MANIC

Directed by Kate Marks

AIR DATE: MAY 2017 ON HBO

RUNNING TIME: 18 mins

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING SCHEDULE: (PREMIERE) April 23rd: 9:00PM, CIN-07

April 24th: 4:45PM, CIN-01 April 28th: 10:45PM, CIN-01

April 29th: 3:15PM, REGAL-01

Press/Industry Screening: April 24th: 1:15PM, CIN-03

PRESS CONTACT HBO MELLONY TORRES Office: 212.512.7552 Mellony.Torres@hbo.com

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LOGLINE

An Ivy-­league bound, overachieving teen is derailed after a manic episode lands her in a school for kids with mental illness.

SYNOPSIS

After Aurora Carter, an Ivy League-bound, AP Exam enthusiast lands herself in an all-girl therapeutic boarding school, she has a singular goal – to prove that she doesn’t belong here. Determined not to fall behind in her studies, Aurora butts heads with the other girls and with the school administration who pressure her to take part in activities Aurora considers irrelevant to her success. But the more she pushes, the more her fragile mental state teeters closer to crisis. Unable to adhere to the school’s strict rules, Aurora makes a break for freedom only to be faced with the truth about why she was committed in the first place.�

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT “I fell in love with Yolanda Carney’s script for MANIC and the character of Aurora from the moment I read it. I was a junior class president/trombonist/triathlete/yearbook editor who averaged about three hours of sleep a night, so I immediately related to Aurora’s addiction to over-achievement. There aren’t many characters like her on TV and I wanted the show to be grounded in her perspective, so my guiding principle was ‘capture things the way Aurora would see them’: messy, medicated, and bizarre. Working with HBO showed me what’s possible in the big leagues. They gave me a ton of support and the confidence to really push for my vision. I got a taste of what it’s like to work in a network environment and I am so grateful for the opportunity.” - Kate Marks

WRITER’S STATEMENT

“To successfully create MANIC, I was forced to unpack parts of myself that I'd kept neatly tucked away. This project gave me the gift of vulnerability, for which I am deeply grateful.” - Yolanda Carney

HBO EXECUTIVES STATEMENTS “As a budding writer/director it can be difficult to get your foot in the door. HBO Access is proving to be an exciting and successful enterprise for artists like Yolanda and Kate. The opportunity to help guide them on this journey was rich and rewarding.” - Steven Woolworth, HBO Development Associate and HBOACCESS mentor.

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“From the moment Kate came in with her look book we knew we had something special. Her color palette, camera angles, and the way she wanted to get inside of Aurora’s head was all there. And when she stepped onto set she was in full control yet collaborative with her crew.”- Kelly Edwards, HBO Head of Talent Development

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PRESS RELEASE

HBOACCESS Television Short MANIC to Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival New York, N.Y., February 27, 2017-- MANIC, the latest television short born out of the HBOAccess Directing and Writing Fellowship programs, is a testament to HBO’s dedication to fostering the next generation of diverse storytellers. Directed by HBOAccess 2016 Directing Fellowship Winner, Kate Marks, and written by HBOAccess 2015 Writing Fellowship Winner, Yolanda Carey, the television short is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 23rd at 9pm EST and debut on HBO in May 2017. MANIC tells the story of an Ivy-league bound, overachieving teen who is derailed after a manic episode lands her in a school for kids with mental illness. The drama stars Shanice Williams (The Wiz Live!), Dot-Marie Jones (The Boondock Saints, Glee, Patch Adams), and Russell Andrews (NCIS: New Orleans, Better Call Saul, Straight Outta Compton). HBOAccess directors selected for the 2016 program were assigned material developed by emerging creators in the HBOAccess Writing Fellowship, effectively marrying the two programs. Len Amato, President of HBO Programming, says, “Kate really brought Yolanda’s words to life. She infused her unique sensibility into the process and created a visually distinctive piece that brings us into a world we don’t often get to see.” The fellowship program provided the winning directors and writers with one to one mentorship with HBO Creative Executives throughout the creative process and during production. “We knew we had a great script and a point-of-view into a world never seen before, but we were amazed at the level of talent the material attracted and how Kate translated the words on the page into something fascinating to watch,” says John Murchison, HBOAccess mentor and VP of HBO Miniseries. Now in its second year, the HBO Directing Fellowship educates selected participants about the craft and business of directing and gives each a limited budget to shoot a short presentation for HBO with a professional crew. Winners like Kate Marks participate in the workshop in July, shoot their presentations in August, and finish up post-production by the end of September.

