Ahead of Lifechanger's world premiere at this year's Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, the film's first official trailer and poster have been revealed, hinting at a transformation of sorts for potentially more than just one character. The film touts an impressive cast, including Lora Burke, Jack Foley, Elitsa Bako, Sam James White, Rachel Vanduzer, Steve Kasan, and Bill Oberst Jr., and we have a look at the trailer and poster:
Press Release: Toronto, On – The trailer and first poster for the upcoming horror film Lifechanger have newly been released online. The film will have a World Premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival on July 20th, then an International Premiere at London’s Frightfest the following month (on Aug. 25th & 26th). Directed by Justin McConnell, the film follows “a murderous shape-shifter on a blood-soaked mission to make things right with the woman he loves”. The film stars Lora Burke (from...
Press Release: Toronto, On – The trailer and first poster for the upcoming horror film Lifechanger have newly been released online. The film will have a World Premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival on July 20th, then an International Premiere at London’s Frightfest the following month (on Aug. 25th & 26th). Directed by Justin McConnell, the film follows “a murderous shape-shifter on a blood-soaked mission to make things right with the woman he loves”. The film stars Lora Burke (from...
- 7/5/2018
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Actor Bill Pullman is set to present his favourite food film, 1987’s Babette’s Feast, as the opening-night film at the world’s largest culinary film festival, Devour!, which runs Nov 4-8 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
The festival’s executive director Michael Howell and managing director Lia Rinaldo launched the 2015 programme in Toronto last week.
Films to screen include That Sugar Film, The Birth of Sake, A Year In Champagne, Swank Farm, In Defense of Food, The Empire of Scents, Sergio Herman: Fucking Perfect, Happy 140, Foodies, The Great Chicken Wing Hunt, Good Things Await, The Duel of Wine, For Grace, and Relative Happiness.
“It’s extremely rewarding to see how Devour! has grown since its inception to become the world’s premier film festival focusing on our love of both cuisine and cinema,” said Howell.
“The team has worked extremely hard to create a sensory overload for anyone coming to Wolfville this November – from the 78 films, to a significant...
The festival’s executive director Michael Howell and managing director Lia Rinaldo launched the 2015 programme in Toronto last week.
Films to screen include That Sugar Film, The Birth of Sake, A Year In Champagne, Swank Farm, In Defense of Food, The Empire of Scents, Sergio Herman: Fucking Perfect, Happy 140, Foodies, The Great Chicken Wing Hunt, Good Things Await, The Duel of Wine, For Grace, and Relative Happiness.
“It’s extremely rewarding to see how Devour! has grown since its inception to become the world’s premier film festival focusing on our love of both cuisine and cinema,” said Howell.
“The team has worked extremely hard to create a sensory overload for anyone coming to Wolfville this November – from the 78 films, to a significant...
- 9/23/2015
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Sony Pictures Australian rom-com Spin Out starring Xavier Samuel and Morgan Griffin is set for a Shepparton, Victoria shoot.
The film, originally titled Circle Work, will start shooting in the Victorian country town from August 18.
Samuel (Fury, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn . Part 2, A Few Best Men) will star alongside Griffin (San Andreas, Louder Than Words, Charlie & Boots) and be supported by a talented group of actors that include Lincoln Lewis (Gallipoli, Tomorrow When the War Began), Melissa Bergland (Winners and Losers, Relative Happiness), Tessa James (Love Child, Home and Away) and Brooke McClymont, of Australia¹s number one country group, The McClymonts. .
The film follows a relationship between two long-time friends, Billy (Samuel) and Lucy (Griffin) who are both in denial over their desire for each other. .
But as change beckons, they must confront their feelings amidst the backdrop of their town.s Ute Muster and annual B&S...
The film, originally titled Circle Work, will start shooting in the Victorian country town from August 18.
