ABS-CBN TO ADAPT NIPPON TV'S “MOTHER” FOR FILIPINO VIEWERS

Announcement marks 10th adaptation of “Mother”,
Asia's #1 exported scripted format

Julia Montes topbills “Saving Grace” as the Philippines' “Mother”

Nippon TV, Japan's leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse and ratings champion broadcaster and ABS-CBN, the Philippines' leading content provider, and are partnering for the tenth adaptation of the hit Japanese TV drama “Mother” for Filipino audiences, which will be known locally by its title “Saving Grace” and it will be top-billed by award-winning actress Julia Montes.

“Mother” achieved award-winning success when it first aired on Nippon TV in 2010 and it is now Asia's most exported scripted format. The well-loved series about love and motherhood spawned various critically acclaimed adaptations in different countries - Turkey, South Korea, Ukraine, Thailand, China, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Mongolia. The Philippine version records a landmark tenth adaptation of the coveted script.

“We're very, very happy and excited to announce ABS-CBN Studios' newest Dreamscape production ‘Saving Grace.' This is the Philippine adaptation of ‘Mother' that is created and produced by Nippon TV. This is our very first adaptation of a Nippon TV series and we are very grateful to Nippon TV for entrusting us with the rights for the Filipino version. It's a beautiful story that really centers around the importance of family and motherhood and promises to be a very emotionally engaging and heartwarming series that will deeply resonate with the Filipino audience and the non-Filipino audiences worldwide,” shared Cory Vidanes, chief operating officer of ABS-CBN.

“As we celebrate our landmark tenth international deal for ‘Mother,' we are delighted to be announcing this adaptation with ABS-CBN. ‘Mother' is truly a beautiful story and we are confident that the Filipino audience are going to love it. Best wishes to the cast and crew,” said Yuki Akehi and Sally Yamamoto, Content Business, Nippon TV.

Julia becomes the eleventh ‘mother' to take on the pivotal role after the impressive portrayals of her counterparts from different countries. With Julia's notable career achievements and compelling roles ranging across various genres, she now takes on another challenging character that will highlight a different facet of her artistry that aims to captivate audiences.

Other cast members who will be joining Julia in “Saving Grace” will be revealed soon.

“Saving Grace” will go into production soon and is set to air in 2025. The thrilling story revolves around a struggling teacher who impulsively abducts a young student who suffers from abuse from her own mother. The risky journey becomes complicated as it turns into a national manhunt for the child.

ABOUT MOTHER
For additional detailed information on “Mother,” please visit:
http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/pc/2011/03/mother.html

ABOUT NIPPON TV
Nippon TV is Japan's leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse and ratings champion broadcaster, as well as owner of streaming giant Hulu in Japan. Over 90% of its content IP is fully owned by Nippon TV and the company has been active in bringing its content to the international market in the form of anime, ready-made programs, formats, and through co-production partnerships.

ABOUT ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN Corporation is a media and entertainment organization in the Philippines. The Company is primarily involved in the production of entertainment, feature films, news and information and audio content for domestic and international audiences.

ABS-CBN produces content and distributes its programs, feature films, and music on different platforms such as cable and satellite TV, domestic free TV through various partnerships with local broadcasters and third-party digital platforms, as well as traditional box-office releases. ABS-CBN also distributes content through its streaming service, iWantTFC, and through co-production and syndication agreements with international streaming platforms, broadcasters and cable and satellite programmers. Related businesses include artist and talent management as well as concerts and events.