About HBOACCESS DIRECTING FELLOWSHIP The HBOAccess Directing Fellowship selects 3-4 fellows to participate in a biennial program designed to foster diverse directing talent. The program includes a series of master classes

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which lead into the production of a short film. Delivered by industry professionals both internal and external to HBO, the classes cover a variety of subjects including creative topics such as story and character, as well as the technical aspects of production and post. Upon completion of the course, the fellows are then given a budget and crew to direct a short presentation allowing them full immersion in a true industry production. HBO will continue to support the directors by screening the films for the entertainment community and offering shadowing opportunities on HBO series. About HBOACCESS WRITING FELLOWSHIP In March 2015, HBO selected 9 writers to participate in the first HBOAccess Writing fellowship. In conjunction with the WGA, the bi-annual program began with a week-long intensive workshop covering story structure, character development, genre writing, getting an agent as well as other topics to help the fellows succeed in the industry. For 10 months following the workshop, participants were mentored by HBO creative executives as they developed a full-length pilot script. Like the directing fellowship, this program will be held every other year. About Home Box Office, Inc. Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. and the world’s most successful pay TV service, providing the two television services – HBO® and Cinemax® – to approximately 131 million subscribers worldwide. The services offer the popular subscription video-on demand products HBO On Demand® and Cinemax On Demand®, as well as HBO GO® and MAX GO®, HD feeds and multiplex channels. HBO NOW®, the network’s internet-only premium streaming service, provides audiences with instant access to HBO’s acclaimed programming in the U.S. Internationally, HBO branded television networks, along with the subscription video-on-demand products HBO On Demand and HBO GO, bring HBO services to over 60 countries. HBO and Cinemax programming is sold into over 150 countries worldwide.

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FILMMAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Yolanda Carney – Writer Yolanda is a Chicago-based writer currently staffed on Fusion’s, A.V. Club Hosted By John Teti (2017). Her most recent play, Thinking Sacks of Meat, was the winner of the First Laugh Festival (Piccolo Theater, 2015). Her previous plays include Eggplants and This Play Will Self Destruct all of which were produced through DIY-theater collectives in Chicago. Yolanda is also an active performer in the Chicago improv community and has trained at Improv Olympic and Second City. She completed a BA in Creative Writing at the University of Pennsylvania. Kate Marks – Director Kate is a 2016 HBO Access Directing Fellow and a 2013 Project Involve Fellow at Film Independent where she received the Barbara Boyle Award. Her award winning short films (Pearl Was Here, Homebody, 7 Day Gig, and Miracle Maker) continue to screen all over the world. Highlights include Slamdance, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, and broadcasting on PBS. She is a graduate of CalArts (MFA) and Brown University (BA). Additionally, Kate teaches filmmaking in public schools, prisons, senior centers, and parks. Her work with a wide range of students can be felt in her stories, which focus on the need to be witnessed. www.katemarks.net

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Kimberley Browning – Executive Producer Kimberley Browning is a filmmaker and film festival programmer. Kimberley is the Executive Producer of the 2016 season of HBO ACCESS television pilots, a talent development program supporting emerging television writers and directors. She is also the Founder and Festival Director of the Hollywood Shorts Film Festival, which launched in 1998 in Los Angeles. Kimberley's recently directed Room 19, the award winning art documentary film, and is the Executive Producer of the new feature documentary Ear Buds.

Sandra Valde-Hansen – Director of Photography Named as one of the 2014 “Generation Next” cinematographers in ICG magazine, Valde-Hansen holds an MFA from the prestigious American Film Institute. As well as lensing political and socially conscious documentaries for Al Jazeera America (Daisy and Max), PBS (Tales of Masked Men) and MTV (House of Style), Valde-Hansen has over fifteen independent feature credits, including Jewtopia, directed by Bryan Fogel, Love is All You Need, for director Kim Rocco-Shields and Seattle Road, directed by Ryan David.

Collaborating with indie darling director Gregg Araki, Valde-Hansen lensed Kaboom, which was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival. She then re teamed with Araki on the recently released White Bird in a Blizzard, starring Shailene Woodley and Eva Green that also premiered at Sundance this year. Valde-Hansen worked her way up through the camera department, and was mentored by luminaries such as Steve Poster ASC, Stephen Lighthill ASC, and Nancy Schreiber ASC. Born in Miami, Florida, to a medical family of first generation Filipino immigrants, she received a BFA in film from Florida State University. She resides in Los Angeles and when she is not shooting, teaches in the cinematography department at AFI.

