Press Releases

February 13, 2013 -- Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Productions Russia has expanded its slate with a hat trick of new series. Based on original series from Canada, Latin America and Poland, these latest deals demonstrate SPT's leadership in creating programming for the expanding television markets of Russia and the CIS. All three series will be produced in Moscow by SPT's local production house, Lean-M.

Russian network TV-3 has commissioned SPT Productions Russia to deliver 24 episodes of the mythical drama format Lost Girl for launch later this year. The original series was produced by Prodigy Pictures for Showtime Canada and is represented globally by SPT.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian broadcaster INTER has ordered an initial 60 episodes of the soap opera First Love. SPT Productions Russia acquired the rights to the format from ATM Media Gruppa in Poland, where the original series aired on POLSAT.

Finally, Russia's Domashny Channel has commissioned 16 new episodes of SPT's Latin American dramedy format Los Caballeros las Prefieren Brutas. The original series was developed for Caracol TV in Colombia and SPT's Latin American pan regional channel, Sony Entertainment Television.

Maria Smirnova, managing director, SPT Productions Russia said: "We have a rich history of producing hit scripted series from formats that have also succeeded elsewhere. This business is booming so we are tapping into new territories to meet the demand from our Russian and CIS clients. At the same time, the success of our original scripted Russian productions is opening up new export markets for Russian content."

Other scripted formats produced in Russia by SPT include local versions of Everybody Loves Raymond, Married...with Children, The Nanny, Betty La Fea and The King of Queens. SPT's format distribution arm has also produced non-scripted formats in Russia and the CIS such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and The Dr Oz Show. In addition, SPT's original Russian comedy series, The Eighties, has become a major hit for CTC with a second season now on air and a third in development.

Notes

First Love tells stories of love across three generations. Teenagers Marina and Pavel struggle to preserve their love, as they enter adulthood, riddled with new challenges. Marina's father relives his own first love, as the search for his missing wife brings him closer to the woman he loved before marriage. Even Marina's grandfather has a chance to experience love again. It's not his first love, but he is just as surprised by the feelings, as he was in his teens. Family drama, mysteries, villains and secrets make love difficult for all characters in the big and varied cast.

Lost Girl is a fantasy drama about a normal girl next door who comes to suspect there is nothing normal about her. After learning that she is a Succubus, a mythical being that drains its sex partners of life, the title character fights to control her powers while searching for the truth about her mysterious past.

Los Caballeros las Prefieren Brutas follows a strong, sophisticated, accomplished woman who has a hard time finding a man to appreciate all her strengths. After yet another boyfriend chooses a silly blonde over her, she decides to "go full blonde". However, she soon realizes that walking a mile on those high heeled shoes isn't as easy as it sounds. Meanwhile, as her sister's marriage starts to unravel, we understand that marriage isn't instant happiness. But good things are worth fighting for.

For more information please contact:

Mark Macdonald, Sony Pictures Television Mark_macdonald@spe.sony.com +44 20 7533 1363

Cristina Dunn, Premier cristina.dunn@premiercomms.com +44 20 7292 8330

Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television (www.sonypicturestelevision.com), a Sony Pictures Entertainment company, is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, around the world and for a multitude of platforms. In addition to one of the industry's largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) boasts a current program slate that includes top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. SPT has 18 wholly-owned or joint venture production companies in 15 countries outside the U.S. and also maintains offices in 33 countries. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio includes 124 channel feeds available in 159 countries, reaching more than 800 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT owns production company Embassy Row and is a part owner of cable channel Game Show Network (GSN), 3D channel 3net, premier horror/thriller website and VOD service FEARnet and national U.S media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premier national advertising sales companies and handles the commercial inventory in SPT's syndicated series as well as in U.S. digital businesses including FEARnet, DrOz.com and PlayStation.