represented by Kino are; Michael Haneke, FUNNY GAMES, BENNY'S VIDEO, CODE UNKNOWN and THE PIANO TEACHER, Wong Kar Wai, DAYS OF BEING WILDHAPPY TOGETHER, FUNNY GAMES, Amos Gitai KADOSH, KIPPUR, ALILA ONE DAY YOU'LL UNDERSTAND and most recently MOMMA'S MAN by Azazel Jacobs and HARVARD BEATS YALE 29 to 29 by Kevin Rafferty. Classics represented in North America by Kino include the films of Buster Keaton, METROPOLIS, the restored BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN, THE BLUE ANGEL, L'AGE D'OR, DERSU USALA and THE MIRROR, THE SACRIFICE and STALKER by Andrei Tarkovsky.

Source: Gravitas Ventures

CONTACT: Sallie Olmsted, +1-310-854-8124, solmsted@rogersandcowan.com,
or Jason Magner, +1-310-854-8128, jmagner@rogersandcowan.com, both for
Gravitas Ventures

Web Site: http://www.gravitasventures.com/

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