Jeff Winkler – Co-Producer Jeff has been a producer for over 15 years. He began his career producing television and radio commercials for a NY/NJ advertising agency and in 2002 he moved to Los Angeles where he has continued to work as a successful independent producer. His projects include feature and short films, and award winning new media content that has a combined total of

over 150 million views. Jeff developed and produced Comedy Central's groundbreaking digital series The Legend of Neil, and was the line producer for Felicia Day's The Guild. He teamed up with his long time producing partner Kimberley Browning and co-produced three comedy pilots for HBO ACCESS 2016 Directing Fellowship

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Kim Williams - Casting Director & Producer Kim Williams is an independent casting director and producer currently working on the critically acclaimed Netflix series Narcos. Williams recently completed casting for three films MANIC, F**ed Up and Lady Bouncer for HBOAccess. She was a staff casting director at Paramount Pictures and Paramount Television for films including Baywatch, Jack Reacher 2, and Looking for Alaska as well as television projects Jack Ryan, Grease Live!, Shooter and Berlin Station. She also completed casting for the Broadway musical Super Fly The Musical, Tyler Perry

Productions (Why Did I Get Married?, Daddy’s Little Girls and Madea’s Family Reunion), Fox Broadcasting Company (Glee, Fringe, Dollhouse, Prison Break, Bones), Sony Pictures Television (The Boondocks), and HBO. She is currently casting two independent films and has several film and television projects in development. Williams resides in Los Angeles.

Rachel Dickson - Assistant Director Born and raised in Edinburgh Scotland, Rachel Dickson started working in the theater in her teens. After moving to LA (a weather-based decision!), she discovered her love of organization fit perfectly into the film and television world. A proud member of the DGA since 2003,

Rachel was thrilled to be part of the diverse crew working on Manic, and looks forward to being part of more challenging and exciting projects like this in the future.

Adriana Serrano - Production Designer Born in Colombia and trained as a visual artist at Universidad de Los Andes with a M.F.A in set design from Brooklyn College in New York. Adriana’s professional career in film started in New York in 2004 when she was hired as an art director for her first feature On the Outs. In New York Adriana worked in numerous projects in theater and film. After living in New York for four years she returns to Colombia in 2005 where

she started working in television. In 2009, Adriana relocated to Los Angeles where she works as a production designer and currently lives. Today her credits as a production designer include The Scent of Rain and Lightening starring Maika Monroe, Justin Chatwin and Maggie Grace, Afternoon Delight directed by Jill Soloway (Winner of Best Director in Sundance 2013), Bound to Vengeance (Sundance Midnight selection 2015), Arcadia starring John Hawkes ( won best film at Generation K at Berlin film festival, Entre Nos (Honorable mention at Tribeca Film Festival), Orion among many others. She recently finished a digital series for ABC Digital called American Koko currently in post-production. Adriana is represented by A.P.A and is part of the Art Directors Guild- Local 800 member.

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CAST BIOGRAPHIES

Shanice Williams - Aurora Shanice Scales-Williams grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey as an only child. Full of energy and the undeniable need to always keep her friends and family entertained, she found her way into, and soon fell in love, with the world of performing arts. From singing in her grandparents’ church choir, to doing school plays, she knew early on that her dream was to be a performer and that nothing was going to stop her from making that happen. At the end of her senior year of high school, she decided that she wanted to cross the

country to go to study musical theater in Los Angeles, California. In June of 2015 she followed her heart once again and travelled back to New York City. Her favorite scripture (Jeremiah 29 and 11) says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And with this in her heart she auditioned for the lead role in NBC’s live Musical, The Wiz Live! Today, Shanice is a true example of the saying, “dreams come true!” If nothing else, Shanice wants to show dreamers all over the world, that anything is possible.

Dot Marie Jones – Janice Dot Marie Jones has received three consecutive Emmy® Award nominations (2011, 2012, 2013) for her role as football coach ‘Shannon Beiste’ on FOX’s megahit television show Glee. In its third season, the show received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. With an expansive list of diverse film and television credits, Jones is known for her poignant roles in both drama and comedy. This coming year, moviegoers will see Jones in the independent romantic comedy, Muffin Top, written by bestselling novelist, Cathryn Michon, and

directed by Ken Locsmandi. The film also stars some of the funniest women in comedy including Melissa Peterman and Marissa Jaret Winokur. Previous film credits include Material Girls with Hilary Duff, The Boondock Saints with Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus, and Patch Adams with Robin Williams. Jones, who had no intentions of acting, met Shirley Eson of American Gladiators fame, and it was Eson who urged Jones to audition for the Gladiator-like Knights and Warriors. Jones got the part, becoming one of the few female warriors. It was after Knights that Jones made the decision to become an actress, and landed her first recurring role on FOX’s popular sitcom Married… with Children. She then had a recurring role on the Disney Channel’s series Lizzie McGuire as ‘Coach Kelly’. Since then, she has appeared in many popular television shows such as FX’s Nip/Tuck, ABC’s Desperate Housewives, FOX’s Prison Break, TNT’s Hawthorne, among others. A retired athlete, Jones attended California State University Fresno, where she set records for shot put, and in 1988 and 1992 qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials for shot put. Jones is also a 15-time world arm wrestling champion. A California native, Jones currently resides in Los Angeles. She is an impassioned supporter of charities that empower children and teach acceptance.

