Family Drama, High-Stakes Action and Engaging Documentaries Highlight HBO Canada's Fall Season

• Boardwalk Empire, Treme and Call Me Fitz return with third seasons
• CINEMAX's new action-packed series Hunted debuts
• HBO's landmark drama The Sopranos reignites on HBO Canada
• New documentaries, films and specials round out HBO Canada's Fall line-up

TORONTO, Aug. 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - This Fall, HBO Canada, a multiplex channel of Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada) is the premium entertainment destination for Canadians, offering viewers the most talked-about series, documentaries, films and specials where they want and when they want, all On Demand, on TV and online.

HBO Canada's Fall line-up includes: new seasons of HBO's Emmy^®-nominated Prohibition-era drama Boardwalk Empire and post-Katrina series Treme; a third season of the no-holds-barred homegrown comedy Call Me Fitz; the debut of CINEMAX's new action series, Hunted; the HBO documentaries Ethel and Don't Divorce Me! Kids' Rules for Parents on Divorce; the HBO original film The Girl; the return of HBO's ground-breaking drama The Sopranos; and Barrymore, an original stage special starring Christopher Plummer.

To watch a highlight reel featuring HBO Canada's Fall line-up, click here: http://www.hbocanada.com/video/play/2577/

Additional information about HBO Canada's Fall line-up is outlined below. All new HBO programming premieres day-and-date with HBO in the U.S.:

Boardwalk Empire, Season 3
Premieres Sunday, September 16 at 9 p.m. ET/MT
Set in the 1920s in the early days of Prohibition, the Golden Globe^®-winning series chronicles the life and times of "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi), the undisputed leader of Atlantic City. Boardwalk Empire also stars Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Jack Huston, Stephen Graham, Michael Stuhlbarg, Vincent Piazza, Paul Sparks, Michael Kenneth Williams, Gretchen Mol and Bobby Cannavale. The series was created by Terence Winter, who also serves as executive producer with Martin Scorsese, Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg and Tim Van Patten.

Treme, Season 3
Premieres Sunday, September 23 at 10 p.m. ET/MT
From David Simon, creator of HBO's The Wire and Generation Kill, and Eric Overmyer, writer/producer of Homicide: Life on the Street, Treme explores a unique American culture rebuilding after historic devastation, and chronicles the life of New Orleans residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The series stars Wendell Pierce, Khandi Alexander, Clarke Peters, Rob Brown, Steve Zahn, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, Michiel Huisman, Lucia Micarelli, Jon Seda, David Morse and India Ennenga.

Call Me Fitz, Season 3
Premieres Sunday, September 23 at 8 p.m. ET/MT with two back-to-back episodes
Free sneak peek of Episode 1 & 2 begins Tuesday, September 4 On Demand and Online
Ring a ding ding. The Movie Network and Movie Central's Gemini-winning original comedy Call Me Fitz returns with a special two-episode premiere. The series stars Jason Priestley as Richard "Fitz" Fitzpatrick, a morally bankrupt car salesman who is forced to become business partners with his inner conscience. In Season 3, Fitz is desperate to join the ranks of power and attempts a run for public office. Call Me Fitz is created by Sheri Elwood, and produced by Amaze, Big Motion Pictures and Entertainment One. The series also stars Ernie Grunwald, Peter MacNeill, Kathleen Munroe, Tracy Dawson, Donavon Stinson and Brooke Nevin. Beginning Tuesday, September 4, Canadians can catch an early sneak peek of the first two episodes of the new season free-of-charge at http://www.hbocanada.com/callmefitz/ and On Demand and Online, with participating television providers.

Don't Divorce Me! Kids' Rules for Parents on Divorce
Premieres Thursday, September 20 at 8 p.m. ET/MT
This HBO documentary puts a spotlight on children ranging in age from five to 10 who have met the confusing, often-painful challenge of their parents' divorce. Combining candid interviews, drawings, songs and photos, this insightful film gives kids a chance to share poignant stories of how divorce has impacted their lives - and offer helpful advice to their parents. Executive produced by Rosie O'Donnell, this heartfelt and upbeat documentary demonstrates how children comprehend and cope with the separation of their parents, suggesting ways adults can make this difficult transition easier for their kids.

