November 28, 2001 - Toronto - Principal photography began last week in Auckland, New Zealand on Riverworld, a two-hour original movie event being produced by Tasman Films in co-production with Box TV and ALLIANCE ATLANTIS. Riverworld, with filmmaker Alex Proyas attached as an Executive Producer, is based on the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novels by famed sci-fi author Philip José Farmer. Riverworld is slated to air on Sci Fi Channel as a back-door pilot in mid-2002.

Key cast includes Brad Johnson (Always, Soldier of Fortune) in the male lead role of astronaut "Jeff Hale," Emily Lloyd (Welcome to Sarajevo, A River Runs Through It) as "Alice Liddell Hargreaves", a 19th century Victorian woman who, incidentally, was the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, and Cameron Daddo (Zebra Lounge, The Outer Limits) as "Sam Clemens." Other cast members include Jonathan Cake (The One and Only) as "Roman Emperor Nero" and Kevin Smith (Xena: Warrior Princess) as "Valdemar."

Alex Proyas, whose distinctively stark and sweeping imagery defined his big screen cult classics Dark City and The Crow makes his debut as Executive Producer for television. Proyas' partner Topher Dow also serves as Executive Producer. Additional executive producers include Tasman Films' Don Reynolds, Box TV's Gub Neal, and ALLIANCE ATLANTIS' John Morayniss and Janine Coughlin.

Written by Stuart Hazeldine (Alex Proyas' The Masque of the Red Death, Terra Nova), the pilot is being directed by Kari Skogland (The Crow series pilot, Traders series pilot and the upcoming film Liberty Stands Still). Producing is Janine Dickins of Tasman Films, Mary Kahn of ALLIANCE ATLANTIS and Peter Bray. Box TV's Justin Thomson-Glover serves as co-producer. ALLIANCE ATLANTIS holds worldwide distribution rights.

Based on Philip José Farmer's landmark five-book adventure series, Riverworld explores the afterlife, a place where every person from every era of humanity has been reborn young and healthy. From ancient Rome's Emperor Nero to the free-spirited and feisty Samuel Clemens, these legendary men and women are pulled from the pages of history. Among them is Hale, a 21st century American astronaut who, after dying heroically on a space mission, has awakened like the rest along the banks of a great and seemingly endless river.

Tasman Films Ltd. is a New Zealand-based production company, specializing in feature films and television drama international co-productions. The company is in the private ownership of its directors Don Reynolds (Quiet Earth, The End of the Golden Weather) and Janine Dickins (Young Hercules, Cleopatra 2525). Tasman's previous production in New Zealand was Mysterious Island, a 22-part series co-produced with the then Atlantis Films. Tasman Films' affiliate company, Tasman International, produced four movies for Hallmark Entertainment and the movie The House of Angelo for BBC and BskyB.

BOX TV was established in the UK in September 2000. Set up by former head of drama at Channel 4, Gub Neal, the company has, in its first year, produced five major dramas for a range of domestic and international broadcasters. It currently has more than 50 diverse projects in development.

SCI FI Channel, owned and operated by USA Cable, a division of USA Networks, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: USAI) Entertainment Group, transmits fantastic images to 76 million human homes. Launched in 1992, SCI FI features a continuous stream of cinematic hits, new and original series, and special events, as well as classic sci-fi, fantasy, and horror programming. Check out SCIFI.COM®, the SCI FI Channel's award-winning Web site, at www.scifi.com.

ALLIANCE ATLANTIS COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. is a leading vertically integrated broadcaster, creator and distributor of filmed entertainment with ownership interests in 18 specialty channels, including five Operating Channels: Showcase, Life Network, History Television, HGTV Canada, and Food Network Canada; nine Developing Channels: Series+, Historia, Showcase Action, Showcase Diva, The Independent Film Channel Canada (subject to CRTC approval), Discovery Health Channel Canada, National Geographic Channel, BBC Canada, and BBC Kids; and four channels in which the Company has minority interests: Scream, The Score, Pride Vision and One: the Body, Mind and Spirit Channel.

The Company's principal business activities are conducted through three operating groups: Broadcast, Motion Picture and Television. Headquartered in Toronto, Alliance Atlantis operates offices in Los Angeles, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax, Shannon, London and Sydney. The Company's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange - trading symbols AAC.A, AAC.B and on NASDAQ - trading symbol AACB. The Company's Web site is www.allianceatlantis.com.