Artisan Entertainment and ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Communications Renew Output Agreement in Canada.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 2000

ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:AACB)(TSE:AAC.A.)(TSE:AAC.B.)

Leading Independent Entertainment Company Will Continue To Provide New Theatrical And Home Entertainment Product Along With Access To Its Vast Library To ALLIANCE ATLANTIS, Canada's Top Entertainment Company

Agreement Covers Canadian Rights In All Media

Artisan Entertainment and ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Communications Inc. have reached an exclusive agreement to renew their 1998 output deal providing ALLIANCE ATLANTIS the Canadian rights to upcoming Artisan theatrical product in the areas of theatrical, home entertainment and television for an additional three years.

The agreement also provides ALLIANCE ATLANTIS the Canadian rights for another five years to Artisan's vast 6,700 title library made up of film and television properties. The joint announcement was made by Artisan CEO Amir Malin, Victor Loewy, Chairman ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Motion Picture Group and Patrice Theroux, President, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Motion Picture Distribution.

The renewal speaks to the strengths of both companies and the success of their relationship thus far. Over the past two years ALLIANCE ATLANTIS has controlled the Canadian rights to all of Artisan's titles which include acclaimed films and box office successes such as Requiem for a Dream, Buena Vista Social Club, The Limey, Dr. T and the Women, and The Blair Witch Project. In the same two year period, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS has held the Canadian rights to Artisan's entire library of properties including Academy Award winning motion pictures such as On Golden Pond, and The Last Emperor; popular brands such as Hallmark and the Baby Einstein series of developmental videos for infants and children; and hit films such as the Rambo Series, Dirty Dancing, Reservoir Dogs, and Terminator. ALLIANCE ATLANTIS' recent launch of a special edition DVD of Terminator 2: Judgement Day is, at 120,000 units, the company's largest DVD release to date, which exemplifies the potential of these large libraries and their exploitation in new medias.

In addition to their renewed agreement in Canada, Artisan and ALLIANCE ATLANTIS also have a distribution arrangement for Artisan theatrical product in the United Kingdom via ALLIANCE ATLANTIS' Momentum Pictures.

Said Malin, "ALLIANCE ATLANTIS is an organization with smart savvy leadership combined with great distribution capabilities in both the theatrical and home entertainment arenas.

The efforts and success shown by Victor Loewy and Patrice Theroux and their entire team made the decision to renew our agreement in Canada very easy."

"It is rewarding to continue our association with Artisan and to confirm our position as the leading motion picture distribution company in Canada," stated Theroux. "Artisan has made a name for itself by producing and distributing very high quality entertainment which invariably connects with the audience. We are thrilled by the years of cooperation in front of us."

In addition to distribution activities, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS' Motion Picture Group, Canada's largest producer of motion pictures, is currently in post production on The 51st State starring Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle, and directed by Ronny Yu; Slackers starring Devon Sawa, Jason Schwartzman, and James King with top fashion photographer and acclaimed commercial and music video director Dewey Nicks making his feature film directorial debut; and World Traveler, acquired for international distribution from IFC Productions and directed by Bart Freundlich starring Billy Crudup and Julianne Moore. Currently in pre-production, with start dates in early 2001, are Morvern Callar from Ratcatcher director Lynne Ramsay and starring Samantha Morton; and Owning Molony starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and directed by Richard Kwietnioski. Other projects in development include Hoffman, to be directed by Menno Meyjes, and Marlowe, a period drama with director John Maybury attached. ALLIANCE ATLANTIS controls worldwide distribution rights to all films listed above.

ALLIANCE ATLANTIS COMMUNICATIONS INC. is a leading broadcaster, creator, and distributor of filmed entertainment with significant ownership of eight Canadian specialty television networks. The Company's principal business activities are conducted through three operating groups: Broadcasting, Television and Motion Pictures. Headquartered in Toronto, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS operates offices in Los Angeles, Montreal, Edmonton, London, Sydney, and Shannon. The Company's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange - trading symbols AAC.A, AAC.B and on NASDAQ - trading symbol AACB. The Company's website is www.allianceatlantis.com.

Artisan Entertainment Inc. is a leading independent entertainment company that produces and distributes motion pictures and other programming in the home entertainment, theatrical, broadcast and pay television and Internet markets. Artisan Entertainment also has a joint venture with Marvel Enterprises to develop, produce and distribute character-based programming across multimedia outlets.

Artisan Pictures is an independent producer and distributor of theatrical product, whose recent releases include Requiem for a Dream and Dr. T and the Women. Artisan has output agreements with Showtime Networks for domestic pay television as well as theatrical output deals with ALLIANCE ATLANTIS in Canada, Momentum Pictures in the U.K. (An ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Company), Highlight Communications in Germany and Lauren Films in Spain. Artisan's product is sold in international territories through Summit Entertainment.

Artisan Home Entertainment distributes video product directly to over 12,000 retail stores in the United States from popular brands such as Discovery, Hallmark and its own Family Home Entertainment brand which has released such titles as Merlin, Alice in Wonderland, and Clifford The Big Red Dog and award winning product from The Baby Einstein Company.