Andre Caraco and Gigi Semone Promoted to Helm Publicity for Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group

Andre Caraco and Gigi Semone were named Executive Vice Presidents of Publicity for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group it was announced today by Valerie Van Galder, President of Marketing for The Columbia TriStar Marketing Group.

Caraco and Semone will coordinate publicity efforts for the studio's motion picture division with Caraco overseeing the West Coast publicity team based in LA and Semone performing the same duties for the East Coast Office. Caraco and Semone will work together to develop key publicity strategies on all feature films released by Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios. Both executives will report directly to Van Galder.

"Andre and Gigi have consistently developed and executed Columbia's successful and extraordinary PR Campaigns on a range of projects including 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'," said Van Galder. "Publicity continues to play an even more critical role in the success of our films and Andre and Gigi provide the leadership, creativity and experience necessary to SPE's continued success."

Of the 11 #1 films launched by Sony's public relations team in 2006, Caraco and Semone have been directly responsible for devising the press strategies and overseeing the launch of some of the studio's biggest hits this year including "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," "The Da Vinci Code," "Gridiron Gang," and "The Pink Panther." Since 2002, Sony Pictures PR teams have launched 40 #1 films -- 18 more than any other studio.

The two will oversee the publicity department as the PR teams launch such highly anticipated motion pictures including; "Marie Antoinette," starring Kirsten Dunst, "The Pursuit of Happyness," starring Will Smith, Columbia's horror thriller "The Grudge 2"; the Will Ferrell comedy "Stranger Than Fiction"; Nancy Meyers romantic comedy "The Holiday," starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black and Kate Winslet; Columbia and MGM's action/adventure "Casino Royale" introducing Daniel Craig as James Bond; and Columbia's "Spider-Man 3," directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

Caraco, who began his career at sister company TriStar Pictures in 1989, most recently held the title of Senior Vice President of Publicity. He created and executed national publicity campaigns on "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and such films as the recent box office blockbuster "The Da Vinci Code," both "Charlie's Angels" films, "Maid in Manhattan," "Big Fish," "The Pink Panther," and the upcoming "Casino Royale" and "Stranger Than Fiction," among dozens of others. Caraco rose from a junior publicist in the field department at TriStar to Vice President of national publicity at Columbia within a five-year period.

Semone joined the studio in 2001 as Senior Vice President of Publicity responsible for devising campaign strategies and overseeing all publicity efforts with the New York media. She has been instrumental in the launch of some of the studios biggest hits, among them both Spider-Man films, "The Da Vinci Code," "Hitch," "Panic Room," "Anger Management" and "Men in Black II." In 2004 she created the "Little Apple Heroes" program with Mayor Bloomberg's Volunteer Center of New York City. Inspired by Spider-Man and his role as a hero, this program provides resources for NYC children to volunteer.

Prior to joining Columbia Pictures, she served as Vice President of East Coast Publicity for Buena Vista Pictures Marketing where she worked on such campaigns as "The Sixth Sense," "Rushmore," "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2," and "The Insider," among many others. She previously worked for The Peggy Siegal Company.

  For further information contact:

  Steve Elzer
  Senior Vice President, Media Relations
  Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
  (310) 244-7142
  steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

SOURCE: Columbia Pictures

CONTACT: Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations of
Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, +1-310-244-7142,
steve_elzer@spe.sony.com