Hachi: A Dog's Tale comes to DVD and Blu-ray on March 9

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (December 14, 2009) – Academy Award nominee Lasse Hallström (Best Director, "The Cider House Rules," 1999) re-imagines one of the most treasured, heartwarming and inspirational stories in Japanese culture when "Hachi: A Dog's Tale" debuts on Blu-ray and DVD March 9 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Richard Gere ("Chicago," "Pretty Woman," "An Officer and a Gentleman") stars as a college professor who develops an unbreakable bond with an abandoned dog. As their friendship grows deeper, the two set off on an unforgettable journey embodying the true spirit of family and loyalty that inspires the hearts of an entire town. The all-star cast includes three-time Academy Award nominee Joan Allen (Best Actress, "The Contender," 2000; Best Supporting Actress: "Nixon," 1995; "The Crucible," 1996), eight-time Emmy Award nominee Jason Alexander (TV's "Seinfeld"), and Sarah Roemer ("Disturbia").

Bonus features on the disc include the behind-the-scenes featurette, "Stay: The Tale of Making Hachi," with interviews and footage of the actors, filmmakers, trainers and a host of Akita dogs.

From a script by Steven P. Lindsey, "Hachi: A Dog's Tale" was produced by Vicki Shigekuni Wong, Bill Johnson and Richard Gere, with Jim Seibel, Paul Mason, Jeff Abberley and Julia Blackman serving as executive producers. The Blu-ray will be BD-Live enabled, with movieIQ, which allows fans to access "continuously updated" information on cast and crew and explore relevant trivia such as production facts, music and soundtrack information all tied to scenes within the movie.

Hachi: A Dog's Tale has a running time of 90 minutes and is rated G. It will be available on Blu-ray for $34.95 SRP and on DVD for $24.96 SRP.