SHOWTIME CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH PREMIERES OF TWO DOCS, TWO FEATURE FILMS & THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BLACK FILMMAKER SHOWCASE

(LOS ANGELES � January 29, 2007) �In honor of the towering achievements of African Americans, this Black History Month, SHOWTIME will feature an exciting line-up of programming celebrating the black experience.

This February, SHOWTIME will shine a spotlight on the unrecognized talents of five black filmmakers on the rise during the 15th annual Black Filmmakers Showcase; will world premiere acclaimed sports film director Bud Greenspan�s latest documentary chronicling the unsung achievements of Larry Doby, Major League Baseball�s second black player to integrate the sport; and will premiere three big-ticket feature films (RIZE, THE HONEYMOONERS, HUSTLE & FLOW) featuring the talents of Terrence Howard and Cedric the Entertainer, among others.

The salute kicks off on Thursday, February 1st with the annual Black Filmmakers Showcase, a noteworthy initiative that has introduced America and the industry to the talents of unknown black directors each February for the past 15 years. Founded in 1992, the Black Filmmakers Showcase awards a $30,000 grant to the winner for use in production of a short film to make its world premiere on the network. Several runner-up films are also showcased on air. This year�s winning film, Oscar Daniel�s AMONG THIEVES, along with the four runner-up films, will make their debut beginning at 7:30 p.m. PT/ET. Descriptions are as follows:

Among Thieves � Oscar Daniels � 2007 Grant Winner While hiding out from the police, a thief encounters a bed-ridden old woman who pleads with him to end her suffering.

Saturday Night Life � Ana DuVernay A single mother preps for a Saturday night on the town with her three children.

Secrets Kept � Charles Nuckolls A man returns to the church of his childhood hoping to find absolution from a long-held secret

Hit Me � Steve Minor A man must convince the hitman he hired to let him live.

Pants in the Family � Lionell Hilliard � 2006 Grant Winner A chauvinistic husband learns what it�s like to live in his wife�s shoes for a day.

Additionally, SHOWTIME will premiere acclaimed filmmaker Bud Greenspan�s new documentary PRIDE AGAINST PREJUDICE � THE LARRY DOBY STORY (Thursday, February 1st at 9:30 p.m. PT/ET), which examines the life of Larry Doby, the second black player to integrate Major League Baseball after Jackie Robinson. Doby�s tremendous accomplishments � including his subsequent induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame -- have been largely forgotten until now. The 90-minute film spotlights Doby�s 30-plus year career in Greenspan�s trademark compelling and poignant style.

Also in February, SHOWTIME will premiere three feature films: On Saturday, February 3rd (7:30 p.m. PT/ET), RIZE, David LaChappelle�s revealing documentary about the Clown and Krunk dance movement in South Central, Los Angeles; on Sunday, February 4th (8:30 p.m. PT/ET), the big screen remake of the classic television series THE HONEYMOONERS, starring Cedric the Entertainer and Mike Epps; and, on Thursday, February 8th (9 p.m. PT/ET), HUSTLE AND FLOW, starring Terrence Howard in his Oscar�- and Golden Globe�-nominated performance, along with Anthony Anderson.