Xenon Pictures Acquires APT Worldwide's Bio of Pope John Paul II

Spanish-Language DVD To Be Released in March in the United States

BOSTON, Massachusetts (Jan 14, 2005) U.S.-based distributor APT Worldwide has licensed the Spanish-language DVD and home video rights for Witness to Hope, the biography of Pope John Paul II, to Los Angeles-based Xenon Pictures. Xenon will release the DVD and home video in the United States in early March, in time for the Easter season.

Witness to Hope takes an in-depth look at the life of Pope John Paul II, one of the most recognizable and influential religious figures of our time. Capturing the hardships that helped define the pontiff's upbringing—from the early death of his mother to his participation in underground resistance activities in Nazi-occupied Poland—the film details how the one-time quarry worker rose in prominence to become a champion of human rights and the spiritual leader to over one-billion members of the Catholic faith. With rare historical stills and archive film, and original location shooting in Rome and Poland, this richly textured documentary provides a unique overview of the personal life and struggles of the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years.

Steve Housden, vice president of acquisitions for Xenon Pictures, says that "Witness to Hope is far beyond other programs that are currently available on the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II."

Based on the book "Witness to Hope" by noted Catholic theologian George Weigel, the film was produced by the U.S.-based production company Wyler/Rymland Productions and Commandant LLC. Commandant's Richard Rymland says, "The goal of Witness to Hope is to get this special, inspiring message out, and we at Commandant are extremely pleased that a Spanish-language version of the film will be distributed with a major focus on the Latino community in the United States."

APT Worldwide's parent company, American Public Television, began distributing the documentary to U.S. public television stations in February 2002. APT Worldwide is representing home video and DVD rights internationally and television rights in Asia and the Middle East.

APT Worldwide
APT Worldwide, located in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., is a major supplier of quality non-fiction programming to broadcasters around the world. It is a division of American Public Television, a leading distributor of television programming to public television stations in the United States.

About American Public Television
For 44 years, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime source of programming for the nation's public television stations. APT distributes more than 10,000 hours of programming including JFK: Breaking the News, Simply Ming, Globe Trekker, Rick Steves' Europe, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, Battlefield Britain, Jungle, America's Test Kitchen, Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen and classic movies. APT is known for identifying innovative programs and developing creative distribution techniques for producers. In four decades, it has established a tradition of providing public television stations nationwide with program choices that enable them to strengthen and customize their schedules.