November 16, 2004

Screen Legend Sophia Loren in CTV Original Mini-Series Lives of the Saints debuting January 2, 2005

 
- Jessica Paré, Kris Kristofferson, Fabrizio Filippo, Nick Mancuso & Sabrina Ferilli co-star -
- Award-winning Jerry Ciccoritti directs CTV’s most ambitious single production ever -

Toronto, ON (November 16, 2004) - On the heels of its record-breaking European premiere, CTV announced today the North American premiere for Lives of the Saints, a Canadian-Italian co-production and CTV’s largest-ever commitment to a television movie. The two-part, four-hour mini-series, headlined by the incomparable Sophia Loren, will premiere Sun., January 2, 2005 from 9-11 p.m. ET, concluding Mon., January 3, 2005 from 8-10 p.m. ET on CTV (check local listings).

Based on the best-selling, award-winning trilogy by Italian-Canadian author Nino Ricci, Lives of the Saints is an intimate tale of betrayal and redemption chronicling one family’s search for the truth in an adventure spanning 30 years, two countries and the life of a young Italian boy. The epic story travels from a sun-drenched Italian hill-town to the frozen Arctic, to the flatlands of rural Ontario and finally back to the isolated hilltop village of Valle del Sole, Italy, in a story suffused with mystery and shocking truth. The adventure begins in 1940’s war-torn Italy before moving to Toronto’s swinging scene of the ‘60s. Only after a fateful return to Italy does the family ultimately learn the biggest secrets and sins of its past.

"In Lives of the Saints we discover the redemptive power of love and forgiveness as captured so passionately by one of the most potent casts ever assembled for a CTV project," said Susanne Boyce, CTV President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group.

Headlining the CTV mini-series is Sophia Loren (A Special Day, Marriage Italian Style), one of the world’s legendary leading ladies and a veteran of 100 films. In addition to her 1962 Academy Award for "Two Women", Loren has received an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement (1991). She won an Honorary Golden Berlin Bear in 1994 and a Cecil B. De Mille Golden Globe Award in 1995. In addition, Loren has received acknowledgments from all over the world, from the French Victoires to the German Gold Bear and Bambis, the Italian Donatellos and Silver Ribbon and the Japanese Samurais.

"I came to Canada from Italy as a young girl and recognized in Lives of the Saints, a universal story, not only for Italians in Canada but for immigrants the world over", said co-executive producer Gabriella Martinelli of Capri Films.

In Lives of the Saints, Loren plays Teresa Innocente, a small-town schoolteacher and doting aunt to young Vittorio, played by Toronto’s Fabrizio Filippo (Waydowntown, Action). Rising star Montrealer Jessica Paré (Jack and Bobby, The Death and Life of Nancy Eaton) plays Vittorio’s illegitimate sister Rita, while Italian film superstar Sabrina Ferilli (La Belle Vita, Ferie d’Aposto) plays Cristina, their strong-willed and fiery mother. Nick Mancuso (Stingray, Under Siege) stars as Cristina’s absentee husband Mario. Rounding out the formidable cast is Kris Kristofferson (A Star Is Born, Lonestar) who plays Matthew Bok, the mystery man whose memory has haunted the Innocente family for 30 years.

For the mini-series, Ricci’s trilogy was adapted by acclaimed writer Malcolm MacRury (Deadwood, Man Without a Face). Lensing the mini-series was Gemini Award-winning Jerry Ciccoritti (Trudeau, The Death and Life of Nancy Eaton), one of Canada’s most exciting and prolific directors, whose own parents emigrated from Italy to Canada. Ciccoritti was charged with directing the shoot over its nine-week production phase, split between shoots in Canada (Toronto and surrounding area) and the stunning countryside in Italy (an abandoned hillside village in Umbria).

"Lives of the Saints is a gripping saga about family secrets, murder, suicide, and families ripped apart by old secrets that aren’t revealed," said Ciccoritti. "It’s a story of lies and faith and above all a story of love and redemption. The final message is that everything can be forgiven," he added.

The Canadian-Italian co-production between Toronto-based Capri Films and Italy-based RTI was made in association with CTV. Overseeing the production were producers Gabriella Martinelli (Capri Films, Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo & Juliet, Cronenberg’s M Butterfly) and Giovanna Arata (RTI, Young Casanova, Doctor Zhivago). Tecca Cosby is CTV’s production executive for the mini-series. Bill Mustos is Senior Vice-President, Dramatic Programming for CTV. Susanne Boyce is President of CTV Programming and Chair of the Media Group.

Lives of the Saints is derived from CTV’s "Heroes, Champions and Villains" production strand that focuses on remarkable Canadian personalities, characters and stories, whether fictional or real life. The mini-series enjoyed an unprecedented eight-figure production budget, the biggest ever for any CTV original movie or mini-series. For Lives of the Saints, the Innocente family and their struggle to make a better life in Canada is a story for immigrants from all corners of the world.

The Italy-Canada co-production has already enjoyed its Italian premiere this year, when it finished as that country’s most-watched program of the Fall season for Channel 5.

Lives of the Saints is also scheduled to be released to DVD in Canada in February, 2005.

CTV, Canada’s largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It boasts the number-one national newscast, CTV News With Lloyd Robertson, and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing. CTV owns 21 conventional television stations across Canada and has interests in 14 specialty channels, including the number-one Canadian specialty channel, TSN. CTV is owned by CTVglobemedia, Canada’s premier multi-media company. More information about CTV may be found on the company Web site at www.ctv.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Renee Dupuis, CTV Inc., 416.332.4596, or reneedupuis@ctv.ca,
Anne-Marie La Pointe Muttart, Publicist, 902.453.4000 x3397, or alapointe@ctv.ca

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