Lifetime Greenlights Pilot for Original Movie SWORN TO SILENCE

Lifetime has green lit the two-hour original movie-backdoor pilot Sworn to Silence, starring Neve Campbell (Scream, Party of Five), it was announced today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.

In Sworn to Silence, the peaceful Amish farming community of Painter's Mill, Ohio, is shattered when a series of brutal murders leaves the town with a sense of frailty and loss of innocence. Among the most affected by the tragedy was Kate Burkholder (Campbell), a young girl who survived the terror and, as a result, left the Amish life behind. Fifteen years later, Kate returns to Painter's Mill as its Chief of Police. Certain she's come to terms with her past, Kate's renewed life in her hometown is shattered when a murder investigation triggers deep-seated emotions from her childhood and exposes dark secret that could destroy her.

Based on the book by Linda Castillo, Sworn to Silence will be executive produced by Barbara Lieberman (Lifetime's upcoming The Pregnancy Project, Murder in the Hamptons) and Poppy Montgomery (Lifetime's Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story, Unforgettable), co-executive produced by Campbell, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal (Girl Fight, Homegrown) and written by Mark Malone (Law & Order: Criminal Intent).

Additionally, Campbell has entered into a development deal with Lifetime involving scripted dramas and original movies. Campbell is represented by United Talent Agency and Abi Harries of Ken McReddie Associates, along with her manager Arlene Forster and attorney StEve Younger of Lyman Greenspan Fineman Fox Light.

"Growing our scripted programming remains a top priority for Lifetime and our longform strategy provides us with a strong stable from which to identify potential series," said Dubuc. "I've always admired Neve's work. She is a proven talent who will bring a high level of intensity and presence to this role and Sworn to Silence."

One of the most accomplished actresses of her generation, Campbell has made an indelible impression on audiences with her work in both major motion pictures and on the small screen. In 1994, she was cast in the role of "Julia Salinger" in Fox's critically-acclaimed Golden Globe Award(R)-winning drama Party of Five, which brought Campbell to the attention of audiences throughout the country; but it was her starring role in the first installment of Scream in 1996 that would make her a household name. The Canadian native has gone on to amass numerous film credits, including The Craft, Scream 2, Scream 3 and recently, Scream 4, as well as Wild Things, When Will I Be Loved, 54, Three to Tango, Drowning Mona, Investigating Sex, Panic and, most recently, Singularity, directed by Roland Joffé. Campbell also starred in and produced the feature film The Company, directed by Robert Altman. Some of Campbell's additional television credits include The Simpsons, The Philanthropist, Medium, Catwalk and the miniseries Sea-Wolf and Burn Up and the television movie Fitzgerald. She recently completed filming the BBC produced television series Titanic: Blood and Steel with Chris Noth, scheduled for 2012.

In August, Lifetime picked up the original one-hour series The Client List, starring and executive produced by Jennifer Love Hewitt, to launch next year. Based on the network's hit 2010 original movie, the series is about a Texas housewife (Hewitt), who, after being deserted by her husband, is left in deep financial straits and takes a job at a seemingly traditional day spa where massages aren't the only services on the menu but she partners with the parlor's owner to run the business. Attached as executive producers on The Client List are Hewitt, Dannielle Thomas, Howard Braunstein, Efrem Seeger and Jordan Budde, with Sony Pictures Television and Fedora Films producing.

Earlier this year, Lifetime ordered the drama pilot Modern Love, which follows a newspaper science editor (Eric Stoltz) as he faces a deteriorating marriage, the ramifications of potentially starting over and balancing his relationship with his 15-year-old daughter (Samantha Futerman). Weaving in actual column stories optioned from the New York Times, the pilot also stars Ally Sheedy, Cara Buono, Natasha Lyonne, Mamie Gummer and Robert Klein. Created by Jenny Bicks, Modern Love is executive produced by Bicks, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, Gene Stein and Alan Poul, and produced by Sony Pictures Television and BermanBraun.

The network recently also ordered the pilot American Housewife, starring Melanie Griffith, Jeffrey Nordling, Matthew MacCaull and Ken Luckey, which explores the presumably idyllic life of a homemaker (Griffith) who is overwhelmed by being the perfect wife and mother to her well-to-do family and is constantly distracted by the ongoing conversation she holds with her inner voice. From Fox Television Studios, American Housewife will be executive produced by Antonio Banderas, Griffith and Erik Jendresen, who wrote the script based on a story by Banderas and Jendresen, Ray Ricord and Jason Weinberg also executive produce, with David Slade directing.

In addition, Lifetime and Renée Zellweger are currently developing the drama series Cinnamon Girl. Set in the Los Angeles music and movie scenes of the late 1960s/early 1970s, Cinnamon Girl is the story of four girls coming of age during a revolution. Created by Zellweger and Anthony Tambakis, the project will be executive produced by Zellweger, Tambakis and Gavin O'Connor, with Zellweger and Tambakis co-writing the script, O'Connor directing and Danny Bramson serving as producer and music supervisor.

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