Manhunt, Documenting the Inside Story of the Hunt for Osama bin Laden, Premieres May 1 on HBO Canada

 April 12, 2013 – Toronto, Canada – An official selection of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, Manhunt tells the remarkable true story of the two-decade search for the world’s most notorious terrorist. Directed by Greg Barker and featuring testimony from CIA analysts, targeting officers and operatives who tracked him, the documentary premieres Wednesday, May 1 at 9 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada, a multiplex channel of Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada).

For more than 20 years, he was the target of intense scrutiny, with an entire unit at the CIA dedicated to tracking his every move and trying to determine what violence he might perpetrate. When 9/11 confirmed Osama bin Laden’s intentions, these same analysts and operatives were now blamed for failing to prevent it, though they had spent years warning about the possibility of an attack. Manhunt features testimony and recollections from the CIA officers who laboured to destroy bin Laden’s terrorist organization and eventually kill the man himself. Among those profiled is Nada Bakos, a CIA veteran-turned-lead-targeting officer charged with capturing or killing senior al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq, who tells her story on camera for the first time.

The documentary chronicles the frustration of many in the CIA who first targeted bin Laden in the early 1990s and felt their intelligence was falling on deaf ears, and follows the on-the-ground operatives who were empowered to turn intelligence into plans of action that ultimately led to the late-night raid in Abbottabad in 2011. It also explores the controversy that ensued when the Bush administration secretly authorized the use of “black site” prisons and 12 “enhanced interrogation techniques” to gather information from captured terrorists.

Manhunt is a HBO Documentary Films presentation of a Passion Pictures and Motto Pictures Production. From filmmaker Greg Barker, the documentary is based on the book Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad by Peter Bergen and is produced by John Battsek, Julie Goldman and Greg Barker, and directed by Greg Barker.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Twitter
@TheMovieNetwork
@TMN_Publicity
@MovieCentral
@CorusPR
#manhuntdoc
#HBOCanada

In Eastern Canada, the documentary will be available in High Definition, on demand, on TMN GO, and on HBO Canada OnLine.

In Western Canada, programming will be available in High Definition on HBO Canada HD; on demand, via mobile and online with participating service providers.

HBO Canada is a multiplex channel offered by Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada). HBO Canada brings Canadians the current slate of signature dramatic programs for which HBO is known, together with new and never-before-seen programming including comedy series, live specials, sporting events, behind-the-scenes content and titles from HBO’s extensive library – all in an uncut and commercial-free environment. HBO Canada is offered in high definition on HBO Canada HD and programming is accessible on demand and online where available by service provider. For more information, please visit www.hbocanada.com.

The Movie Network is a member of the Astral family. Astral Media Inc. (TSX : ACM.A/ACM.B) is one of Canada’s largest media companies. It operates several of the country’s most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and interactive media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. (CJR.B), a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.
 
For access to The Movie Network’s media room or Movie Central’s press site, please visit http://press.astral.com or http://mediacentre.corusent.com. 
 

-30-
For more information

The Movie Network (Eastern Canada)
Nicolle Balen
(416) 956-8638
nbalen@astral.com

Movie Central (Western Canada)
Owen McCorquodale
(416) 479-6068
Owen.McCorquodale@corusent.com