LONDON, Tuesday 14th December 2010: French film channel Cinémoi has joined forces with TV presenter and film buff Jonathan Ross in a deal which will give Ross a multi-faceted role as presenter, producer, creative director and shareholder in the company.
Cinémoi is the UK’s first and only independent French film channel, and has shown over 260 films since its launch in 2009. The deal with Ross will see him become fully involved in programming ideas and execution for the channel, as well as helping expand its repertoire of original formats in 2011. A series of interviews with top actors and directors and a daily highlights show from the Cannes Film Festival in May 2011 are amongst the planned shows. Jonathan began work for the channel immediately last week, filming some exclusive introductions of the highlights coming up on Cinémoi, such as Belleville Rendez-Vous shown as part of a Christmas Special on December 25th.
In the twelve months since its launch, Cinémoi has built up a loyal base of subscribers. The partnership aims to build on this, using Jonathan’s unique blend of film knowledge and his popularity with TV audiences, aiming to double subscription numbers next year. It is hoped that Ross will help the channel develop a wider audience appeal and encourage ‘first-timers’ to French Film.
Jonathan Ross said, “French cinema isn’t just for intellectuals and film buffs – it really can be enjoyed by everyone. As well as the timeless classics, there are some amazing films coming out of France at the moment, some real blockbusters that give Hollywood a run for its money. If you crave something a bit different from your Saturday night movie, then Cinémoi is a really good alternative.”
The deal is a massive coup for the channel, which was launched by entertainment entrepreneur Olly Bengough on a modest budget, but quickly gained critical and industry acclaim and is now shown on Sky and Virgin Media. It is hoped that the deal will be mutually beneficial; as Cinémoi is both production house and broadcaster, Ross will enjoy complete creative freedom without the red tape associated with traditional broadcasters, whilst the channel will benefit from his encyclopaedic knowledge of world film and his expertise in television production.
Cinémoi founder and CEO Olly Bengough said, “We are thrilled to have Jonathan on board and are excited to be working with someone who shares our passion for film and great quality programming, and who believes in our independent ethos. We really want Cinémoi to be known as one of the most credible and important film channels here in the UK and we know that Jonathan shares our commitment to making this happen.”
The subscription only channel is currently free to air on Virgin Media channel 445 until 31st January 2011. All films are shown in French with English subtitles and original programming will be shown in English. Jonathan Ross is one of a growing number of celebrity supporters of the channel, which includes Martin Scorsese, Michael Caine, Kristin Scott Thomas and John Hurt.
