Network Entertainment's I Am Patrick Swayze Wins Grand Prize at San Antonio Film Festival

VANCOUVER, Aug. 8, 2019 /CNW/ - Network Media Group Inc. (TSX: NTE.V) NMGGF and Network Entertainment Inc. ("Network" or "the Company") are pleased to announce that their 2019 feature documentary I Am Patrick Swayze, which held its world premiere at the San Antonio Film Festival (SAFILM) on August 2, is the winner of the Festival's Grand Prize award.

The documentary is a loving tribute to the prolific actor that celebrates his life and career through untold stories, exclusive interviews, heartfelt home movies and family photos featuring those who knew him best. The film explores his childhood in Texas and his enduring relationship with his widow, Lisa Niemi Swayze, whom he met as a teenager at his mother's dance studio. Known for undeniable star quality, the documentary is a window into an artist's life that delves into Patrick Swayze's remarkable film career working on huge blockbuster hits like Dirty Dancing, The Outsiders and Ghost.

The film features interviews with Patrick Swayze's friends, family -- including Lisa Niemi Swayze and his brother Don Swayze, co-stars Sam Elliott, Jennifer Grey, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe, Kelly Lynch, Demi Moore, Lori Petty and Marshall R. Teague, director Roland Joffe, agent Nicole David, manager Kate Edwards, personal assistant Rosemary Hygate, and stuntman Cliff McLaughlin.

Network's President and Executive Producer of the documentary, Paul Gertz, said "We are thrilled to receive this recognition from the San Antonio Film Festival for I Am Patrick Swayze. We are exceedingly proud of our production team which always goes above and beyond to create films that are authentic, engaging, and visually stunning.  The early success of I Am Patrick Swayze is a testament to that commitment and we look forward to our global television premiere on Paramount Network."

The documentary, directed by Adrian Buitenhuis (whose credits include I Am Heath Ledger and I Am Paul Walker), is the latest from Network Entertainment's award-winning filmmaker Derik Murray, who has previously produced films on iconic figures such as John F. Kennedy Jr., Martin Luther King Jr., Heath Ledger, Bruce Lee, Paul Walker, Chris Farley and Richard Pryor. The Company's next documentary to be featured is I Am Jackie O.

I Am Patrick Swayze is set to hold its Paramount Network television premiere on Sunday, August 18 – Patrick's 67th birthday – at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.  Leading into the Paramount broadcast, Swayze classics Ghost and Dirty Dancing will air at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET/PT respectively.

In a People exclusive, the following Paramount Network trailer of I Am Patrick Swayze was released on August 1: https://people.com/movies/i-am-patrick-swayze-exclusive-first-trailer/

The I Am franchise is distributed internationally by Fremantle and in Canada by Thunderbird Entertainment.

I Am Patrick Swayze is Executive Produced by Paul Gertz, Kent Wingerak and Derik Murray. Paramount Network's Chaz Gray and Jaimee Kosanke also served as Executive Producers. 

About Network Entertainment
Network Media Group is the parent company of Network Entertainment Inc.
Network Entertainment is a creatively driven, boutique film and television production company that creates, finances, produces, and delivers award winning programming to television, digital platforms and movie audiences around the world. The Network premium brand of content delivers world class casts, with visually cinematic and richly crafted storytelling, which is consistently embraced by both audiences and critics alike, garnering awards, record ratings and unparalleled media coverage for Network and its partners.

Network has a full slate of films and series in current production, including a feature documentary on Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and a multi-part documentary series for YouTube on Artificial Intelligence in partnership with Robert Downey Jr. The Company's most recent releases include Punk, a 4-part series for Epix, Executive Produced by John Varvatos and Iggy Pop, and the feature documentary I Am Richard Pryor, which premiered at this year's SXSW Film Festival. Network's latest documentary, I Am Patrick Swayze premiered at the San Antonio Film Festival on August 2 and was awarded the festival's Grand Prize. Among the Company's many accolades, Network was named to the Realscreen Global 100 List, an annual compilation of the best global production companies working in the non-fiction and unscripted visual content industry.

Network's broadcast and distribution partners include: A&E, CBC, Crave, Epix, Fremantle, HBO Canada, Lionsgate, National Geographic, Paramount Network, Thunderbird, and YouTube Premium. The Company's work has been recognized by the Academy Awards, the Emmys, the Leos, Realscreen Awards, the Gemini Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, Washington D.C. Silver Docs, Seattle International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Houston International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Banff Television Festival, and the International Film and Television Festival of New York.

For additional information on Network Entertainment Inc., visit www.networkentertainment.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 

Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information
Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are necessarily based upon management's perceptions, beliefs, assumptions and expectations, as well as a number of specific factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of the Company as of the date of such statements are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that could result in the forward-looking information ultimately, perhaps materially, being incorrect. All forward looking information in this news release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond the control of the Company and may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking information. Except as required pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Company will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. 

SOURCE Network Media Group Inc.

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