A long-time supporter of films produced outside the Hollywood mainstream, CINEMAX will be showcasing an impressive lineup of domestic and foreign independent movies in upcoming months. This month, CINEMAX will debut the acclaimed 1996 Cannes Grand Jury Prize winner "Breaking the Waves" (Dec. 5), starring Emily Watson (nominated for a 1996 Best Actress Oscar(r)), and "Someone Else's America" (Dec. 27), starring Tom Conti, as well as exclusively premiere "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday" (Dec. 26), starring Peter Gallagher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Claire Danes. In early 1998, CINEMAX will present the exclusive films "The Funeral" (Jan. 30), starring Christopher Walken; David Lynch's "Lost Highway" (Feb. 13), starring Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette; "Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent" (Jan. 28); "Smilla's Sense of Snow" (Feb. 27), starring Julia Ormond and Gabriel Byrne; Best Picture Academy Award(r) nominee and 1996 Cannes Palme d'Or Prize winner "Secrets & Lies" (Jan. 9), starring Brenda Blethyn; "Inventing the Abbots," and "Love and Other Catastrophes."These are the kind of titles that give CINEMAX an edge among movie fans who are looking for more than our blockbusters," noted Dave Baldwin, senior vice president, HBO and CINEMAX program planning. "They make CINEMAX the place for viewers to see the widest variety of films on TV."CINEMAX traditionally has been a strong supporter of independent films," noted Jill Champtaloup, director, CINEMAX scheduling. "Even majors like 20th Century Fox, with Fox Searchlight, and Universal, with October Films, are making the kind of cutting-edge movies independents are known for, and they provide a strong slate of premieres for us in 1998."

"CINEMAX has been committed to quality programming of independent films," said Patrick Gunn of October Films. "We look forward to continuing the wonderful relationship that we've built with them over the years."

This year, CINEMAX presented a wide variety of contemporary art-house films, including "Blood and Wine," "She's the One," "The Crossing Guard," "The Last Supper," "Girl 6," "Mother Night," "The Last Time I Committed Suicide," "Grace of My Heart," "Shopping," "A Bernardo Bertolucci Film Stealing Beauty" and "Bottle Rocket."

In September, CINEMAX unveiled a new look that includes a more accessible schedule with two prime-time anchored slots for movies; a guarantee of a different movie every night of the year at 8:00 p.m.; on-air programming that talks about films the way movie fans do, and the use of consumers as on-air spokespeople for their favorite films.CINEMAX's Web site, at www.cinemax.com, offers information on favorite films and personalized viewing schedules via the "Movie Matchmaker" and "MAX for Me" features.

Launched in August 1980 by Home Box Office, a division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P., Cinemax is a 24-hour pay-TV service that combines select and broad appeal films with a variety of unique, critically-acclaimed titles. CINEMAX offers its subscribers more movies than any other pay service and was the second highest-rated cable television network in 1996 -- second only to HBO.