MUMBAI: After spreading its world cinema footprints in the television and home video platforms, UTV World Movies has now forayed into the theatrical release of its titles in association with PVR. The first movie to release will be Waltz with Bashir.

The Israeli movie has been nominated for over 22 international awards and won 12. The movie is the winner of the Best foreign film award at the Golden Globe Awards 2009 and was also a nominee at the prestigious Academy Awards this year.

The movie will premiere in PVR Phoenix Mills, on 29 July at 8.30 pm. Directed by Ari Folman, Waltz with Bashir is a ground-breaking personal account of the horrors of the 1982 Lebanon War. The film made its premiere at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for a Palme d’Or.

With the acquisition of 140 new titles this year for theatrical release, UTV World Movies, in association with PVR, will showcase the movies across Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. The first sets of movies in the pipeline are Waltz with Bashir, The Song of Sparrows and I Always Wanted to be a Gangster and the Oscar winner The Counterfeiters.

UTV Entertainment Television CEO Shantonu Aditya said, "With the entrance of World Movies into theaters, the channel has accomplished the 360 degree marketing objective of creating awareness and building the World Movies brand. We believe that there is a tremendous potential for quality cinema in India and by this initiative we would be able to give the movie lovers a completely new experience."

UTV World Movies has a library of 650 titles, which include Oscar and Golden Globe winning ones like Che, The Counterfeiters, The Lives of Others, Amelie, The Song of Sparrows amongst others.

UTV World Movies busines head Sameer Ganapathy added, "We are extremely happy to provide cinema lovers in India with an opportunity to view quality world cinema on the big screen. We have always worked towards bringing diverse and contemporary world cinema to India and showcase the movies of eminent film makers across a big platform. Having a partner like PVR, we are sure to reach many avid cinema lovers in this country."