SUNDANCE CHANNEL SETS MARCH 18th DEBUT FOR "TOP OF THE LAKE," NEW, ORIGINAL MINI-SERIES FROM CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED ACADEMY AWARD(R) WINNER JANE CAMPION

A Powerful and Haunting Mystery, Seven Part Project Stars Three- Time Emmy(R) Nominated Actress Elisabeth Moss, Academy Award(R) Winner Holly Hunter and BAFTA(R) Nominee Peter Mullan

TOP OF THE LAKE, the highly-anticipated mini-series written and directed by Oscar(R) winner Jane Campion (THE PIANO, PORTRAIT OF A LADY), will debut its first two hour-long installments on Monday, March 18, 2013 at 9P.

Filmed in the remote mountains of New Zealand, the seven-part series will air Monday nights and stars three time Emmy(R) Award nominated actress and SAG(R) Award winner Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, ON THE ROAD); Oscar(R) winner Holly Hunter, who reunites with Campion after their memorable collaboration on the THE PIANO, and BAFTA(R) nominee Peter Mullan (WAR HORSE, TRAINSPOTTING). Australian director Garth Davis also joined Campion to work on the series, along with co-writer, Gerard Lee (SWEETIE).

TOP OF THE LAKE is a powerful and haunting mystery that centers on the disappearance of a 12-year-old named Tui who is five months pregnant. In this classic mythic struggle set in New Zealand, investigative detective Robin Griffin (Moss) must lose herself in order to find the missing girl. During the investigation, she collides with Matt Mitcham (Mullan), Tui's father, a local drug lord, and G.J (Hunter), a guru at a local women's camp. As the case unfolds, in a paradise where honest work is hard to find, Robin will find that her limits are tested, sending her on a journey of self-discovery.

The mini-series also stars AFI Award(R) winning actor David Wenham (THE LORD OF THE RINGS, AUSTRALIA) and Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess, Battlestar Galactica, Spartacus: Vengeance), who has a cameo role as Caroline, the estranged wife of Bob, a real estate agent who crosses drug lord Matt Mitchum.

Barnett said: "We're elated to have the opportunity to work with Jane Campion and debut such a stunning series, with such high caliber actors, on Sundance Channel. TOP OF THE LAKE depicts a bold and unique story, which fits perfectly into the network's slate of daring, original programming."

TOP OF THE LAKE is produced by Academy Award(R) winners Emile Sherman and Iain Canning (THE KING'S SPEECH, SHAME) of See-Saw Films, and Philippa Campbell (BLACK SHEEP) of Escapade Pictures. The series Executive Producer for Sundance Channel is Christian Vesper. TOP OF THE LAKE is a See-Saw Films production in association with Screen Australia, Screen NSW and Fulcrum Media Finance for BBC Two, Sundance Channel, UKTV and BBC Worldwide.

TOP OF THE LAKE is part of Sundance Channel's continued expansion into scripted originals, which includes RESTLESS, the riveting two-part miniseries that the Associated Press touted as a "deliciously suspenseful spy thriller." Also set to premiere in 2013 is RECTIFY, Sundance Channel's first wholly owned scripted production created by Ray McKinnon and executive produced by Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein, the team behind critically-acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad. In 2012, the network received Golden Globe and SAG(R) nominations for scripted mini-series APPROPRIATE ADULT. The network's first scripted project, CARLOS, won the Golden Globe for Outstanding Mini-series in 2011.