Coscient Group Acquires Two Major Feature Films: Simpatico, Starring Sharon Stone, Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges and The Lost Son With Daniel Auteuil and Nastassja Kinski

Business Wire, March 12, 1999

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 1999--Coscient(ME:CST.A.) (TSE:CST.A.) Coscient Group Inc. announced today its acquisition of two feature films from Studio Canal for distribution in Canada.

Simpatico, starring Sharon Stone, Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges, is budgeted at more than $ 10M U.S. and marks the directorial debut of Matthew Warchus. The Lost Son, a $ 10M U.S. film is directed by Chris Menges, starring Daniel Auteuil and Nastassja Kinski.

Motion International, the distribution division of Coscient Group Inc., concluded these deals as part of its long-standing business relationship with Canal and Studio Canal . Motion International is the Canadian sales agent of the Canal library, the largest and most diversified French and English language catalogues in Europe.

French pay television network Canal is one of the most important television and feature film producers and distributors in the world. Coscient Group is also coproducing several animation series with Ellipse Animation, a Canal subsidiary.

Based on a play by Sam Sheppard, Simpatico follows Carter (Jeff Bridges), a wealthy race horse owner, and Vinnie (Nick Nolte), a failed man. Their friendship broken by a gamble gone wrong and a woman named Rosie (Sharon Stone), Carter and Vinnie cross paths again 20 years later. Simpatico is produced by Emotion Pictures in association with Studio Canal . Principal photography of the film has just been completed.

French actor Daniel Auteuil stars in The Lost Son, his first English feature, with Nastassja Kinski. Produced by Scala Productions (The Crying Game) and Ima Films, in association with Studio Canal , The Lost Son is the story of the disappearance of the son of a wealthy elderly couple. Located in London, a French private detective (Daniel Auteuil) is on the case, a search which will lead him to the slums of the city and change him forever. The Lost Son will be released theatrically early this summer.

Coscient Group is the largest independent producer in Quebec and the second largest in Canada; it is also the leading Canadian distributor of television programs. The company operates internationally in five areas of production -- drama (TV movies, series and feature films), youth programming and animation, entertainment products and documentaries -- in addition to its domestic and international distribution activities.

Coscient also produces and distributes large-format films for the IMAX theatres network. Class A shares of Coscient Group are listed on the Montreal and Toronto exchanges under the symbol CST.A.