MarVista Scores New Teen, Family Movies

LOS ANGELES, September 28: MarVista Entertainment has
acquired the international distribution rights to the teen movie Taking 5 (outside of the U.K.) and the Christmas classic The
Secret of the Nutcracker (outside of
Canada) for launch at MIPCOM.

Taking 5 is an upbeat
comedy about two teen idol worshippers who kidnap a famous boy band. The teen
cast includes Christy Carlson
Romano (Kim Possible, Even Stevens), Daniella Monet (Nancy Drew), Alona Tal (Veronica Mars, Cane) and Kate Albrecht (Entourage). The movie also features the hit band The
Click Five signed in the U.S. with Atlantic Records and currently on tour with
Hilary Duff. Zygi Kamasa (Bend it Like Beckham, Good Night and Good
Luck) and Hagai Shaham (Mean
Creek) serve as the film’s executive
producers. Lionsgate UK holds the U.K. distribution rights to the film.

The made-for-TV movie The Secret of the Nutcracker, from Canada’s Joe Media, centers around 12-year-old
Clara’s journey on Christmas Eve to find her father in a WWII POW camp. The
movie includes four dance spectacles featuring the world famous Alberta Ballet.
The movie is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's classic novel by award-winning playwright
John Murrell, and features the talent of Brian Cox (Running With
Scissors) and Gemini Award-nominee Helene
Joy (An American in Canada).