| Escaping Polygamy: Kelly Rowan Is In God’s Country, January 23 on CTV Desperate Housewives’ Richard Burgi Co-Stars as Man with Eight Wives | |
| CTV Media | |
Toronto, ON (January 8, 2007) – Kelly Rowan is one of eight wives living a nightmare in a modern-day polygamous marriage in In God’s Country, a remarkable CTV original movie premiering Tuesday, January 23. In the two-hour fictionalized drama, Rowan stars as a woman who confronts the religious traditions of her community and risks everything to protect her children from a future of submission. In God’s Country airs immediately following American Idol at 9 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. AT/MT; 8 p.m. CT) on CTV and in High Definition on CTV HD East / West. ** Media Note ** Download photos from In God’s Country at www.ctvmedia.ca. A man must have at least three wives and as many children as possible in order to reach the highest level of Heaven. So dictates the nineteenth-century Mormon belief that continues to exist today in certain communities. In God’s Country lifts the veil on such communities and exposes the intensely personal conflict between tradition and modern-day values that many women in this situation must confront. Kelly Rowan returns to star in her latest CTV original movie in In God’s Country. As Judith, Rowan portrays a woman who, as dictated by her religion, marries her community’s charismatic Church Bishop Josiah Leavitt (Richard Burgi, Desperate Housewives), becoming one of his eight wives and mother to four of his children. Judith and her community are closed off to the outside world and are absolutely forbidden to speak to any outsiders about their religious beliefs and the world in which they live. Judith watches as Charlotte (Martha MacIsaac, This Is Wonderland, Emily of New Moon), her 16-year-old daughter from her first marriage, pines for Jamie (Kristopher Turner, Instant Star, Dark Oracle), a young man that she will never be allowed to wed. But when her 12-year-old daughter, Alice (Hannah Lochner, The Elizabeth Smart Story, Child Of Mine), is molested by Nephi, one of the teenagers in the community, Judith reports the incident to Child Protection Services, breaking the community’s long-held code of silence. Banished to an abandoned house on the outskirts of town, Judith begins to reconsider her community’s views and makes the brave decision to escape with her children. Judith struggles on the "outside" to build a new life for her family. But when she learns of Josiah’s plans to marry Charlotte, his own stepchild, she has no choice but to return to the polygamous community and confront the husband she had finally managed to escape. "It’s extraordinary that polygamist communities exist in North America today," said Shaftesbury Films Chairman and In God’s Country Executive Producer Christina Jennings, "and hard to believe there are communities where men have multiple wives, schooling for girls is discouraged and young women are married off to older men." "Kelly Rowan delivers a remarkable performance as a courageous woman who struggles to save herself and her children from a lifetime of submission," said Susanne Boyce, CTV’s President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group. "In God’s Country is a fascinating story about loyalty, maternal love and unwavering determination." Rowan once again delivers a commanding performance as a courageous woman who fights all odds to save her children. Rowan’s role as Teresa Spring, a woman who searches for her missing son in Northern British Columbia in CTV’s 2006 original movie Eight Days to Live, received critical acclaim and attracted more viewers than any other all-Canadian CTV original movie since the advent of electronic measurement, with an average audience of 1.7 million viewers*. In God’s Country also stars Marc Strange (Slings & Arrows, Tommy Boy) as The Prophet, the community’s religious leader; Lynda Boyd (Falcon Beach, Cold Squad) as Judith’s good-hearted new friend Louise; Peter Outerbridge (Murder in the Hamptons, ReGenesis) as Officer Wayne Amesbury, the man who helps Judith after she escapes; Mac Fyfe (11 Cameras; Prom Queen; The Marc Hall Story) as Nephi; Stephen Suckling (Knights Of The South Bronx) as Judith’s son Mark and Melody A. Johnson (This Is Wonderland, Slings And Arrows) as Judith’s timid sister Pearl. In God’s Country is a CTV Original Movie produced by Shaftesbury Films in association with Colossal Entertainment, Salient Point Productions and CTV. Executive producers are Christina Jennings (Eight Days To Live, Terry) and Scott Garvie for Shaftesbury Films. Colossal Entertainment’s Graham Ludlow (Eight Days To Live, The Condemned) and Kelly Rowan are also executive producers. Producers are Paul Stephens (Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones), Laurie McLarty and Julie Lacey for Shaftesbury Films. John L’Ecuyer (Tagged: The Jonathan Womback Story, Prom Queen: The Marc Hall Story) directs and Director of Photography is Thomas M. Harting (Deal, 3 Needles) with Taavo Soodor (Owning Mahowny, Haven) as Production Designer. Story Editor is Dennis Foon (Terry, Torso). Story by Peter Behrens and Esta Spalding (The Eleventh Hour, Shields Stories). Tecca Crosby is Acting Senior Vice-President Dramatic Programming for CTV. Susanne Boyce is President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group. In God’s Country is the eighth original movie from CTV’s "Heroes, Champions and Villains" production strand that focuses on remarkable Canadian personalities, characters and stories. Previous HCV titles that have enjoyed critical and ratings success include Eight Days to Live; the two-part mini-series Lives of the Saints; Terry, the story of Terry Fox’s remarkable Marathon of Hope; and The Man Who Lost Himself, the true story of football hero Terry Evanshen which was the most-watched Canadian television movie of 2005 with an audience of 1.5 million and Shades of Black, about the rise and fall of Conrad Black. Upcoming HCV titles slated for broadcast include Luna: The Way Home, starring Adam Beach (Flags of Our Fathers). CTV, Canada’s largest private broadcaster, offers a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming. It has the number-one national newscast, CTV National News With Lloyd Robertson, and is the number-one choice for prime-time viewing. CTV owns 21 conventional television stations across Canada and has interests in 15 specialty channels, including the number-one Canadian specialty channel, TSN. CTV is owned by CTVglobemedia, Canada’s premier multi-media company. More information about CTV may be found on the company Web site at www.ctv.ca. - CTV - *Source: Nielsen Media Research For more information: Eleni Tsokas, CTV Inc., 416.332.5326, etsokas@ctv.ca Laura Heath, CTV Inc., 416.332.4633, lheath@ctv.ca | |
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ctvmedia.ca Originally published January 8, 2007 | |
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