STREAMING THIS FEBRUARY FIVE INTERNATIONAL HITS FROM WALTER PRESENTS “THE RIVER,” “MAMA’S ANGEL,” “VANISHED BY THE LAKE” “NIGHT AND DAY,” AND “REST IN PEACE”

STREAMING THIS FEBRUARY FIVE INTERNATIONAL HITS FROM WALTER PRESENTS “THE RIVER,” “MAMA’S ANGEL,” “VANISHED BY THE LAKE” “NIGHT AND DAY,” AND “REST IN PEACE” Arlington, VA - February 1, 2019 — This February, PBS Distribution will begin streaming five new series from the highly acclaimed Walter Present’s library on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel –– THE RIVER, MAMA’S ANGEL, VANISHED BY THE LAKE, NIGHT AND DAY and REST IN PEACE. THE RIVER Nordic noir fans will love this crime drama based on true events. In the quiet and remote village of Djupelv -- the region bordering Russia in northern Scandinavia -- winters are long and dark. Everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets in this close-knit community…or so it seems.  During one of NATO’S winter exercises, seven-year-old Silja finds a severed arm while out playing near the river. Less than 24 hours later, Silja mysteriously disappears. New to the village, police officer Thomas Lønnhøiden begins an investigation into Silja’s disappearance -- despite firm warnings from his superiors. He soon suspects that the close-knit community is hiding dark and dangerous secrets. Why are the authorities passive? Why are the locals staying so tight-lipped? And what is hidden up there in the mountains? Norwegian with English subtitles. ·      8 episodes ·      Full seasons available for streaming on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on February 4, available to Prime members for $5.99/month after a 7-day free trial. MAMA’S ANGEL This addictive Israeli thriller exposes the dark underbelly of a wealthy neighborhood in Tel Aviv. MAMA’S ANGEL begins with the raptured body of a 7-year old boy found under the memorial for Airforce heroes – just one day before Yom Kippur -- the Day of Atonement. At first the affluent middle class community is in shock – how could such a brutal slaying happen in their midst? But gradually we discover a group of locals are involved in the case.  Behind the sunny, friendly façade is a place of dark secrets. Do you ever really know your own child? This is the question each family in the series has to confront during the long, entangled police investigation that ensues.   Decider.com recommends the series, stating, “If you enjoyed The Killing or Joan Campion’s Top of the Lake…you’ll definitely want to hit play…” and entertainmentfocus.com describes it as “a top quality series that keeps you guessing.”  MAMA’S ANGEL is a bold and powerful thriller that dares to expose the shocking consequences of moral, political and social prejudices. Hebrew with English subtitles. ·      10 episodes ·      Full seasons available for streaming on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on February 4, available to Prime members for $5.99/month after a 7-day free trial. VANISHED BY THE LAKE Homicide Detective Lise returns to her hometown to care of her mother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. She hasn’t been back home since her teens, when she left after a traumatizing local tragedy. Fifteen years later, tragedy strikes again.  On the day she arrives, a teenage girl vanishes under circumstances that mirror the disappearance of Lise’s two best childhood friends, Ana and Marion.  The case was never solved, and Lise believes this new disappearance is somehow linked to the horror fifteen years prior.  Convinced there is a connection, Lise is determined to find the missing girl and answers to the past. Vodzilla.com called VANISHED BY THE LAKE “a gripping and jaw-dropping slice of chilling crime telly,” and “…(Vanished by the Lake’s) style promises a slick story full of distrust – and the ending of its promising opening episode screams with the agony of an open wound.” French with English subtitles. ·      6 episodes ·      Full seasons available for streaming on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on February 11, available to Prime members for $5.99/month after a 7-day free trial. NIGHT AND DAY, SEASON 2 The sophisticated Spanish thriller NIGHT AND DAY is a dark, complex psychological suspense story that deals with the darkest side of humanity. Upon recently airing on British TV, the Spanish whodunit was described by Vodzilla.com as, “Beautifully blending elements of Noir and Telenovela,” and inews.com said NIGHT AND DAY has “ …original tricks up its sleeve” and “(the 13-episodes)…is worth the investment.” The series is set in Barcelona where Sara Gradom is a forensic pathologist.  She is determined to find out the details behind the death of a judge who dies under bizarre circumstances.  He had conclusive evidence that would have implicated a senior politician’s involvement in money laundering and a plot to unleash a harmful influenza virus. Concurrently, the remains of a child who disappeared many years ago is discovered. Is there a connection? Sara Gradom is on the case. Catalan with English subtitles. ·      Season 2, 13 episodes ·      Full seasons available for streaming on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on February 18, available to Prime members for $5.99/month after a 7-day free trial. REST IN PEACE REST IN PEACE marks the first Croatian TV series to air in the U.K., and subsequently the U.S. When the oldest prison in Croatia is ordered to be demolished, since it does not adhere to the newly introduced EU regulations, journalist Lucia Car is sent to cover the story. When she comes across a graveyard for the unclaimed bodies of deceased inmates, she knows there is more to be uncovered about this centuries-old institution.  Enlisting the help of retired prison guard Martin Strugar, who carries many prison secrets as well as some of his own, the rebellious and determined Lucia puts herself and those close to her in grave danger in pursuit of the story. In her stubborn belief that revealing these shocking discoveries will liberate their stalled society from the burdens of the past, Lucia will painfully discover that for the dead to rest in peace, the living must pay a high price.  Entertainmentfocus.com hailed “Judita Frankovic is excellent in the lead role…another Walter goodie!” Croatian with English subtitles. ·      12 episodes ·      Full seasons available for streaming on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on February 25, available to Prime members for $5.99/month after a 7-day free trial. About WALTER PRESENTS Walter Presents launched January 2016 in the UK as a video-on-demand service and is a joint venture between Channel 4 and Global Series Network, founded by Jason Thorp, Walter Iuzzolino and Jo McGrath. Dedicated to showcasing award-winning foreign language drama, the service is named after its curator Walter Iuzzolino, a passionate drama fan.  In March 2017 Walter Presents launched as an SVOD platform in the US with the New York Times hailing it as a ‘chic TV boutique with a foreign accent’. In November 2017 Walter Presents launched in Australia through pay-TV service Foxtel and in Italy September 2018, its first roll-out in mainland Europe, on Discovery’s Nove, Giallo and Dplay channels. In October 2018, Walter Presents partnered with PBS Distribution on Amazon Prime Video to launch over 300 hours of quality foreign language drama on PBS MASTERPIECE. Follow Walter Presents on WalterPresents.com, Facebook and Twitter About PBS Distribution PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats including direct-to-consumer subscription video-on-demand (DTC-SVOD), transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) licensing, and physical products on DVD and Blu-ray.  In addition, the company operates two Prime Video channels - PBS MASTERPIECE and PBS KIDS, as well as a theatrical releasing division, and educational, non-theatrical, inflight and international licensing businesses.     PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators over 4,000 programming hours of the highest quality factual, scripted and children’s programming, including films from producer Ken Burns, hit dramas from MASTERPIECE, entertaining and educational children’s series and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and many independent producers. For over 20 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations and producers. Follow PBS Distribution on Facebook and Twitter.