Cinemoi Says "Bonjour!" "Ciao!" To American Viewers With DIRECTV National Launch Today

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Having earned such enthusiastic supporters as Martin Scorsese, Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Jane Birkin, Michael Caine and so many more, Cinemoi, the European Network, is now an imported television channel tailored to discerning American audiences.  Set to premiere on Monday, September 17^th, Cinemoi is a 24-hour network dedicated to curated films, high couture and stunning international lifestyle.  It will premiere to 20 million households nationwide when it debuts on DIRECTV's Channel 259, nestled among Turner Classic Movies, Fox Movie Channel, WE TV, and BBC America.

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"We're committed to offering high-quality entertainment, with unparalleled style and elegance, and believe that Cinemoi will become a network of choice for a breadth of American viewers, both those who fondly remember the Golden Age of Hollywood and contemporary audiences as well," said Rod Sherwood, CEO of Cinemoi North America.

More than just a "movie channel," Cinemoi is an international lifestyle network aimed at discerning viewers who aspire for enticing and sophisticated entertainment.  It offers a lens to the world at large -- introducing American audiences to outstanding contemporary and vintage movies, and transporting viewers to the most glamorous world events and exotic destinations.  Elegant in tone, Cinemoi is defined by high-quality content in contrast to sensationalized, manufactured reality shows.  U.S. viewers will enjoy daily afternoon and evening movies, primarily in English, ranging from CineEpics to CineFemmeFatale, CineDramas, CineRomance and CineMidnight, to CineFilmNoir, CineBioDocs, CineRebels, CineCouture and CineIcons.

At launch, Cinemoi will present such films as Contempt with Brigitte Bardot and Jack Palance. Dangerous Beauty with Naomi Watts and Jacqueline Bisset, Roman Polanski's Repulsion with Catherine Deneuve, Gilda, The Lady from Shanghai featuring screen siren Rita Hayworth, period dramas such as Two Lovers with Joaquin Phoenix, Redacted by Brian De Palma, Fellini: I'm A Born Liar by Damian Pettigrew, Alegria with Frank Langella, and decade-defining classics such as Five Easy Pieces with Jack Nicholson.

With its own top-quality in-house production arm, Cinemoi is also creating a slate of original programming. "Stars of the Silver Screen" is a weekday one-hour series, airing at noon, spotlighting exclusive one-on-one interviews with top actors and filmmakers.  Seeking to be a preferred TV destination that goes behind the scenes of major global film festivals including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Rio, Toronto and London, the network's CineCouture programming profiles fashion icons such as Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul Gaultier, who called Cinemoi "The most stylish channel."  Traversing fashion weeks from New York to London, Milan to Paris, Cinemoi will also visit culturally rich destinations (CineCities) and profile the world's top chefs and most exquisite restaurants (CineCuisine).

Along with family-oriented movies in the afternoon, early evening and weekend slots, Cinemoi Kids airs children's morning programming daily, including such beautifully crafted European animation as Babar, Magic Roundabout, Jacques Cousteau's Ocean Tales and Lucky Luke.  Special programming also includes Earth From Above, a daily show that educates and inspires through environmental themes.

"We envision Cinemoi as a home for excellent programming, a magnetic destination for quality-seeking audiences.  Its mission is to provide a window to a world of curated films, romantic and exciting adventures, elegant and exclusive world events," stated Daphna Edwards Ziman, president of Cinemoi, North America.  "We're excited to launch on DIRECTV and look forward to other milestones in the months ahead."

The creative force behind the U.S. launch of Cinemoi, Ziman is a diversely experienced music label founder, film and television executive, and critically acclaimed New York Times best-selling author.  She discovered Cinemoi last year while on a European tour to promote her novel, The Gray Zone. The European network has already established a reputation since its May 2009 launch as a coveted entertainment brand recognized for outstanding programming, expertly curated films and successful collaborations with the finest talents across entertainment, fashion, art and culture.  A premium European channel, Ziman reimagined Cinemoi for U.S viewers as a more accessible and innovative network, whose website (www.CinemoiUS.com) provides a global platform for much of its best programs.  Through a partnership with the former DIRECTV leading executive and Westwood One Chief Rod Sherwood, who will serve as the chairman and CEO, and with Oliver Bengough, the British- based entrepreneur and visionary owner of Mint Entertainment based in the UK, the vision of Cinemoi North America has become a reality.

"Our vision is to bring the exciting world of cinema and fashion to people's homes across America in a way that has never been seen before," says Olly Bengough, founder of Cinemoi.

Included in the founding team of Cinemoi is Noreen Harrington, former chief of hedge funds at Goldman Sachs, whom Ziman describes as "the wind beneath our wings."  Says Harrington, "The vision of Cinemoi ignites a newly found excitement about the future of television.  The emergence of Cinemoi on DIRECTV is the beginning of a new era in quality and imaginative media."

SOURCE Cinemoi