FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Celebrating “Bold, Black, Risk-Takers”, An Evening Honouring The Book of Negroes

Part of the TD ‘Then & Now’ Series

“Aunjanue Ellis is astonishing throughout … “ – John Doyle, The Globe and Mail

Toronto, January 19, 2015 – In celebration of Black History Month, , the CBC, the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and TD are pleased to present a special evening honouring The Book of Negroes, the seminal piece of literature from and its adaptation as the highly anticipated television mini-series from director and co-writer , co-writer Lawrence Hill, executive producer Damon D’Oliveira, Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne), Idlewild Films, and starring Aunjanue Ellis.

Taking place on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at TIFF Bell Lightbox, An Evening Honouring The Book of Negroes will celebrate these two formative pieces of work and the creative talent behind them. Hosted by the CBC’s Matt Galloway, the event will feature a 45-minute onstage conversation with author and series co-writer Lawrence Hill, co-writer and director Clement Virgo and series lead Aunjanue Ellis, as they discuss the creative process of transforming the book for the screen. Following the conversation and Q&A, there will be an advance screening of the series’ fifth episode and a sneak peek of the series finale, courtesy of CBC Television, BET, Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne) and Idlewild Films.

“CFC is proud to partner with Conquering Lion Pictures, the CBC and TD to present our sixth Black History Month event,” said Slawko Klymkiw, CEO, CFC. “We are particularly pleased this year to be celebrating the incredible work of our CFC alumni involved in this mini series – Clement Virgo, Damon D’Oliveira, Kye Meechan, Joel Thomas Hynes and Cara Ricketts.”

What: An Evening Honouring The Book of Negroes Conversation and Q&A with creators and lead actress, followed by episode 5 screening

Who: Aunjanue Ellis, series lead as character “Aminata Diallo” Clement Virgo, co-writer and director Lawrence Hill, Author, The Book of Negroes and series co-writer

When: Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 1 350 King Street West,

This event is free of charge and open to the public. Please visit Eventbrite for more information and to reserve seats.

Page 1 of 2

This event is part of TD Then & Now Series, an inspiring and entertaining cultural showcase of one of Canada's prominent communities. The lineup of events includes films, concerts, exhibitions, and performances by a host of Canadian and international artists.

CFC proudly celebrates diversity and is committed to ensuring that its talent base represents a multitude of voices and experiences through the CFC Diversity and Scholarship Bursary Fund. CFC is pleased to present this Black History Month event in support of the CFC Diversity Scholarship and Bursary Fund, which ensures that talent, regardless of their personal circumstances, are afforded the opportunity to participate in CFC programs.

About CFC CFC accelerates the careers of the brightest talent in film, television, screen acting, music, and digital media. A charitable organization, CFC is committed to promoting and investing in Canada's diverse talent; providing exhibition, financial, and distribution opportunities, and fostering industry collaborations and creative partnerships. CFC makes a significant cultural and economic contribution to Canada by launching the country's most creative ideas and voices to the world. For more details, visit cfccreates.com.

About Conquering Lion Pictures Conquering Lion Pictures is a dynamic, independent Canadian production company based in Toronto, Canada. Under the leadership of Damon D’Oliveira and Clement Virgo, Conquering Lion has earned a reputation for developing and producing innovative content for theatrical and television markets with a focus on character driven projects exploring cultural diversity and urban themes. High-impact both artistically and commercially, Conquering Lion’s films have been selected for Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto International Film Festivals. Past credits include The Book Of Negroes, Poor Boy’s Game, starring ; Lie With Me; and RUDE.

About Entertainment One Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is an international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming and merchandising and licensing. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 35,000 film and television titles, 2,800 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

-30-

For media inquiries, please contact:

Cory Caverson-Angeletti Communications Specialist, CFC 416.445.1446 x463 [email protected]

Page 2 of 2