Samuel (Fury, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn . Part 2, A Few Best Men) will star alongside Griffin (San Andreas, Louder Than Words, Charlie & Boots) and be supported by a talented group of actors that include Lincoln Lewis (Gallipoli, Tomorrow When the War Began), Melissa Bergland (Winners and Losers, Relative Happiness), Tessa James (Love Child, Home and Away) and Brooke McClymont, of Australia¹s number one country group, The McClymonts. .
The film follows a relationship between two long-time friends, Billy (Samuel) and Lucy (Griffin) who are both in denial over their desire for each other. .
But as change beckons, they must confront their feelings amidst the backdrop of their town.s Ute Muster and annual B&S...
- 8/12/2015
- by Brian Karlovsky
- IF.com.au
The national film body is behind a Us tour this autumn of 10 new comedies without Us distribution.
Former MoMA senior curator of film Laurence Kardish selected the films, which will arrive in New York and travel to Los Angeles and additional markets.
The Canada Cool tour runs from throughout the autumn and kicks off in New York on September 18 with the premiere of Robert Cohen’s Being Canadian (pictured) at Cinema Village.
The other titles are: Ingrid Veninger’s Animal Project; Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver’s Asphalt Watches; Jeffrey St Jules’ Bang Bang Baby; and Émile Gaudreault’s Fathers And Guns (De Père En Flic).
Rounding out the slate are Henri Henri by Martin Talbot;
Relative Happiness from Deanne Foley; Kris Elgstrand’s Songs She Wrote About People She Knows; Aaron Houston’s Sunflower Hour; and Maureen Bradley’s Two 4 One.
Classics Selection entries are John Paizs’ Crime Wave and The Decline Of The American Empire (Le Déclin...
Former MoMA senior curator of film Laurence Kardish selected the films, which will arrive in New York and travel to Los Angeles and additional markets.
The Canada Cool tour runs from throughout the autumn and kicks off in New York on September 18 with the premiere of Robert Cohen’s Being Canadian (pictured) at Cinema Village.
The other titles are: Ingrid Veninger’s Animal Project; Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver’s Asphalt Watches; Jeffrey St Jules’ Bang Bang Baby; and Émile Gaudreault’s Fathers And Guns (De Père En Flic).
Rounding out the slate are Henri Henri by Martin Talbot;
Relative Happiness from Deanne Foley; Kris Elgstrand’s Songs She Wrote About People She Knows; Aaron Houston’s Sunflower Hour; and Maureen Bradley’s Two 4 One.
Classics Selection entries are John Paizs’ Crime Wave and The Decline Of The American Empire (Le Déclin...
- 7/23/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
A stellar group of eight Canadian women directors, along with an ensemble of hand-picked Industry professionals, mentors, actors and crews, have been selected to attend the 19th annual Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) program, and the two-day pilot session of the Widc Whistler Film Festival Industry Immersion. Over the next two months these rising stars will develop their feature films and web series, while cultivating relationships with industry insiders along with key collaborators, and an ensemble of hand-picked professional actors and technicians. The program culminates with a technical creative master-class at The Banff Centre.
Mounting their directorial debut feature films are, from the Northwest Territories, Kirsten Carthew ("Prototype"), Manitoba-based Rebecca Gibson ("Jane Garbage"), from Ontario, Renuka Jeyapalan ("Sex with as Perfect Stranger"), and Simone Stock ("Dark Horse"), BC-based Kate Kroll, ("One.Last.Stop"), Reem Morsi ("Lips"), and Loretta Todd ("Monkey Beach'), and Pei-based, Jenna MacMillan is developing a new web series, ("Gran Bandit").
“These filmmakers are already established in their own right,” says Carol Whiteman, award-winning Widc producer. “They have won awards and fellowships, some from our collaborating partners like Women In Film, the St John’s International Women’s Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. We all see the talent that these women possess and the potential of their projects.” “I appreciate how Widc supports women’s work and vision,” says seasoned documentary filmmaker, Loretta Todd whose sci-fi martial arts pilot Skye and Chang airs on Aptn. “Being part of Widc Sim 2.O is a significant opportunity to help me be prepared so I can be even more courageous as a director.”
