Image Entertainment Aquires LAST LOVE with Michael Caine

Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, has acquired all U.S. rights to the romantic drama Last Love, based on Francoise Dorner's French novel La Douceur Assassine. Starring Oscar winner Michael Caine (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception), who recently signed on to star in Interstellar his 6th Christopher Nolan film, Last Love is written and directed by Sandra Nettelbeck, and co-stars Clémence Poésy (In Bruges, 127 Hours), Justin Kirk (Goats, Showtime's "Weeds"), Gillian Anderson (The X Files) and Jane Alexander (Dream House, Terminator Salvation). Bill Bromiley, chief acquisitions officer for Image Entertainment, made today's announcement.

Image acquired the film from producers/financiers Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Bavaria Pictures GmbH and Kaminski Stiehm. Global Screen is handling international sales and will be attending the upcoming Cannes film market. The film will be released via ultra VOD in October and then theatrically in markets across the country.

Last Love stars Michael Caine as a lonely American widower who learns to love life again after a chance meeting with a young woman (Clémence Poésy) while living in Paris. The film, starring the Academy Award winning Caine and scored by Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer, was filmed entirely in Paris, France.

"The legendary Michael Caine delivers an outstanding performance in this film," said Bromiley. "His versatility and presence on screen command respect from peers and audiences alike. We are proud to distribute another great work from one of the greatest actors of all time."

"Quality-made character driven dramas are finding great success in this new business model of Ultra VOD and so we are thrilled to partner with Image Entertainment as they release Last Love theatrically in all the major U.S. markets in conjunction with their VOD strategy. We have worked with Bill Bromiley and Image and they have proven to be pioneers in this multi-platform arena, breaking new ground with films of real substance. We are confident that Michael Caine's performance in this exquisite romantic drama will reach a wide audience," said Jim Tauber, President of SKE.

Last Love was produced by Astrid Kahmke, Frank Kaminski, Sidney Kimmel, Philipp Kreuzer, Helge Sasse and Ulrich Stiehm and was executive produced by SKE President Jim Tauber, SKE President of Production Matt Berenson and Bruce Toll. German production companies Bavaria Pictures, Kaminski Stiehm Film and Senator Film co-produced with Belgium-based Scope Pictures and SKE, in association with Elzevir Films of France. The deal was negotiated on behalf of SKE by EVP Business and Legal Affairs Nick Hanks, Bromiley, Mark Ward and Jess DeLeo on behalf of Image Entertainment, and ICM Parners on behalf of the filmmakers.

Michael Caine has won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules and has been nominated four times for Best Actor in Alfie, Sleuth, Educating Rita and The Quiet American.

Recent Image Entertainment releases include The Numbers Station with John Cusack and Malin Akerman, Tomorrow You're Gone with Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan and Willem Dafoe, Day of the Falcon with Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto and Mark Strong and the upcoming The Colony with Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton and Kevin Zegers, Blood with Paul Bettany, Mark Strong and Brian Cox and Paradise with Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer and Holly Hunter, written, directed and produced by Diablo Cody.

ABOUT RLJ ENTERTAINMENT

RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) is a premier independent licensee and distributor of entertainment content and programming in North America, the United Kingdom and Australia with over 5,200 exclusive titles. RLJE is a leader in numerous genres via its owned and distributed brands such as Acorn (British TV), Image (stand-up comedy, feature films), One Village (urban), Acacia (fitness), Slingshot (faith), Athena (educational), Criterion (art films) and Madacy (gift sets). These titles are distributed in multiple formats including DVD, Blu-Ray, digital download, digital streaming, broadcast television (including satellite and cable), theatrical and non-theatrical.

Via its majority-owned subsidiary Agatha Christie Limited, RLJE manages the intellectual property and publishing rights to some of the greatest works of mystery fiction, including stories of the iconic sleuths Miss Marple and Poirot. And through its direct-to-consumer business, RLJE has direct contacts and billing relationships with millions of consumers.

RLJE leverages its management experience to acquire, distribute, and monetize existing and original content for its many distribution channels, including its nascent Branded digital subscription channels, and engages distinct audiences with programming that appeals directly to their unique viewing interests. RLJE has proprietary e-commerce web sites for the Acorn and Acacia brands, and owns the recently launched Acorn TV digital subscription service.

Veteran producer Sidney Kimmel heads Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based, wholly independent finance and Production Company focused on bringing high profile, quality entertainment projects to contemporary audiences in association with studio distribution partners. Jim Tauber serves as President of Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. Matt Berenson serves as President of Production.

The Company recently released "The Place Beyond the Pines," directed by Derek Cianfrance, starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes via Focus Features and "Stand-Up Guys," directed by Fisher Stevens, starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin, produced in association with Lakeshore Entertainment for release by Lions Gate Entertainment.

SKE has financed and produced, both independently and with studio partners, 39 features since the Company was founded in 2004. Some of the Company's releases include the hit thriller "The Lincoln Lawyer," starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe and William H. Macy, in association with Lakeshore Entertainment and released by Lions Gate Entertainment; the remake of its own 2006 British comedy "Death at a Funeral," with co-writer/co-producer Chris Rock leading an all-star ensemble cast, released by Screen Gems, "Adventureland," the Greg Mottola directed critical hit, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, co-financed, co-produced and released by Miramax; Marc Forster's "The Kite Runner," based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, produced with Dreamworks Pictures, Participant Productions, and Parkes/MacDonald Productions, released by Paramount Vantage; the Academy-Award nominated "Lars and the Real Girl," starring Ryan Gosling, Patricia Clarkson, and Emily Mortimer, directed by Craig Gillespie and released by MGM; and Oscar-nominee Paul Greengrass' "United 93," based on the true story of the doomed Flight of 9/11, in association with Universal Pictures.