Barrymore
Premieres Saturday, October 13 at 8 p.m. ET/MT
Starring the legendary Christopher Plummer, this 90-minute stage special captures a live performance of the Tony Award-winning one-man play Barrymore, about iconic American stage and screen legend John Barrymore. Produced by Garth Drabinsky and directed by Erik Canuel in association with The Movie Network and Movie Central. At 9:30 p.m. ET/MT, catch Backstage With Barrymore, a 60-minute behind-the-scenes Making-Of special.

Ethel
Premieres Thursday, October 18 at 9 p.m. ET/MT
Celebrating the remarkable life of Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Robert F. Kennedy, Ethel is highlighted by revealing, little-known anecdotes from those who know her best: her family. Directed by Ethel's Emmy^®-winning daughter Rory Kennedy, this personal portrait is the first film made about the Kennedys from within the family. The documentary features candid interviews with Ethel - her first extended interview in more than two decades - and her children Kathleen, Joe, Bobby, Courtney, Kerry, Chris and Max, spanning her political awakening, the life she shared with Robert Kennedy, and the years following his death, when she raised their 11 children.

Hunted
Premieres Friday, October 19 at 11 p.m. ET/MT, following Real Time with Bill Maher
Produced by Kudos Film & Television in association with Big Light Productions for CINEMAX and BBC One, Hunted is an eight-episode drama series set in the world of international espionage. Golden Globe^®-nominee Melissa George stars as Sam Hunter, a skilled, gutsy operative for Byzantium, a secretive private firm involved in global intelligence and espionage. After surviving an attempt on her life that may have been orchestrated by members of her own team, she returns to work, but doesn't know who to trust. Created by Frank Spotnitz, Hunted also stars Adam Rayner, Stephen Dillane, Stephen Campbell Moore, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Morven Christie, Lex Shrapnel, Indira Varma, Dhaffer L'Abidine and Patrick Malahide.

The Girl
Premieres October 2012
HBO Films presents Toby Jones and Sienna Miller in the story of iconic English director Alfred Hitchcock's obsessive relationship with Tippi Hedren, his leading lady in The Birds and Marnie.

The Sopranos, Seasons 1 & 2
Available in September On Demand and Online
Season 1 begins re-airing on HBO Canada's linear service on Wednesday, September 5 at 9 p.m. ET/MT
HBO Canada presents HBO's critically acclaimed television masterpiece The Sopranos, uncut and commercial free. Subscribers can watch the entire series from the beginning, going back to New Jersey and the saga of mob boss Tony Soprano. Beginning in September, Seasons 1 & 2 will be available On Demand and Online via the streaming services offered by participating cable providers. Subsequent seasons will debut On Demand and Online each following month: Season 3 in October; Season 4 in November; Season 5 in December; and Seasons 6A and 6B in January. Created by David Chase, The Sopranos stars James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico and Steven Van Zandt.

Social Media Links

#HBOCanada
@HBO
@Cinemax
#BoardwalkEmpire   l   @BKBMG
#Treme   l   @WendellPierce
@CallMeFitzTV   l   @Jason_Priestley
#Hunted   l   @TheMGeorge
#Ethel   l   @Ethel_Movie   l   @HBODocs

In Eastern Canada, all programming is available in High Definition and On Demand, and on HBO Canada OnLine with Bell TV Online, Rogers Anyplace TV and Videotron's Illico Web.

In Western Canada, all programming is available in High Definition and On Demand, and on line with participating broadcasters. 

HBO Canada is a multiplex channel offered by Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada). HBO Canada brings Canadians the current slate of signature dramatic programs for which HBO is known, together with new and never-before-seen programming including comedy series, live specials, sporting events, behind-the-scenes content and titles from HBO's extensive library - all in an uncut and commercial-free environment. HBO Canada is offered in high definition on HBO Canada HD and programming is accessible on demand and online where available by service provider. For more information, please visit www.hbocanada.com.

The Movie Network is a member of the Astral family. Astral Media Inc. (TSX : ACM.A/ACM.B) is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates several of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and interactive media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. (CJR.B), a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com. 

For access to The Movie Network's media room or Movie Central's press site, please visit http://press.astral.com or http://mediacentre.corusent.com.

SOURCE: THE MOVIE NETWORK

Media contacts:
The Movie Network (Eastern Canada)
Nicolle Balen
[phone]
[email protected]

Movie Central (Western Canada)
Owen McCorquodale
[phone]
[email protected]