This year's eight directors also benefit from the expertise of award-winning Canadian writer/directors and Widc alumnae, Katrin Bowen ("Amazon Falls," "Random Acts of Romance"), Lulu Keating ("Lucille's Ball," "The Mood Brood") who mentor in Vancouver, Deanne Foley ("Beat Down," and "Relative Happiness" premiering at Whistler Film Festival) at the Whistler Film Festival, and celebrated writer/director Gail Harvey ("Looking is the Original Sin," "Long Story Short") will be the program's Mentor Director in Banff. The line up of award-winning Widc mentors also includes director of photography, Roger Vernon ("Twilight: Breaking Dawn"), Teresa Hannigan (Rookie Blue), Jeanne Slater ("Lucille's Ball," "Evangeline"), screen-writer and Jungian expert, Dr. Carolyn Mamchur, writer/story consultant Linda Coffey ("These Arms of Mine"), and actress/acting instructor, Lori Triolo (Blackstone, Supernatural). Industry experts include, John Galway (of Harold Greenberg Fund), Maureen Levitt, (of Super Channel), independent producer, Lael McCall, (of Principia Productions), and Lauren Davis of Telefilm Canada.
The Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) program has earned an international reputation for propelling women directors’ skills, stories and careers to the next level of excellence. Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) have been Widc collaborators and Telefilm Canada has been a major sponsor since the program’s 1997 inception. This is Widc’s first year collaborating with the Whistler Film Festival, with the Widc Whistler Film Festival Industry Immersion taking place on December 3 and 4.
The Festival’s online box office is now open for industry and festival passes, ticket packages, and individual film and special event tickets (until December 7). The Festival Box Office is also open for phone sales (1-877-838-film) and on November 28 for walk-in sales. Wff’s film, event and industry Summit lineup and schedules are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa is Wff’s official host hotel. Wff has 17 accommodation partners to choose from that offer special rates to Whistler Film Festival attendees. Book your accommodation early to ensure your perfect match and price. For information, go to whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, The Harold Greenburg Fund, Cineplex, CTV, Pandora, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb, Promosa and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About Widc – Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) is an internationally respected Canadian professional development offering, specially designed to advance the skills, careers and screen projects of women directors. With nearly 200 director alumnae across Canada, Widc is presented in partnership by Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra, with major support from Telefilm Canada, William F. White Intl., and with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des Arts du Canada, Panavision Canada, Sim Digital, Clairmont Camera Film and Digital, North Shore Studios, The Bridge Studios, Vancouver Film Studios, Front Row Insurance, Banff World Media Festival, Actra Fraternal Benefit Society, Ubcp/Actra, Actra Alberta, Iatse 669, Iatse 212, Independent Production Fund, Wift Vancouver, Female Eye Film Festival, St John’s International Women’s Film Festival and Whistler Film Festival. Director’s chair sponsors include Creative BC, BC Arts Council, Wiftv. Find out more at www.widc.ca www.facebook.com/widc.ca @WIDC_ca #Widc enquiries@creativewomenworkshops.com
About the Whistler Film Festival: From December 3 to 7, 2014, the Whistler Film Festival (Wff) will celebrate its 14th edition as one of Canada's leading festivals. Featuring innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s five day Festival will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, star-studded guests, lively celebrations and unique industry initiatives. Find out more at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society: The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
Mounting their directorial debut feature films are, from the Northwest Territories, Kirsten Carthew ("Prototype"), Manitoba-based Rebecca Gibson ("Jane Garbage"), from Ontario, Renuka Jeyapalan ("Sex with as Perfect Stranger"), and Simone Stock ("Dark Horse"), BC-based Kate Kroll, ("One.Last.Stop"), Reem Morsi ("Lips"), and Loretta Todd ("Monkey Beach'), and Pei-based, Jenna MacMillan is developing a new web series, ("Gran Bandit").
