ELIE SAMAHA - EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

ELIE SAMAHA is Chairman/CEO of Franchise Pictures, which has fast become one of the most prolific production and co-financing companies in the entertainment industry. Under his leadership, Franchise Pictures will finance and distribute over a dozen films this year alone.

Samaha, who has produced/executive produced over 40 films, has in a two-year period built Franchise into a powerful mini-studio with mainstream films populated by the industry's biggest box-office stars. They include John Travolta, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Costner, Danny DeVito, Sean Penn, Cameron Diaz, Wesley Snipes and Kevin Spacey.

Franchise Pictures has instituted a co-financing and domestic distribution arrangement with Warner Bros., which began with the popular comedy "The Whole Nine Yards," starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry, released on February 18, 2000. The science fiction epic, "Battlefield Earth," starring John Travolta, followed in May 2000.

Other Franchise fare to be distributed domestically through Warner Bros. includes "Get Carter," starring Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine, set for an October release; "The Pledge," with Sean Penn directing Jack Nicholson, set for December; Luis Mandoki's "Angel Eyes," with Jennifer Lopez and Jim Caviezel; and "3,000 Miles to Graceland," starring Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell. Currently in production is the open-wheel auto racing film "Champs," starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by Renny Harlin.

Additional recent and upcoming Franchise films include "The Third Miracle," starring Ed Harris, to be released by Sony Classics; Rodrigo Garcia's "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her," featuring Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Amy Brenneman and Cameron Diaz, which won the Un Certain Regard prize at the Cannes Film Festival and is released by MGM; and "The Big Kahuna," starring Danny DeVito and Kevin Spacey, released by Lion's Gate. In post-production are Steve Buscemi's "Animal Factory," and "Auggie Rose," starring Jeff Goldblum and Anne Heche.

Franchise retains foreign rights to all its films and operates as a full-service international sales company encompassing distribution, marketing and delivery, with output deals covering territories worldwide. Samaha has shepherded an extensive list of films towards release for the coming year through Franchise Pictures.

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