STARZ ORIGINAL SERIES "VIDA" SHOWRUNNER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TANYA SARACHO INKS EXCLUSIVE MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH STARZ

Beverly Hills, Calif., February 23, 2018 - Starz, a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), today announced it has signed STARZ Original series "Vida" Showrunner and Executive Producer Tanya Saracho ("How to Get Away With Murder," "Looking," "Girls") to a three-year overall deal. Under the pact, Saracho will develop new projects for the network and continue as showrunner and executive producer on "Vida."

"Tanya Saracho's unique voice brings a fresh and real perspective to Latinx programming," said Starz President of Programming Carmi Zlotnik. "We're thrilled to have an overall deal with this tenacious playwright-turned-TV writer/executive producer who doesn't pull any punches when bringing these characters - who are not usually seen in mainstream media - to life."

"I was a playwright who was still learning the ropes when Starz took a chance on me to create and showrun 'Vida,'" said Saracho. "They nurtured and supported me during every step of the strenuous process and that is a debt that cannot be repaid. They now open their doors and offer me a home - a fertile ground to grow and amplify my voice as I continue my mission of bringing Latinx and Queer characters to the screen and I am steeped in gratitude. Building 'Vida' with Chris [Albrecht], Carmi [Zlotnik] and Marta [Fernandez] has been a downright joy and I can't wait to deepen and strengthen our collaboration."

Premiering on Sunday, May 6, "Vida" is a half-hour drama series focusing on two Mexican-American sisters, Emma (Mishel Prada) and Lyn (Melissa Barrera), from the Eastside of Los Angeles who couldn't be more different or distanced from each other. Circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood, where they are confronted by the past and surprising truth about their mother's identity. The Starz-owned series is based on a format by Richard Villegas, Jr. ("I [Heart] Babylon," "La M�sica Rom�ntica") and executive produced by Big Beach TV's Robin Schwartz, Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub with Stephanie Langhoff ("Togetherness," "The Bronze," "The Skeleton Twins").

Saracho was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México and raised along the Texas border, spending the better part of her adult life in Chicago. Named "Best New Playwright" by Chicago Magazine, Saracho has had plays produced at New York City's Primary Stages and 2nd Stage, as well as Victory Gardens Theatre, The Denver Theatre Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman Theater, Steppenwolf Theater, Teatro Vista, Teatro Luna, Fountain Theater, Clubbed Thumb, NEXT Theater and 16th Street Theater. Saracho was named one of nine national Latino "Luminarios" by Café magazine and given the first "Revolucionario" Award in Theater by the National Museum of Mexican Art. She is the founder of Teatro Luna (the first all-Latina Theatre Company in the nation, now defunct) as well as the founder of ALTA (Alliance of Latino Theatre Artists). She is currently in development with South Coast Repertory and Two River Theatre.

Saracho is represented by UTA and Mark Orsini at Bret Adams, Ltd.

About Starz

Starz (www.starz.com) a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), is a leading global media and entertainment company that provides premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television networks and produces and distributes content for worldwide audiences, including its investment in the STARZ PLAY Arabia OTT service. Starz is home to the flagship STARZ(R) brand and STARZ ENCORE channels and provides high-quality, entertaining premium subscription video programming with 17 premium pay TV channels and associated on-demand and online services, including the STARZ app. Sold through U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, telecommunications companies, and other online and digital platforms, Starz offers subscribers more than 5,000 distinct premium television episodes and feature films every year and up to 1,500 every month, including STARZ Original series, first-run movies and other popular movie and television programming.