“These filmmakers are already established in their own right,” says Carol Whiteman, award-winning Widc producer. “They have won awards and fellowships, some from our collaborating partners like Women In Film, the St John’s International Women’s Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. We all see the talent that these women possess and the potential of their projects.” “I appreciate how Widc supports women’s work and vision,” says seasoned documentary filmmaker, Loretta Todd whose sci-fi martial arts pilot Skye and Chang airs on Aptn. “Being part of Widc Sim 2.O is a significant opportunity to help me be prepared so I can be even more courageous as a director.”
This year's eight directors also benefit from the expertise of award-winning Canadian writer/directors and Widc alumnae, Katrin Bowen ("Amazon Falls," "Random Acts of Romance"), Lulu Keating ("Lucille's Ball," "The Mood Brood") who mentor in Vancouver, Deanne Foley ("Beat Down," and "Relative Happiness" premiering at Whistler Film Festival) at the Whistler Film Festival, and celebrated writer/director Gail Harvey ("Looking is the Original Sin," "Long Story Short") will be the program's Mentor Director in Banff. The line up of award-winning Widc mentors also includes director of photography, Roger Vernon ("Twilight: Breaking Dawn"), Teresa Hannigan (Rookie Blue), Jeanne Slater ("Lucille's Ball," "Evangeline"), screen-writer and Jungian expert, Dr. Carolyn Mamchur, writer/story consultant Linda Coffey ("These Arms of Mine"), and actress/acting instructor, Lori Triolo (Blackstone, Supernatural). Industry experts include, John Galway (of Harold Greenberg Fund), Maureen Levitt, (of Super Channel), independent producer, Lael McCall, (of Principia Productions), and Lauren Davis of Telefilm Canada.
The Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) program has earned an international reputation for propelling women directors’ skills, stories and careers to the next level of excellence. Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) have been Widc collaborators and Telefilm Canada has been a major sponsor since the program’s 1997 inception. This is Widc’s first year collaborating with the Whistler Film Festival, with the Widc Whistler Film Festival Industry Immersion taking place on December 3 and 4.
The Festival’s online box office is now open for industry and festival passes, ticket packages, and individual film and special event tickets (until December 7). The Festival Box Office is also open for phone sales (1-877-838-film) and on November 28 for walk-in sales. Wff’s film, event and industry Summit lineup and schedules are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa is Wff’s official host hotel. Wff has 17 accommodation partners to choose from that offer special rates to Whistler Film Festival attendees. Book your accommodation early to ensure your perfect match and price. For information, go to whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, The Harold Greenburg Fund, Cineplex, CTV, Pandora, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb, Promosa and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About Widc – Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) is an internationally respected Canadian professional development offering, specially designed to advance the skills, careers and screen projects of women directors. With nearly 200 director alumnae across Canada, Widc is presented in partnership by Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra, with major support from Telefilm Canada, William F. White Intl., and with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des Arts du Canada, Panavision Canada, Sim Digital, Clairmont Camera Film and Digital, North Shore Studios, The Bridge Studios, Vancouver Film Studios, Front Row Insurance, Banff World Media Festival, Actra Fraternal Benefit Society, Ubcp/Actra, Actra Alberta, Iatse 669, Iatse 212, Independent Production Fund, Wift Vancouver, Female Eye Film Festival, St John’s International Women’s Film Festival and Whistler Film Festival. Director’s chair sponsors include Creative BC, BC Arts Council, Wiftv. Find out more at www.widc.ca www.facebook.com/widc.ca @WIDC_ca #Widc enquiries@creativewomenworkshops.com
About the Whistler Film Festival: From December 3 to 7, 2014, the Whistler Film Festival (Wff) will celebrate its 14th edition as one of Canada's leading festivals. Featuring innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s five day Festival will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, star-studded guests, lively celebrations and unique industry initiatives. Find out more at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society: The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
- 12/1/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The countdown has begun to Whistler’s 14th annual cinematic celebration. The Whistler Film Festival (Wff) returns December 3 to 7, 2014 and with just 16 weeks to go, the Festival is proud to offer a sneak peek at the first round of confirmed films and industry program highlights.