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Agent Information: Brittney McDade, TCA/Jed Root, 9220 Sunset Blvd, Suite 315, Los Angeles CA 90069. Office: 310.432.2929. Mobile: 323.316.5978. brittney@tcajedroot.com

A. Russell Andrews - Franklin With a career that spans nearly 25 years, Texas born, A. Russell Andrews is the founding member and producing artistic director of the multi-award winning Los Angeles-based stage company, StageWalkers. The company has received over 30 LA Theatre award nominations with wins that include 2 NAACP Theatre Awards and 2 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards for his work with Pulitzer Prize winning author August Wilson’s Piano Lesson, Jitney, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom in which Andrews received his first NAACP

Theatre Award for Best Actor. As 'Youngblood' in Jitney, Andrews, along with Wilson and the stellar cast were the recipients of the 2002 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play performed at The Royal National’s Lyttle Theatre in London. Russell’s memorable TV and film credits includes the role of Rev. Clinton Hines in Runaway Island which earned him a 2016 Emmy consideration for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie; Earl in Arun K. Vir's multi-award-winning indie film Reset; The In-Laws (with Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks), The Punisher (with John Travolta and Tom Jane) and Hanelle Culpepper's award-winning short, A Single Rose. Selected television credits include guest star and recurring roles in NCIS: New Orleans, Better Call Saul, Grey's Anatomy, Harry's Law, The Defenders, The Nine, Boston Legal, CSI: Miami. Next up for Mr. Andrews is starring in and co-executive producer in La’Chris Jordan’s short film The Ridge and as Attorney Davis in Lifetime Network’s Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland, directed by Oscar nominated, Dianne Houston.

Nicki Michaeux - Sierra When it’s time to bring a character to life, actress Nicki Micheaux delivers. Recently she appeared on TNT's Animal Kingdom as a bad-ass detective. Micheaux is best known as Jen Sutton, a strong independent and supportive wife and mother on the ABC Family series, Lincoln Heights, which garnered her two NAACP Image Award Nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Lincoln Heights also won the NAACP award for Outstanding Drama Series. She also starred with Academy Award winner Halle Berry in the highly-rated telefilm, Oprah

Winfrey Presents: Their Eyes Were Watching God. Micheaux has expanded her artistry into writing and directing. She has directed two short films, which landed her the ABC/Disney Television directing program. She's a sci-fi action chick at heart and has a passion for getting her stories into the world. Micheaux feels strongly about women and their empowerment and mentors young women whenever she can. She is from Houston, TX and currently resides in Los Angeles with her two children.

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Valentina Murra – Sandra Valentina Murra moved to Los Angeles in the winter of 2015 from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Upon arriving, she began working on several films, such as Faith (2017), opposite Britt Lower, and How We Work (2017), along with a Presidential Campaign PSA, Save the Day (2016) directed by Joss Whedon. Murra then worked on HBO's MANIC and continues to further her career as an actor. She is currently studying screenwriting and independent music production at UCLA. Murra is represented by the Brogan Agency.

VyVy Nguyen - Melanie VyVy Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American actress hailing from Anaheim, California. Against her traditional Asian parents' wishes, she moved to LA to study acting at USC's School of Dramatic Arts. Since graduating, her television credits have included Parenthood, The Mindy Project, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Grey's Anatomy. She is represented by Don Buchwald & Associates and Crimson Media Group.

Charan Prabhakar - Teacher Charan hails from the exotic landscape of Chennai, India. In 1987, at the age of 6, his family moved to America and he grew up in an even more exotic location: Utah. As a kid (and even now) he used to daydream a lot and pretend he was off on his many conquests. Luckily he found ways to put these "hobbies" to good use when he discovered the world of acting. In high school, he took his first drama class and was hooked. Since then, he's acted in various plays and movies including High School Musical 1, 2, and Abandoned Mine. In 2009, he moved to LA to pursue his daydreaming, pretending career to greater

heights. He's since acted in commercials, features, and TV series such as Silicon Valley, Code Black, Scorpion, and Angie Tribeca.In addition to acting, Charan is also a film/TV producer. His company Bellpond has a Youtube Channel with over 60 million plus views. He is actively creating content in various formats.

