Excel Entertainment to Distribute Modern Day Pride and Prejudice  

Excel Entertainment Group, one of the nationıs top limited-release film distributors, announced today the inking of a deal with BestBoy Pictures for the theatrical and video distribution of the romantic comedy "Pride and Prejudice."

Scheduled for release sometime late this holiday season, "Pride and Prejudice‹a latter-day comedy" is a clever, modern, comedic adaptation of the quintessential Jane Austen classic.  Fans of the novel will be happy to note that the comedy closely follows the characters and situations of the original novel, even retaining original character names, but in a present-day suburban setting.

"Pride and Prejudice" centers on Elizabeth Bennet, a hard-working college student and aspiring novelist who doesnıt want to even think about marriage, even while her roommates are endlessly searching for husbands.  Then she meets a handsome playboy named Wickham and a stern businessman named Darcy and her carefully constructed world flies to pieces.  

"We are very excited about this film," says Jeff Simpson, president of Excel Entertainment Group.  "It's beautifully made, it's funny, it has heart.  The overall direction and production design are fantastic and the cast is wonderful."

Starring a fresh-faced cast based primarily in LA, the pic boasts some outstanding performances from relative newcomers Kam Heskin ("Catch Me if You Can") as Elizabeth and British-born Orlando Seale ("Legend of Sleepy Hollow") as Darcy.  Other notable performances come from Hubbel Palmer as the overbearing Collins and Kelly Stables ("Haunted Mansion") as Lydia, the most boy-crazy of Elizabethıs roommates.  Carmen Rasmusen of American Idol fame also has a small role in the film, and lends her voice to the soundtrack.

"Pride and Prejudice" is the feature film debut for Scottish director Andrew Black.  Black is the award-winning director of the short film "The Snell Show" which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short at the 2003 Slamdance Film Festival, and is being considered for a 2004 Academy Award nomination.  Black worked with South African co-producer Kynan Griffin and Canadian producer Jason Faller on both "The Snell Show" and this most recent pic.  Executive producer Daniel Shanthakumar, originally from India, rounds out the international group of filmmakers responsible for "Pride and Prejudice."

"Pride and Prejudice is the only one of Austenıs classics that hasnıt hit the big screen in the last twenty years," says producer Faller.  "The A&E television version was fabulous, and very popular, so itıs surprising that we havenıt seen a theatrical version since 1940.  Weıve seen adaptations of Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion, but of all Austenıs novels, Pride by far has the largest and most loyal following.  Itıs about time fans of the story get to see it on the silver screen.  And we really had fun with the modern setting."

In early 2002, Excel Entertainment Groupıs Motion Picture division was ranked 8th on a list of top limited-release distributors by ACNeilsen EDI.  The company has also distributed indie hits like "Godıs Army," "Brigham City" and "The Other Side of Heaven" into nearly every market in the United States and into several international markets, including Canada, Mexico and New Zealand.  In addition to film distribution, Excel Entertainment Group oversees an artist management division and a music and video retail distribution division.

Watch the trailer for "Pride and Prejudice" at www.PridePrejudice.com