Located in North America’s premiere destination mountain resort, the Whistler Film Festival combines an international film competition with a screen-based industry Summit to address the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age. The Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate, five-day program featuring up to 90 original films from Canada and around the world, including filmmaker tributes, special events and industry initiatives. Recognized by filmmakers and film lovers alike as one of Canada’s most important showcases for film, Wff is a place where artists are celebrated, audiences are inspired, new ideas are discussed and business opportunities are solidified.
Wff’s Director of Programming and industry veteran Paul Gratton has this to say about the 2014 lineup: "The Whistler Film Festival continues to be a must-attend event for hip, young film buffs and emerging filmmakers, and we are pleased to carve out our own unique niche by offering an impressive selection of Canadian premieres. This year's titles will cast a wide net in terms of subject matter, and our Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year. Wff will have something for everyone.”
The Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia celebrates its 11th anniversary this year offering the second largest cash film festival prize for a Canadian film in the country, with additional awards for Best Performance, Best Screenwriting and Best Direction.
Opening the Borsos competition this year will be the World Premiere of Cameron Labine’s BC filmed comedy "Mountain Men" starring Chace Crawford and Tyler Labine as estranged brothers who journey to their family cabin in the middle of winter. When the cabin accidentally burns to the ground, what started as a fun weekend quickly goes from bad to worse. The brothers find themselves fighting for survival as they perilously try to find their way down the mountain, all while rehashing family memories and challenged by sibling rivalry.
The breathtaking scenery of Nova Scotia is showcased in Wff's second Borsos competition film, the Western Premiere of "Relative Happiness" directed by first-time, female feature filmmaker Deanne Foley. Starring Australian actress Melissa Bergland and Wff alumni Aaron Poole, the romantic comedy tells the story of feisty but somewhat oversized bed and breakfast owner Lexie Ivy, who is tasked with finding a date to her sister’s wedding.
Other confirmed films include the World Premiere of the hilarious mockumentary "After Film School," by Vancouver filmmaker Joel Ashton McCarthy, who enlisted the help of over 100 local volunteers and featured original music from local musicians. It asks the question of young filmmakers everywhere, “What happens after film school?” The answer is a movie within a movie: "High School Shootings: The Musical."
"The Cocksure Lads Movie," also having its World Premiere at WFF14, is a fun musical in the style of Cliff Richards about a British boy band that travels to Toronto for a gig, only to split up hours after landing. Directed by Murray Foster, a former member of band Moxy Fruvous, the film features songs written by Murray over a twenty-year period in honor of his love for 1960s Britpop.
Canadian premieres include the comedy thriller "What an Idiot" from Vancouver husband-wife duo Peter and Julia Benson, featuring the story of a man pretending to be gay to get near his hot, new boss at work, and documentary "That Guy Dick Miller," chronicling the life of veteran character actor Dick Miller, which had its World Premiere at South by Southwest this year.
Wff’s World Documentary Competition will include "The Backward Class," the 2014 Audience Award winner at Hot Docs that follows a class of poverty-stricken children from India’s “untouchable class” as they are separated from their families for more than 13 years to receive an education, facing the pressure to succeed while preparing for college entrance exams.
Wff’s Family program we will feature the 24th film in Rock Demers’ Tales for All series,"The Outlaw League," about a group of scruffy kids who want to turn the local junkyard into a baseball diamond. The film broke box office records in New Brunswick and will be a Western Canadian premiere.
Wff’s second From the Vault program will feature three newly discovered long-lost shorts "Cold Comfort, Insomnia is Good for You" and "Dearth of a Salesman" -- from comic legend Peter Sellers, which played 1950s UK theater screens as an addition to the main programming.
