April 2006

‘THANK YOU FOR SMOKING’

Release Date 16 June 2006

‘Thank You For Smoking’ is a fiercely funny and ferociously satirical film about today’s obsessive culture of Spin.

Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is just an honest guy doing an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. At least that’s the way he sees it. And it’s the way he tells it to his 12-year-old son Joey (Cameron Bright).

So how come so many people hate him? It could be something to do with his line of work – he’s a high-profile lobbyist for the American tobacco industry.

‘Thank You For Smoking’ is a comic – and scarily accurate - look at a world where the truth is hidden, distorted, massaged, manipulated and ‘managed’ every day of our lives, from the boardrooms of big business to the corridors of corporate power, from the White House to Westminster.

Based on Christopher Buckley’s best-selling book, ‘Thank You For Smoking’ is the feature-film debut of writer-director Jason Reitman and features an all-star cast including Aaron Eckhart, Rob Lowe, Robert Duvall, Katie Holmes, William H Macy and Maria Bello.

Smooth-talking Naylor makes his living defending the rights of smokers and the profits of his tobacco baron boss, ‘The Captain’ (Robert Duvall), and spends his spare time lunching with his counterparts in the alcohol and firearms industries (Maria Bello, David Koechner). They call themselves the MOD – Merchants of Death.

The only trouble is, Nick’s a genuinely nice guy for a merchant of death, a great dad to his 12-year-old son Joey (Cameron Bright), and very good at his job. To many he’s a monster but to Nick, he’s selling that great American virtue, freedom of choice.

Not everyone shares his rose-tinted view. Ambitious senator Ortolan Finistirre (William H. Macy) wants to silence him and put skull-and-crossbones labels on cigarette packets, while skeptical reporter Heather Holloway (Katie Holmes) seems intent on nailing him in more ways than one.

Others devise even more drastic plans to keep Nick quiet when he comes up with a cunning plan to halt the drastic slump in cigarette sales – by getting film stars to start lighting up again. “The only people who smoke in the movies any more are villains and Europeans,” he complains to Hollywood super-agent Jeff Megall (Rob Lowe). “The message Hollywood needs to send out is: ‘Smoking is cool’.”

Independently-produced ‘Thank You For Smoking’ was a hit with audiences at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.

Critics have shared their enthusiasm:

‘Easily the best and wickedest comedy of the new year’ – Rolling Stone

‘Aaron Eckhart at his most hilariously slick’ – Premiere

‘A hilarious and gloriously politically incorrect send-up of Washington’s culture of shameless spin’ – Newsweek.

‘Hilarious: politically incorrect in the very best way’ – US Weekly

‘Fast moving and witty: the movie is a winner’ – New Yorker

‘Very smart and funny’ – LA Times

‘A movie that makes you think and laugh at the same time – this one is ahead of the pack’ - Gene Shalit, Today Show

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES and ROOM 9 ENTERTAINMENT
present a DAVID O. SACKS Production in Association with CONTENTFILM

Starring AARON ECKHART, MARIA BELLO, CAMERON BRIGHT, ADAM BRODY, SAM ELLIOTT, KATIE HOLMES, DAVID KOECHNER, ROB LOWE, WILLIAM H. MACY, J.K. SIMMONS, and ROBERT DUVALL

Written for the Screen and Directed by JASON REITMAN
Based on the Novel by CHRISTOPHER BUCKLEY

Released by Twentieth Century Fox

Running time: 92 minutes
Cert 15. Contains strong language

For further info please contact:
Dee McCourt or Amy Barder or Gerry Cottle
@ BORKOWSKI Tel: 020 7404 3000
amy@borkowski.co.uk 07917 167786
dee@borkowski.co.uk 07803 726543 or gerry@borkowski.co.uk 07747 70323

Posted by Melody on April 24

MAMMA MIA! FILM PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED

Judy Craymer, producer of MAMMA MIA!, the worldwide smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, has confirmed that the musical's producing company, Littlestar, and Playtone will partner to make the film of MAMMA MIA! Judy Craymer and Playtone's Gary Goetzman will produce the film. No timeframe has been announced for the production.

Judy Craymer is delighted to be taking MAMMA MIA! from the stage to screen.
“The film has always been a twinkle in our eye but I’ve been so busy concentrating on the stage productions around the world that I’ve not had time to think about it, until now. The time felt right and the partnership with Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks helped everything fall into place”

Now in its eighth year on the London stage, MAMMA MIA! currently has 11 productions playing around the world and is celebrating its fifth anniversary on Broadway this year. From West End smash to global phenomenon, MAMMA MIA! has already been seen by over 27 million people in over 130 cities across North America, Australia, Europe and Asia.

It has grossed over $1.6 billion at the box office worldwide. The original London production opened in 1999 and has been seen by over 4 million people at over 2,900 performances, grossing over £145 million at the UK Box Office.

Inspired by the story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs, MAMMA MIA! is writer Catherine Johnson's enchanting tale of family and friendship which unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

MAMMA MIA! is now booking to 27 January 2007 at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Tickets are priced £27.50-£55. Tickets are available online at www.mamma-mia.com or through the Box Office on 0870 850 0393.

Performances times are Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm, with Friday performances at 5.00pm and 8.30pm and Saturday performances at 3.00pm and 7.30pm.

