HEALING TAKES ONE STEP AT A TIME

'DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' STAR ANDREA BOWEN AND 'STEP UP 3-D' STAR RICK MALAMBRI STAR IN 'AFTER THE FALL' A HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL ORIGINAL WORLD PREMIERE OCTOBER 9

Greg Evigan, Gail O'Grady and Fiona Dourif Also Star

"Desperate Housewives" star Andrea Bowen is a driven equestrian who suffers a near fatal injury during a horse show in the Hallmark Movie Channel Original World Premiere, "After the Fall," premiering Saturday, October 9 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C). Bowen stars alongside Greg Evigan ("Mail Order Bride"), Gail O'Grady ("Hellcats," "Boston Legal"), Rick Malambri ("Step Up 3-D") and Fiona Dourif ("Deadwood") and who hopes that with the love and encouragement from family and friends, she will regain her physical strength and focus after the fall.

Twenty-two year old Jenna Danville (Bowen) is at the height of her equestrian career when she is thrown from her horse during a big competition. Knocked unconscious and into a coma, Jenna eventually wakes up in the hospital and realizes she is paralyzed, and the prognosis isn't good; the doctors tell her she may never walk again. With her protective single father, Phillip (Evigan), at her side, she decides to enter into an intense physical therapy program as part of a research study, with no guarantee of success. Wheelchair bound, Jenna's life completely changes as she starts the program, her old friends and boyfriend distance themselves. Lonely and frustrated, Jenna comes close to giving up.

Then, she meets Annie (Dourif), a rough around the edges punk rock patient in her therapy class, who is also paralyzed with a bad attitude. The two girls become friends as Jenna begins to crack Annie's tough exterior. Jenna also meets her new next-door neighbor, ex-rodeo cowboy Will Dutton (Malambri), who encourages her to get back on her horse, and helps her saddle up. Just as Jenna is beginning to feel her feet, and fall in love with Will, she learns Annie is in more trouble than anyone could have guessed. Suddenly, Jenna must risk her own life to save her friend, and teach herself healing takes one step at a time.

"After the Fall" is an Alpine Medien Production in association with Larry Levinson Productions. Larry Levinson is the executive producer. Randy Pope and Amanda Phillips are the co-executive producers, and Brian J. Gordon and Jim Wilberger are the producers. Bradford May directed from a script by Wayne Lemon.

Hallmark Movie Channel, the second linear channel from Crown Media Holdings, Inc., simulcast in SD (Standard Definition) and HD (High Definition), is a 24-hour cable network dedicated to bringing viewers family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events. In today's crowded television landscape, the network is a unique and captivating entertainment experience, providing programming that families can watch together. It is now available in 37 million homes. Crown Media also operates Hallmark Channel which provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming to a national audience of 90 million subscribers.