ABC STUDIOS’ MISSING TO HAVE WORLD PREMIERE AT MIPCOM

Paris, 25 August 2011 – Reed MIDEM today announces that ABC Studios’ TV series “Missing” will debut at MIPCOM 2011’s World Premiere Television Screenings on Monday 3 October in Cannes, France. International buyers and media will have their first chance to screen Episode One of this eagerly awaited thriller series in the Palais des Festivals’ Grand Auditorium. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the stars and production team of the show, who will later grace the red carpet at MIPCOM’s Opening Night Party.

Stellar cast members Ashley Judd (“Heat,” “Double Jeopardy,” “High Crimes,” “De-Lovely,” “Bug”), Cliff Curtis (“Live Free or Die Hard,” “Training Day,” “Three Kings,” “The Fountain”) and Adriano Giannini (“Ocean’s Twelve,” “Le conseguenze dell’amore,” “Swept Away”) will fly to the French Riviera to attend the MIPCOM World Premiere TV Screening of “Missing”, ABC Studios’ new series produced by Stillking Films and shot on location in various cities throughout Europe including Prague, Istanbul and Dubrovnik. From creator/executive producer Gregory Poirier (script writer of “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” “Rosewood,” “Gossip”) and executive producers Gina Matthews (“13 Going on Thirty”), Grant Scharbo (“The Gates”), Steve Shill and James Parriott (“Sons of Anarchy”), “Missing” begins when Becca Winstone (Ashley Judd) learns that her son Michael disappeared while studying abroad in Rome. Becca decides to take matters into her own hands and travels to Europe to track him down, revealing in a surprising turn of events to be a former ruthless CIA agent with her own set of resources and skills, while Michael’s kidnappers realize they’ve picked a fight with the wrong woman.

“We’re very proud of this edge of your seat thriller and the great storytelling that spans continents,” underlined Paul Lee, President, ABC Entertainment Group. “We hope that ‘Missing’ is the first of what will be many truly global productions to come out of ABC Studios.  We’re pleased that the MIPCOM audience will be the first to see what we think is spectacular event television.”

“The MIPCOM World Premiere TV Screenings offer the ideal platform to preview, launch and raise awareness for the shows that audiences will be watching in the year to come,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “We are delighted that ABC Entertainment Group has chosen MIPCOM to screen ‘Missing’ for the very first time. We’re honored and excited to present this ambitious new TV series in the presence of such prestigious and talented cast members. The recurring success of the World Premiere TV Screenings at MIPCOM and MIPTV confirms the event’s position as a premium showcase for leading television and film companies to screen outstanding programs to the most influential buyers, industry players, and international media from over 100 countries.”

ABC Studios, part of ABC Entertainment Group develops and produces compelling programming for both broadcast network and cable television as well as digital platforms.  ABC Studios has delivered some of the most successful, talked-about and evolutionary series on television such as “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Criminal Minds” and “Army Wives.”

Disney Media Distribution (DMD) is responsible for the international distribution of The Walt Disney Company’s branded and non-branded content to all platforms, encompassing television, broadband and mobile outlets. The division distributes more than 30,000 hours of programming to over 1,300 platform partners in 240 territories worldwide. DMD’s portfolio includes feature films, scripted and reality series, live-action and animated kids content, ABC News, and such specials as the Academy Awards. Disney Media Distribution also oversees channel expansion and distribution worldwide for such branded channels as Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior.

Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional, international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and digital content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia and MAPIC for the property and retail real estate sectors.

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organizer, with over 460 events in 36 countries covering 44 industry sectors. In 2010 Reed brought together over seven million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 34 fully staffed offices.