Visit the MAMMA MIA! website for more information at: www.mamma-mia.com

For further info please contact:

Dee McCourt dee@borkowski.co.uk
Amy Barder amy@borkowski.co.uk
BORKOWSKI Tel: 020 7404 3000

amy@borkowski.co.uk 07917 167786
dee@borkowski.co.uk 07803 726543

VIRGIN EGGS-HIBITION TO HELP AFRICAN FARMERS

Virgin Megastores has teamed up with Farm Africa for a brand new charitable campaign called Eggs for Easter.

Buy any title in the Easter sale and Virgin Megastores will donate 1% of the profit towards buying chickens for African farmers, providing a valuable source of food and income.

Collection boxes will be placed in-store and all personal donations will be entered into a prize draw to win a limited edition set of illustrated ostrich eggs, currently on display in-store as part of an Eggs for Easter eggs-hibition.

There are six limited edition displays and the remaining five will be auctioned via eBay to raise further money for Eggs for Easter. To find out more about how you can help Farm Africa, visit www.farmafrica.org.uk

For further information please contact:
Emeka Njodi meka@borkowski.co.uk
or Amit Chakravarty amit@borkowski.co.uk
at BORKOWSKIPR
on 020 7404 3000

NOTES TO EDITOR
FARM-Africa aims to reduce poverty by developing innovative approaches to natural resource management in Africa. The charity works with smallholder farmers and herders, prioritising pastoral development, community forest management and smallholder development & land reform.

FARM-Africa stands for Food and Agricultural Research Management-Africa and works in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda and Sudan.

Easter Sale Lead-Lines (further titles available in-store)

CD ARTIST & ALBUM

Gorillaz - Gorillaz 3.99
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me 3.99
Green Day - American Idiot 4.99
Streets - Original Pirate Material 4.99
Streets - Grand don't Come for Free 4.99
Prince - Purple Rain 3.99
Muse - Absolution 4.99
Queen - Live at Wembley 4.99
Kano - Home Sweet Home 6.99
Johnny Cash - At San Quentin & Folsom 2CD 6.99
Madonna - American Life 3.99
Kinks - Ultimate Collection 4.99
Smiths - Very best of 4.99
Goldie Looking Chain - Safe as F**k 6.99
Frank Sinatra - My Way B/O 5.99

DVD TITLE

Sin City [Cert 18] 7.99
Shameless - Season 1 [Cert 15] 9.99
Star Wars Trilogy [Cert: U] 16.99

GAME TITLE

WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2006 [Cert: 16+] 19.99
World Tour Soccer 9.99

Participating stores
· Birmingham
· Cardiff
· Glasgow
· London, Piccadilly
· Newcastle
· Liverpool

CAINS FINEST ROLLS INTO LONDON - BRINGING THE CULTURE BACK INTO THE CAPITAL

Spring 2006 officially signals the beginning of another illustrious chapter in the history of Robert Cain Brewery as Cains Finest Lager is made available to pub and bar goers across the capital. The UK’s first British premium lager is now coming to a venue near every Londoner.

Cains Finest Lager is now to be stocked in over 100 pubs and bars throughout London to mark their distribution deal with Mitchell & Butlers – the UK’s leading operator of managed pubs, bars, and restaurants.

The lager, a smooth and full flavoured 5%ABV brew with a lovely amber hue gains its distinction from the manner in which it is brewed. Using only the finest barley malt – Maris Otter from Norfolk and hops, and the fact that it is allowed to mature over three months rather than the three days most other lagers are brewed for really puts the ‘premium’ tag on this true British lager.

The brew known as ‘Liverpool in a pint’ will now be in the hands of Londoners – and some will think that this moment is long overdue. The drink has already been causing waves in the consumer drinks market over the last six months.

Cains Finest Lager has been voted at number 2 in GQ’s Annual 100 Best Things In The World in December 2005. To follow this up Cains Brewery as well as the two visionaries behind the rise of the brewery – joint managing directors Sudarghara and Ajmail Dusanj are featured in the March 2006 edition of GQ Style. Add to this all the accolades given to the lager from the CAMRA association, and securing official drinking rights and sponsorship of Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008.

Joint managing director Sudarghara Dusanj comments: ‘These are very exciting times both for the lager, and for us and everyone connected with Cains Brewery. London is a very cosmopolitan city and our view is that the lager will very much compliment that. This was such a key market for the lager to break into and it was paramount that we achieved distribution here. Liverpool in a pint will now be in the hands of Londoners, bringing a taste of culture back to the capital’.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

AMIT CHAKRAVARTY - BORKOWSKIPR
amit@borkowski.co.uk

0207 404 3000 / 07810 551 017

Notes To Editors

About Cains Breweries

Cains is a £35m turnover regional brewery based in Liverpool employing 80 people. It is the fastest growing and most entrepreneurial regional brewery in the UK, headed by brothers Ajmail and Sudarghara Dusanj. They spotted a Times newspaper article in 2002 saying Cains Brewery was for sale. They put a call in on the Monday and purchased the business in July 2002.

During the summer of 2005, Cains Finest Lager won a Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) beer festival award and has received positive endorsements from leading industry commentators including Roger Protz.

Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008 Official Sponsor

Award winning brewers Cains are backing Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Cains becomes first official supplier for Capital of Culture ‘08
Three year deal announced on Friday, November 11 2005
Exclusive pouring rights across the city for the next three years

Lager Description & Purchase Details

Cains have created a lager of distinction using the finest barley malt and hops. Because Cains Lager is matured over three full months, it delivers a distinctive, refreshing taste for the discerning drinker. Smooth and full flavoured with a lovely amber hue.

Cains Finest Lager costs £24.99 per case (12 bottles per case) and can be ordered online from www.cains.co.uk or via telephone on 0151 709 8734.