Other official selections featuring wilderness settings include the Western Canadian premiere of family drama "We Were Wolves" by director Jordan Canning, about two brothers who reconcile at the family cabin following the death of their father, and "Backcountry" directed by Adam MacDonald and starring Rookie Blue actress Missy Peregrym in a true story about two campers who are viciously attacked by a black bear. The bear attack footage was shot in Squamish, BC.
Western Canadian premiere "I Put a Hit on You" stars Aaron Ashmore and Sara Canning as a separated couple who team up to stop the hit man she accidentally hired to kill him and comes to Wff from the 2014 Slamdance Film Festival. The BC Premiere of dark comedy-thriller "Ally Was Screaming" directed by Jeremy Thomas and starring Camille Sullivan follows a couple of buddies who discover a late friend's winning multi-million dollar lottery ticket and how they deal with what stands in the way of their prize. Both will be featured in Wff’s Discoveries strand.
These films are but a few tantalizing offerings that represent what audiences can expect from this year's exciting lineup. Wff is still seeking submissions for its 14th edition. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by the extended deadline of September 19.
Wff’s Summit will feature three concentrated days of business programs and networking events where industry-goers can delve into cinema’s converging fields of art, technology and commerce. Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities while addressing crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, connect and deal.
Project development programs include Wff’s Feature Project Lab, an intense four-day business and marketplace immersion experience for six Canadian producers, which focuses on strengthening dramatic feature projects from script to screen by facilitating feedback, collaboration and investment in film projects that have Us and international appeal.
Writer-producer teams are invited to submit their feature film story ideas for this year's third consecutive China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian creators to participate in a China-Canada co-production. The competition will introduce up to 12 experienced writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with production financing on the table for three selected projects.
New for 2014 , the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab is an intense five-day workshop presented by the Whistler Film Festival and Praxis Centre for Screenwriters. Designed to advance Canadian creative talent, the Lab focuses on strengthening feature length scripts by facilitating feedback and mentorship from veteran screenwriters and story editors. Up to eight screenwriters will be invited to participate.
Wff’s Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship , a creative and business immersion experience designed to advance Canadian Aboriginal creative talent, focuses on strengthening short script projects by facilitating feedback from mentors who are successful and well-respected members of the Canadian film community. Up to four Aboriginal filmmakers from British Columbia will be invited to participate in the 2014 Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship with a call for applications opening September 1.
The Mppia Short Film Award, a partnership initiative of Mppia, Creative BC, and the Whistler Film Festival for BC filmmakers , returns for its 8th edition as part of Wff’s ShortWork Lab, providing one filmmaker with the opportunity to develop his/her directing career by realizing a unique creative vision in a short film project. Five short-listed candidates will pitch their projects at the 2014 Festival, and the winning film will have its world premiere at Wff 2015.
Application details and information for all Wff industry and project development programs are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society
The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com .
About Whistler
Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life and so much more. Find out more at whistler.com .
Located in North America’s premiere destination mountain resort, the Whistler Film Festival combines an international film competition with a screen-based industry Summit to address the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age. The Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate, five-day program featuring up to 90 original films from Canada and around the world, including filmmaker tributes, special events and industry initiatives. Recognized by filmmakers and film lovers alike as one of Canada’s most important showcases for film, Wff is a place where artists are celebrated, audiences are inspired, new ideas are discussed and business opportunities are solidified.
Wff’s Director of Programming and industry veteran Paul Gratton has this to say about the 2014 lineup: "The Whistler Film Festival continues to be a must-attend event for hip, young film buffs and emerging filmmakers, and we are pleased to carve out our own unique niche by offering an impressive selection of Canadian premieres. This year's titles will cast a wide net in terms of subject matter, and our Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year. Wff will have something for everyone.”
The Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia celebrates its 11th anniversary this year offering the second largest cash film festival prize for a Canadian film in the country, with additional awards for Best Performance, Best Screenwriting and Best Direction.
Opening the Borsos competition this year will be the World Premiere of Cameron Labine’s BC filmed comedy "Mountain Men" starring Chace Crawford and Tyler Labine as estranged brothers who journey to their family cabin in the middle of winter. When the cabin accidentally burns to the ground, what started as a fun weekend quickly goes from bad to worse. The brothers find themselves fighting for survival as they perilously try to find their way down the mountain, all while rehashing family memories and challenged by sibling rivalry.
The breathtaking scenery of Nova Scotia is showcased in Wff's second Borsos competition film, the Western Premiere of "Relative Happiness" directed by first-time, female feature filmmaker Deanne Foley. Starring Australian actress Melissa Bergland and Wff alumni Aaron Poole, the romantic comedy tells the story of feisty but somewhat oversized bed and breakfast owner Lexie Ivy, who is tasked with finding a date to her sister’s wedding.
Other confirmed films include the World Premiere of the hilarious mockumentary "After Film School," by Vancouver filmmaker Joel Ashton McCarthy, who enlisted the help of over 100 local volunteers and featured original music from local musicians. It asks the question of young filmmakers everywhere, “What happens after film school?” The answer is a movie within a movie: "High School Shootings: The Musical."
"The Cocksure Lads Movie," also having its World Premiere at WFF14, is a fun musical in the style of Cliff Richards about a British boy band that travels to Toronto for a gig, only to split up hours after landing. Directed by Murray Foster, a former member of band Moxy Fruvous, the film features songs written by Murray over a twenty-year period in honor of his love for 1960s Britpop.
Canadian premieres include the comedy thriller "What an Idiot" from Vancouver husband-wife duo Peter and Julia Benson, featuring the story of a man pretending to be gay to get near his hot, new boss at work, and documentary "That Guy Dick Miller," chronicling the life of veteran character actor Dick Miller, which had its World Premiere at South by Southwest this year.
Wff’s World Documentary Competition will include "The Backward Class," the 2014 Audience Award winner at Hot Docs that follows a class of poverty-stricken children from India’s “untouchable class” as they are separated from their families for more than 13 years to receive an education, facing the pressure to succeed while preparing for college entrance exams.
Wff’s Family program we will feature the 24th film in Rock Demers’ Tales for All series,"The Outlaw League," about a group of scruffy kids who want to turn the local junkyard into a baseball diamond. The film broke box office records in New Brunswick and will be a Western Canadian premiere.
Wff’s second From the Vault program will feature three newly discovered long-lost shorts "Cold Comfort, Insomnia is Good for You" and "Dearth of a Salesman" -- from comic legend Peter Sellers, which played 1950s UK theater screens as an addition to the main programming.
Other official selections featuring wilderness settings include the Western Canadian premiere of family drama "We Were Wolves" by director Jordan Canning, about two brothers who reconcile at the family cabin following the death of their father, and "Backcountry" directed by Adam MacDonald and starring Rookie Blue actress Missy Peregrym in a true story about two campers who are viciously attacked by a black bear. The bear attack footage was shot in Squamish, BC.
Western Canadian premiere "I Put a Hit on You" stars Aaron Ashmore and Sara Canning as a separated couple who team up to stop the hit man she accidentally hired to kill him and comes to Wff from the 2014 Slamdance Film Festival. The BC Premiere of dark comedy-thriller "Ally Was Screaming" directed by Jeremy Thomas and starring Camille Sullivan follows a couple of buddies who discover a late friend's winning multi-million dollar lottery ticket and how they deal with what stands in the way of their prize. Both will be featured in Wff’s Discoveries strand.
These films are but a few tantalizing offerings that represent what audiences can expect from this year's exciting lineup. Wff is still seeking submissions for its 14th edition. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by the extended deadline of September 19.
