Production with Majid Majidi

UTV Motion Pictures PLC
05 November 2007



UTV Motion Pictures' SpotBoy to produce Majid Majidi's next Directorial Venture,
based in India



November 5th, 2007: SpotBoy, UTV Motion Pictures Plc's second motion pictures
brand, today announced a new production with one of the world's foremost
directors, Majid Majidi, for his next film to be shot extensively in India.



Majidi, the director of films like Baran, and The Colour of Paradise, is the
only Iranian director to date to have been nominated for an Academy Award for
Best Foreign Language Film for Children of Heaven. Mr. Majidi, who's also the
winner of more than 30 awards at various film festivals, has managed to capture
hearts across the world with his simple and insightful film-making. An
institution in himself, he is largely credited to put Iran on the map of world
cinema.



UTV Motion Pictures Plc ("UTVM") announced its second motion picture brand
SpotBoy earlier this year to grow its presence in international cinema and
explore new markets within India and overseas. UTVM has already made its mark in
world cinema with productions like the The Namesake, a two-movie deal with Will
Smith's company & Manoj Night Shyamalan's 'The Happening'.



SpotBoy has been making rapid strides ever since its inception. In August 2007
SpotBoy and Virgin Comics, the entertainment division of Sir Richard Branson's
Virgin Group, announced their partnership to create four original superhero
properties. In the same month, SpotBoy tied up with Shyam Benegal, Anurag
Kashyap and debutant Raj Kumar Gupta, directors of the highest calibre, for a
spate of three films.



Commenting on his association between UTVM's Spotboy Mr. Majid Majidi says - "I
had always wanted to make a film in the East, especially in India given its many
cultural similarities with Iran. Over the last several years I've visited India
many times and begun to research a new film project here. When UTVM offered to
become involved in a project, I accepted because I felt it would be a great
opportunity to make new strides in international artistic and humanist cinema."



Vikas Bahl, Creative and Business Head, SpotBoy commented on the agreement, "It
will be wonderful to work with a stimulating international director of repute
such as Majid Majidi who through insightful movie making brings his characters
to life. His films, which are a reflection of life, transcend all language and
geographical boundaries and are truly world-movies. These associations also help
us bring diverse projects within the same studio through different brands. We
look forward to collaborating with world's best by providing these creative
minds a world platform from which to showcase their immense talent".



Majid Majidi received the 'Best Asian Director Award" at the Mumbai Film
Festival held in October 2006. He is also the recipient of several awards at the
Montreal World Film Festival, Oslo Films from the South Festival, Sao Paulo
International Film Festival to name a few. He is one of five international film
directors to be invited by the Chinese government to participate in Vision
Beijing Film Project, which introduces the city of Beijing in preparation for
the 2008 Summer Olympics.



About SpotBoy & UTV Motion Pictures Plc



UTV Motion Pictures Plc announced its second motion picture brand SpotBoy in May
2007, to coincide with its entry into new markets within India and
internationally. Although some existing projects of UTVM have been moved under
the SpotBoy banner, the new brand will largely develop its own fresh content.
Two different brands are aimed to provide the Company with range and flexibility
at the same time help bring diverse projects within the same studio. UTVM is
already a strong player in Indian & International cinema with the success of
movies like Rang De Basanti, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Metro, The Namesake & I Think I
Love My Wife, along with international tie-ups such as a two movie deal with
Will Smith's company & Night Shyamalan's The Happening. Further information
about the Company is available at www.utvmotionpictures.com



For Further Information please contact:
UTV Motion Pictures Plc                                         [phone]
Siddharth Roy Kapur

Grant Thornton (Nomad)                                       [phone]
Fiona Owen

Jermyn Capital (Joint Broker)                               [phone]
Dharmesh Doshi

Evolution China (Joint Broker)                              [phone]
Vineeta Manchanda or Barry Saint

Bankside (Financial PR)                                    + 44 (0) 207 367 8888
Simon Bloomfield or Andy Harris



Majid Majidi: (Director)



Majid Majidi was born in 1959 to an Iranian middle class family. He grew up in
Teheran and at the age of 14 he started acting in amateur theatre groups. He
then studied at the Institute of Dramatic Art in Teheran. After the revolution
in 1978, his interest in cinema brought him to act in various films, notably
Boycott (1985) from Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Teer baran (1986) from Ali Azghar
Shadaravan.



After four award winning shorts and documentaries, his feature film debut as a
director and screenwriter was marked by Baduk (1992) that was presented at the
Quinzaine des Realisateurs at Cannes Film Festival.



Since then, he has written and directed several feature films that have won
worldwide recognition, notably Bacheha-Ye aseman (Children of Heaven 1997 -
Miramax), nominated for best foreign film at the ACADEMY AWARDS. Both his next
films, Rang-e khoda (The Color of Paradise - 1999 - Sony Classics) and Baran
(Rain - 2001 - Miramax) won Grand Prix at Montreal World Film Festival and set a
record at the time for US box office for Asian films.  Most recently, his
feature The Willow Tree was one of the biggest successes in Iran and was
featured at Toronto Film Festival.



He also continues to make documentaries including "Barefoot to Herat" made in
2001-2 in Afghanistan and recipient of a Fipresci Prize.





Filmography:



*        Avaz-e-Gonjeshkha (2008)- Under Production

*        Beed-e majnoon (2005) The Willow Tree (feature)

*        Olympik tu urdugah (2003) Olympics in Camp (short Docu)

*        Pa berahneh ta Herat (2002) Barefoot to Herat (feat docu)

*        Baran (2001) Rain (feature)

*        Rang-e khoda (1999) The Color of Paradise (feature)

*        Bacheha-Ye aseman (1997) The Children of Heaven (feature)

*        Pedar (1996) The Father (feature)

*        Khoda miad (1995) God Shall Come (short)

*        Akhareen abadeh (1993) The Last Village (short)

*        Baduk (1992) Baduk (feature)

*        Yek rooz zendegi ba aseer(1989) Family Day for POWs (docu)

*        Ruz-e emtehan (1988) Examination Day (short)

*        Hoodaj (1984) (short)

*        Enfejar (1981) Explosion (short)






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