Vancouver: Year-end results for Lions Gate Entertainment of Vancouver show a 129% increase in revenue and the continued draining effects of Mandalay Pictures, its feature film production division.

For fiscal 2000 (ended March 31), revenues were $271.3 million compared to $118.3 million generated in fiscal 1999. Despite the substantial revenue growth, Lions Gate recorded a loss for the year of $5.3 million ($0.17 per share). The loss for fiscal 1999 was $14.1 million ($0.58 per share).

Without the Mandalay commitment – in which lge picks up Mandalay’s non-cash operating losses – net earnings for fiscal 2000 would have totaled $600,000 ($0.02 per share).

‘We’ve achieved revenue and bottom-line growth across all our divisions,’ says Lions Gate chairman Frank Giustra. ‘Entering fiscal 2001 with the Trimark merger places us in a position to expand our distribution and take advantage of the digital marketplace. Trimark provides an excellent fit and extends our reach further into the u.s. entertainment marketplace.’

The most significant year-over-year increase was in the television division where revenue increased by $69 million to $82 million. Contributing to that success were 22 episodes of Hope Island for u.s. network Pax and Showcase, 22 episodes of Higher Ground for Fox, and Fox reality shows from the Termite Art division.

Lions Gate Films distribution revenue also increased substantially, jumping 89% to $147 million for the year. Dogma, Red Violin and Elvis Gratton contributed to the revenue tally.

Meanwhile, Cine-Groupe, Lions Gate’s animation partner, delivered 79 half-hours of programming, including 22 episodes of Kids From Room 402 for Fox Family, 20 episodes of Jim Button to Radio-Canada and TF-1, and 19 episodes of Mega Babies and 14 half-hours of Bad Dog for Fox and Teletoon.

Revenue from Lions Gate Studios in North Vancouver increased in part because of the opening of the new 21,000-square-foot Stage 7. *