Wff’s Summit will feature three concentrated days of business programs and networking events where industry-goers can delve into cinema’s converging fields of art, technology and commerce. Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities while addressing crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, connect and deal.
Project development programs include Wff’s Feature Project Lab, an intense four-day business and marketplace immersion experience for six Canadian producers, which focuses on strengthening dramatic feature projects from script to screen by facilitating feedback, collaboration and investment in film projects that have Us and international appeal.
Writer-producer teams are invited to submit their feature film story ideas for this year's third consecutive China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian creators to participate in a China-Canada co-production. The competition will introduce up to 12 experienced writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with production financing on the table for three selected projects.
New for 2014 , the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab is an intense five-day workshop presented by the Whistler Film Festival and Praxis Centre for Screenwriters. Designed to advance Canadian creative talent, the Lab focuses on strengthening feature length scripts by facilitating feedback and mentorship from veteran screenwriters and story editors. Up to eight screenwriters will be invited to participate.
Wff’s Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship , a creative and business immersion experience designed to advance Canadian Aboriginal creative talent, focuses on strengthening short script projects by facilitating feedback from mentors who are successful and well-respected members of the Canadian film community. Up to four Aboriginal filmmakers from British Columbia will be invited to participate in the 2014 Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship with a call for applications opening September 1.
The Mppia Short Film Award, a partnership initiative of Mppia, Creative BC, and the Whistler Film Festival for BC filmmakers , returns for its 8th edition as part of Wff’s ShortWork Lab, providing one filmmaker with the opportunity to develop his/her directing career by realizing a unique creative vision in a short film project. Five short-listed candidates will pitch their projects at the 2014 Festival, and the winning film will have its world premiere at Wff 2015.
Application details and information for all Wff industry and project development programs are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society
The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com .
About Whistler
Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life and so much more. Find out more at whistler.com .
- 8/15/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The ninth annual promotional showcase runs during the Cannes market and features competition entries from David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan and Xavier Dolan.
The films in Perspective Canada are: Ricardo Trogi’s 1987; Adam Macdonald’s Backcountry; Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart’s I Put A Hit On You; Denis Côté’s Joy Of Man’s Desiring; Jaret Belliveau’s Kung Fu Elliot; Matthew Komalchuk’s Lawrence & Holloman; David Cronenberg’s Map To The Stars; and Daniel Grou (Podz)’s Miraculum.
The roster continues with Xavier Dolan’s Mommy; Craig Goodwill’s Patch Town; Deanne Foley’s Relative Happiness; Yan Lanouette Turgeon’s Rock Paper Scissors; Atom Egoyan’s The Captive; Pat Kiely’s Three Night Stand; Andrew Huculiak’s Violent; and Stéphane Lafleur’s Directors’ Fortnight entry Tu Dors Nicole (You’re Sleeping Nicole).
The Telefilm line-up includes the Not Short On Talent short film spotlight.
“Cannes is also vital in terms of deal making,” said Telefilm...
The films in Perspective Canada are: Ricardo Trogi’s 1987; Adam Macdonald’s Backcountry; Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart’s I Put A Hit On You; Denis Côté’s Joy Of Man’s Desiring; Jaret Belliveau’s Kung Fu Elliot; Matthew Komalchuk’s Lawrence & Holloman; David Cronenberg’s Map To The Stars; and Daniel Grou (Podz)’s Miraculum.
The roster continues with Xavier Dolan’s Mommy; Craig Goodwill’s Patch Town; Deanne Foley’s Relative Happiness; Yan Lanouette Turgeon’s Rock Paper Scissors; Atom Egoyan’s The Captive; Pat Kiely’s Three Night Stand; Andrew Huculiak’s Violent; and Stéphane Lafleur’s Directors’ Fortnight entry Tu Dors Nicole (You’re Sleeping Nicole).
The Telefilm line-up includes the Not Short On Talent short film spotlight.
“Cannes is also vital in terms of deal making,” said Telefilm...
- 5/5/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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