HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon President Cyma Zarghami today announced that veteran feature development executive Julia Pistor has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Movies. In her new position Ms. Pistor will oversee the development, production and release of all feature films produced under the Nickelodeon Movies banner, part of the newly formed MTV Networks Kids and Family Group. Ms. Pistor had been Senior Vice President of the division since 2000.

Additionally, it was announced that Paramount Pictures production executive Michelle Raimo will join Nick Movies as Senior Vice President, Production. In her new role at Nick Movies, Raimo a thirteen-year development and production veteran will support Pistor and her team in the day-to-day development of the company's slate of feature films.

"Julia Pistor is a relentless creative leader and force for Nickelodeon feature films," Ms. Zarghami said. "She has been instrumental in shaping our movie division to reflect the heart of our brand, and I'm excited about what she will be developing and producing with her partners at Paramount."

Paramount Pictures President Gail Berman commented on Ms. Raimo's appointment, "Along with MTV Films, we've made the focus on Nick Movies a priority at Paramount, and Michelle's considerable creative strengths will be a great asset in realizing the full potential of the Nick brand as a force in movies. It makes perfect sense for her to move within the family."

Under Pistor's leadership, Nickelodeon Movies has firmly established itself as a leading kid and family theatrical brand, providing a variety of live-action and animation features from the Academy Award nominated CGI film Jimmy Neutron to Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, starring Jim Carrey. She is currently overseeing a wide slate of films for release in 2006 including Nacho Libre, a live-action movie written by Mike White (School of Rock) and Jared Hess, (Napoleon Dynamite) who is also directing, and stars Jack Black, a live-action epic of the classic book Charlotte's Webb, which stars Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, and Oprah Winfrey and Barnyard, a CGI animated film starring Kevin James, Courtney Cox, Sam Elliot and Wanda Sykes with Steve Oedekerk (Ace Ventura, Bruce Almighty, Nutty Professor) writing, directing, and producing the project.

In 2004, Pistor produced and oversaw the release of both The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events; both movies opened at over $30 million at the box office. Pistor was also integral to the early success of Nick Movies, serving as co-producer and executive producer on both Rugrats Movies, the first non-Disney animated films to break $100 million in domestic box office.

Ms. Raimo joined Paramount in June 2005 as Senior Vice President of Production. Prior to joining Paramount, Raimo spent over nine years in the New York office of Miramax Films. From 1995 to 2005, Raimo held a variety of development and production positions, ending with her last post as Senior Vice President of Development and Production. During her tenure at the studio, Raimo was responsible for overseeing such properties as the Academy Award- Nominated(R) Chocolat, as well as The Shipping News and Ella Enchanted, among others. Raimo began her career in entertainment at the cable channel Comedy Central.

Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., one of the leading global entertainment content companies, with prominent and respected brands in focused demographics across virtually all media.

Nick Movies, the feature film development and production division of Nickelodeon, produces kid and family movies in association with its sister Viacom company, Paramount Pictures. Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon Movies and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

Source: Nickelodeon

Web site: http://www.nick.com/