Cinedigm (CIDM) Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Call Me Kuchu

Cinedigm Entertainment Group, a division of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM) has acquired all U.S. distribution rights to Call Me Kuchu. The powerful and moving film documents the daily lives of David Kato – the first openly gay Ugandan man – and three fellow “kuchus” (LGBT Ugandans), culminating in a brutal and senseless murder that sent shock waves throughout the world. The film is planned for a theatrical release in early 2013, followed by on-demand, premium digital, DVD, and TV release.

Born out of Film Independent’s Artist Development Program, Call Me Kuchu has earned stellar reviews on the festival circuit, including winning both the Teddy Award (Best Documentary) and the Cinema Fairbindet Prize at the 2012 Berlin Film Festival, the Amnesty International’s Human Rights Award at the Durban Film Festival, and Best International Feature at Hot Docs 2012.

“As much an activist wake-up call as a piece of reportage… the coverage of events here is impressive and on the mark.” – Robert Koehler, Variety

“A memorable, important work that will hopefully serve as required viewing for continued conversation around human rights issues.” – Nijla Mumin, Indiewire

Over the course of two years, filmmakers Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall documented the daily lives of the outspoken and inspiring Kato and his fellow “kuchus” as Uganda was emerging as a frontier in the battle for African LGBT rights. Call Me Kuchu is both a gripping portrait of a country where civil rights clash with entrenched attitudes (and the popular vote) as well as an in-depth examination of the nature and consequences of profound religious faith, as expressed by evangelical leaders as well as the kuchu community and its allies.

“Call Me Kuchu is one of those rare films that tackles a controversial worldwide issue and then makes that very issue exceedingly personal and intense,” said Vincent Scordino, Vice President of Acquisitons for Cinedigm Entertainment Group. “Viewers will come away profoundly moved. And, appropriately, angry.”

“Throughout the course of this project, no one has believed in the power of documentation more than David Kato himself,” said Fairfax Wright and Zouhali-Worall. “It is with great delight that we are partnering with Cinedigm to ensure the story of David’s courage and the movement he began will now reach audiences across America.”

“Katy and Malika’s Call Me Kuchu is an important film to come out of Film Independent’s Artist Development Program and it was exciting to watch it garner accolades on the festival circuit and from leading US and global political organizations,” said Film Independent Co-President, Sean McManus. “While the film is set in Uganda, its message is a global one, reminding us that the relevance of having an ongoing dialogue around equality can’t be understated. We are thrilled that Cinedigm will bring this exceptionally crafted, powerful film to the broadest possible audience.”

Call Me Kuchu is directed by Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall and produced by Zouhali-Worrall, with support from Film Independent’s inaugural Documentary Lab, as well as Chicken & Egg Pictures, Catapult Film Fund and Cinereach. The filmmakers were represented in the negotiation by Andrew Herwitz, President, Film Sales Company, and by Emily Rothschild for Cinedigm Entertainment Group.

About Cinedigm Entertainment Group

Cinedigm Entertainment Group (CEG), a division of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp., is an end-to-end digital distribution company delivering content in theaters, across digital and on-demand platforms, and on DVD/Blu-ray. CEG reaches a global digital audience through partnerships with iTunes, Netflix, Amazon, Google, Hulu, Vudu, Xbox, Playstation, and others. The company’s library of over 5,000 titles includes award-winning documentaries from Docurama Films®, next-gen indies from Flatiron Film Company® and acclaimed independent films and festival picks through partnerships with the Sundance Institute and Tribeca Film. CEG is proud to distribute many Oscar^®-nominated films including Hell and Back Again, GasLand, Waste Land, Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita. Current and upcoming CEG multi-platform releases include The Invisible War, Citadel, In Our Nature, 22 Bullets and Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey.

Some additional statistics supporting CEG’s digital distribution dominance:

• Delivered nearly 40,000 hours of film and TV entertainment content to the digital ecosystem since 2005
• Package and deliver more than 900 instances of digital content monthly
• Manage the digital distribution for more than 500 content licensors
• Represent more than 12,000 movies and shows for digital distribution
• Distribute more than 1,700 feature films to iTunes worldwide

Cinedigm™ and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp™ are trademarks of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. www.cinedigm.com. [CIDM-G]