HBO Canada chronicles the historic Obama campaign in the HBO original
documentary By The People: The Election of Barack Obama

    
    Produced by Edward Norton and airing on the one-year anniversary of the
               2008 Election Day, the documentary will premiere
    Tuesday, November 3 at 9 p.m. ET/MT day-and-date with HBO in the U.S.
    

TORONTO , Oct. 8 /CNW/ - HBO Canada , a multiplex channel of Astral Media's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada ) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada ), offers viewers the behind-the-scenes story of the Obama campaign's two-year odyssey, from grassroots beginnings to the White House, in the exclusive HBO original documentary By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, premiering Tuesday, November 3 at 9 p.m. ET /MT.

On February 10, 2007 , nearly a year before Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the presidency, filmmakers Amy Rice and Alicia Sams began to roll cameras on the young senator from Illinois. Produced by Edward Norton , this documentary tracks Barack Obama's meteoric rise from a long-odds candidate to the front-runner in the 2008 U.S. presidential race. Over a 19-month period, the filmmakers travelled across the United States chronicling the daily ups and downs of the campaign trail as experienced by Obama, his family, staff and volunteers.

By The People: The Election of Barack Obama highlights never-before-seen footage of Obama, as well as interviews and candid moments with wife Michelle Obama, the couple's young daughters, and senior campaign staff, volunteers, reporters, supporters and opponents. The documentary captures Obama's thrilling wins and disappointing losses in key states, the controversies stemming from Obama's associations with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and domestic terrorist Billy Ayers , the elation that came with receiving his party's nomination over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton , and the low of losing his beloved grandmother the day before his final victory over Sen. John McCain on Election Day .

The 120-minute documentary is also produced by Stuart Blumberg and William Migliore , and is directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams . The film features Barack Obama (candidate for President; President of the United States ), David Axelrod (Campaign Director; Special Advisor to the President), Robert Gibbs (Media Liaison; White House Press Secretary), David Plouffe (Campaign Director; White House Advisor), Jon Favreau (Head Speechwriter; Director of Speechwriting for the White House) and Tommy Vietor (Media Liaison; Assistant White House Press Secretary).

By The People: The Election of Barack Obama will be simulcast on HBO Canada HD, and will be available on demand following its network premiere.

HBO Canada is a multiplex channel offered by Astral Media'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 where available by service provider. For more information, please visit www.hbocanada.com.

The Movie Network is an Astral Media Television Network. Astral Media is a leading Canadian media company, active in specialty and pay television, radio, outdoor advertising and interactive media. Astral Media's solid and dynamic presence in the country's major markets rests on its commitment to offer a unique combination of high-quality, targeted media for all its audiences. For more information about Astral Media, please visit www.astralmedia.com.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. (CJR.B/CJR), a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation.

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

For further information: Media contacts: The Movie Network (eastern Canada), Roopa Shah, [phone], [email protected]; Movie Central (western Canada), Owen McCorquodale, [phone], [email protected]