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Kash Abdulmalik - Nurse Kash is a Los Angeles based comedian, writer and actor. He's also someone's daughter so please, show a little respect. Kash hails from the small town of Brooklyn, New York (not too many have heard of it.) After moving to L.A. in 2001 and spending nine years as the singer in a hardcore punk band (as one does) the answer was clear. Comedy. Starting his career with the Upright Citizen's Brigade in 2008, Kash began shooting and writing sketches with his own team, The Public. He then relocated back to NYC to start the collective Dark Matter Video, and develop an animated series for Adult Swim. Now back in his true home of L.A., Kash can be seen in the new Bruce Willis film, Going

Under and co-starring with Zach Galifianakis in FX's new show Baskets. He's also gained a following, performing in online content for Buzzfeed. Locally, he can be seen at the Pack Theatre performing with his sketch team, Turncoat, performing stand up all over town, or just turn on your television. Chances are you'll see him doing something hilarious!

Erica Gluck – Tough Girl The multi-talented Erica Gluck was first introduced to audiences in the The Game as Brit Brat, a role she continued to play for the next three years. In between seasons of the show she worked in features, first playing Nick Cannon’s little sister in American Son, then Kiefer Sutherland and Paula Patton’s daughter for director Alexandre Aja in Mirrors. She went on to star as the title character in Trinity Goodheart with Eric Benet. Erica is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. She is currently recording with songwriters Hall of Famer Billy Steinberg (Like A Virgin, True Colors) and Josh Alexander.

Sydney Sweeney – Paper Girl Sydney Sweeney, a native of Spokane, WA, moved to Los Angeles, CA at the age of thirteen to pursue her dreams. She immediately took to the acting business and booked her first guest starring role on NBC's Heroes. Since then, Sydney has worked on television as a guest star on Criminal Minds, 90210, Grey's Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars, in the television movie The Bling Ring and in the feature film Dead Aunt. Sydney will next be seen in the movie Under the Silver Lake starring

Andrew Garfield. Sydney was recently honored at graduation as valedictorian of her high school class and received a full ride scholarship to college where she is studying for her BA in business. In her free time, Sydney is an avid sports enthusiast who enjoys MMA and hiking with her rescue dog Tank.

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Alexandra Weaver – Insomniac/ Anorexic Girl Alexandra Weaver is a graduate of The Performing Arts Conservatory at Michigan's Detroit Country Day School, and has been acting since the age of 4. She is a singer as well as a classically trained, award-winning dancer. She has also danced with the Joffrey Ballet Dance Company. Alexandra studied at the Broadway Artist Alliance, and the New York Film Academy. Most recently, she filmed a supporting role of Acceptance in award winning director Marina Rice Bader's feature, Ava’s Impossible Things. She was the lead guest star on the television show Deadly Sins, and has played lead roles in various successful short films. On stage,

Alexandra has played the lead of "Velma" in Chicago, the lead of Anne Frank, and "Frenchie" in Grease. She is also a screenwriter, and is currently developing a coming-of-age thriller.

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FULL CREDITS

Directed by Kate Marks

Written by

Yolanda Carey

Produced by Kimberley Browning

Co-Executive Producer

Jeff Winkler

Cinematography by Sandra Valde-Hansen

Edited by

Varun Viswanath

Casting by: Kim Williams

Starring:

Shanice Williams Dot-Marie Jones Russell Andrews Nicki Micheaux Valentina Murra

Vyvy Nguyen Charan Prabhakar Kash Abdulmalik

Erica Gluck Sydney Sweeney

Alexander Weaver

Production Unit Assistant Director: Rachel Dickson

Second Assistant Director: Fred Mandel Script Supervisor: Michael Coulombe Production Coordinator: Nikki Wood

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Production Design by Adriana Serrano

Art Direction by Geoffrey Brown

Costume Design by

Patty Malkin

Makeup Department Make Up Artist: Alex Noble

Sound Department

Boom Operator: Jack Hill Sound Mixer: Landon Orsillo Sound Editor: Josef Peters

Boom Editor: Tom Pieczkolon

Stunts Stunt Coordinator: Robair Sims

Camera and Electrical Department

Gaffer: Dessie Coale Dolly Grip: Nicko Edwards

Camera Operator: Chris Freilich Key Grip: Kevin Keirstead

Additional Photography: Amanda Treyz Best boy: Vanessa Wolf

Editorial Department

Colorist: Tawan Bazemore

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PRODUCTION STILLS

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BEHIND THE SCENES

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