W Network Celebrates Holiday Ratings and Announces North American Premiere of Fathers & Daughters, Starring Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried and Aaron Paul

• Irresistible holiday films make W Network the #1 specialty network with Women* in December
• W Network will feature the North American premiere of the film Fathers & Daughters on February 27. See the trailer here.

TORONTO, Jan. 11, 2016 /CNW/ - W Network is pleased to announce that it was once again the #1 destination for women over the holiday season. With a powerhouse holiday schedule W Network was the #1 ranked specialty network from December 1 to December 27, 2015 among Women aged 25 to 54*. Following this success, W Network is announcing it will be the home of the exclusive North American premiere of the film Fathers & Daughters starring Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried and Aaron Paul, on Saturday, February 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

"Holiday movies on W Network are synonymous with this time of year. W's Biggest Gift Ever programming event delivered another year of celebratory ratings during the holidays," said John MacDonald, Executive Vice President, Television, Head of Corus Women & Family, Corus Entertainment. "Though a hard act to follow, we are thrilled to announce this rare and unique opportunity to premiere the star-studded film Fathers & Daughters on W Network before its wider release. We remain committed to delivering the best filmed entertainment for our audience and are pleased to provide this unique opportunity to our viewers."

Holiday Ratings Highlights include:

• #1 Specialty Network for Women 25-54 and Women 18-49 during the month of December*
• Mariah Carey's directorial debut and starring role in A Christmas Melody, on Sunday, December 20, delivered a 552,000 (2+)** and was the highest specialty audience in its time period for W25-54 and Viewers (2+)**
• Sunday night movies on W Network delivered an average of 498,000 Viewers (2+)***

Fathers & Daughters North American Premiere:

On Saturday, February 27, W Network will feature a special airing of the film Fathers & Daughters, before its wider release. From the director of The Pursuit of Happyness and Seven Pounds, Fathers & Daughters, follows Jake Davis (Russell Crowe), a Pulitzer-winning novelist, who finds himself fighting against the world when a fatal car accident leaves him to raise his 5-year-old daughter, Katie, all on his own. Overcome with guilt from the loss of his wife, he struggles with the daily routine of raising a child compounded by his overbearing relatives intent on taking her away from him.  As the narrative weaves back and forth between the 1980s, and present day, we come to learn how 30-year-old Katie (Amanda Seyfried) battles the demons that stemmed from her troubled childhood and simultaneously watch how Jake fights to hold on to the thing he loves most - his daughter, at the cost of his fortune, sanity, and ultimately even more. 

Fathers & Daughters is directed by Gabriele Muccino and screenplay by Brad Desch. Produced by Voltage Pictures, Busted Shark Productions and distributed by Elevation Pictures. The film is produced by Nicolas Chartier, Craig J. Flores, Sherryl Clark. Executive producers are Russell Crowe, Keith Rodger, Richard Middleton, Romilda De Luca. Co-producers, Dominic Rustam, Babacar Diene. Additional cast include Jane Fonda, Diane Kruger, Bruce Greenwood and Octavia Spencer.

About W Network

W Network is the leading destination for Canadian women delivering a range of compelling entertainment from original programming to lifestyle series, blockbuster movies and popular dramas. W Network's online offerings include WNetwork.com, W Dish and W View. With its extensive research capabilities and consumer insights, W Network is recognized as a leading expert in marketing to women. W Network is owned by Canadian-based media and entertainment company Corus Entertainment. For more information, visit WNetwork.com and corusent.com.

*Source: Numeris (formerly BBM Canada), Canadian English Specialty Networks, Average Minute Audience, Total Canada, M-Su 2a-2a, 11/30/2015-12/27/2015
**Source: Numeris (formerly BBM Canada), Canadian English Specialty Networks, Average Minute Audience, Total Canada, Sunday 9pm-11pm, 12/20/2015
***Source: Numeris (formerly BBM Canada), W Network, Average Minute Audience, Total Canada, Sunday 9pm, 11/15/2015-12/20/2015

All times are ET/PT.

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Image with caption: "(From Left to Right) Amanda Seyfried (Katie) and Aaron Paul (Cameron) ** Media Note ** - Download images at the W Network Media Centre. (CNW Group/W Network)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160111_C7243_PHOTO_EN_595347.jpg

Danielle Sefton, Publicist, Communications, Corus Entertainment, 416.479.6094, [email protected]; Owen McCorquodale, Manager, Communications, Corus Entertainment, 416.479.6068, [email protected]