CODEBLACK FILMS ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS TO 'FRANKIE & ALICE'

Film Stars Academy Award® Winning Actress Halle Berry

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Codeblack Films, a Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) company, has acquired North American distribution rights to the film, "Frankie & Alice," starring Academy Award® winner Halle Berry, which will be released on April 4, 2014.

Inspired by a true story, the moving drama centers around a young woman (Berry) with multiple personality disorder who struggles to cope with her disease. Stellan Skarsgard (Thor: The Dark World, The Avengers), Emmy® nominee Phylicia Rashad (For Colored Girls), and Emmy nominee Chandra Wilson also star in the film. Berry also served as producer on the film along with Vincent Cirrincione (Lackawanna Blues, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge). Berry won an Academy Award for her riveting performance in Lionsgate's Monster's Ball and has starred in such films as X Men, X Men: The Last Stand, Die Another Day, Bulworth, Swordfish and the upcoming X Men: Days of Future Past.

"Halle Berry delivers a spellbinding performance in Frankie & Alice," said Codeblack Films President Jeff Clanagan. "Codeblack is thrilled to bring this important film to theaters nationwide delivering on our commitment to bring more quality films to the marketplace."

"We are very pleased to be working with Halle Berry and Codeblack Films/Lionsgate on the release of Frankie and Alice," said 37 Star Media Fund Chairman Robert Watts. "This is a career landmark for Halle as this is her first role as Producer. She has done a brilliant job and we anticipate that it will be very well received by diverse audiences both in North America and abroad."

Codeblack Films' General Manager Quincy Newell negotiated the film acquisition with David B. Strapko of 37 Star Media Fund Corp. and Stephanie Denton of New Cadence Entertainment.

Most recently Summit Entertainment in conjunction with Hartbeat Productions and Codeblack Films released "Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain," featuring one of America's hottest young comedic talents, nationwide on July 3^rd. The film opened to an impressive $17.4 million and grossing more than $32 million at the domestic box office to date. Codeblack Films has also recently unveiled an upcoming slate that includes the suspenseful thriller "Repentance," starring Forest Whitaker, Anthony Mackie and Sanaa Lathan, the romantic drama "Things Never Said," starring Omari Hardwick and Shanola Hampton, and George Tillman, Jr.'s "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete," starring Academy Award® winner Jennifer Hudson and executive produced by multiplatinum recording artist and Grammy® Award winner Alicia Keys, and the film adaptation of Omar Tyree's "Flyy Girl" trilogy.

About Codeblack Films
Codeblack Films, a division of leading global entertainment company LIONSGATE^®, is a vertically integrated film production and distribution company focused on providing independent studios, filmmakers, globally-recognized celebrities, intellectual property rights holders and brands cross platform monetization solutions. Entertainment industry veteran Jeff Clanagan founded Codeblack Films in 2012. Codeblack Films' core objective is to super serve the global Black community with quality programming and help its content and brand partners access the enormous spending power of the rapidly growing African-American consumer market. Codeblack Films' understanding of the social context of this fast evolving market -- values, attitudes, behavior and current and emerging trends -- provides the Company with a unique ability to position its content and brand partners in the center of influence.

Through parent company Lionsgate, Codeblack Films' operational capabilities include motion picture production and distribution, strategic acquisitions, television programming and syndication, home entertainment distribution, digital distribution, new channel platform monetization and international distribution and sales.

Contacts
Ginger Chan, Vice President, National Publicity
[email protected]
323-330-8863

Kevin Stuckey, National Publicist
[email protected]
323-330-8859

SOURCE: Codeblack Films