The 27th Annual Producers Guild Awards were held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel January 23, 2016.

The big winner of the night was The Big Short which claimed the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures. Its producers were Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. Brad Pitt was also in the all-star cast that included Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei, Steve Carell and Melissa Leo.

The winner in the Animated Theatrical Motion Picture category was Inside Out produced by Jonas Rivera. For Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures, the winner was James Gay-Rees who produced Asif Kapadia's Amy Winehouse profile Amy.

The Producers Guild of America is the non-profit trade group that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media. The Producers Guild has more than 7,000 members who work together to protect and improve their careers, the industry and community by providing members with employment opportunities, seeking to expand health benefits,promoting fair and impartial standards for the awarding of producing credits, as well as other education and advocacy efforts such as encouraging sustainable production practices.


Complete list of winners for the 27th Annual Producers Guild Awards

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
The Big Short
Producers: Brad Pitt & Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
Inside Out
Producer: Jonas Rivera

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures
Amy
Producer: James Gay-Rees

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
*The Long-Form Television category encompasses both movies of the week and mini-series.
Fargo (Season 2)
Producers: Noah Hawley, John Cameron, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Warren Littlefield, Kim Todd

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
Game of Thrones (Season 5)
Producers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Bernadette Caulfield, Frank Doelger, Carolyn Strauss, Bryan Cogman, Lisa McAtackney, Chris Newman, Greg Spence

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy
Transparent (Season 1)
Producers: Jill Soloway, Andrea Sperling, Victor Hsu, Nisha Ganatra, Rick Rosenthal, Bridget Bedard

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (Season 1)
Producers: Marc Smerling, Andrew Jarecki, Jason Blum

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television
The Voice (Seasons 7 and 8)
Producers: Audrey Morrissey, Mark Burnett, John de Mol, Marc Jansen, Lee Metzger, Chad Hines, Jim Roush, Kyra Thompson, Mike Yurchuk, Amanda Zucker, Carson Daly

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Season 2)
Producers: Tim Carvell, John Oliver, Liz Stanton

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program
Sesame Street

story and photos by Allan Tong

January in Toronto is a cold, dark place, but for four days the Interior Design Show adds a little colour. The 18th IDS just wrapped (Jan. 21-24) after launching with a giant party Thursday night where for $56 anyone could sip wine and nibble on snacks as they surveyed over 200 exhibits ranging from the coffeemakers of appliance giant Miele to local furniture designers. On the following days, the IDS feted renown designer Tom Dixon and held workshops and keynotes that informed professional designers and everyday consumers alike on the latest trends and innovations. Here's a survey of some exhibits that caught our eye:

Art2Lights brings street art into living rooms with colourful artwork you're used to seeing in Toronto's downtown alleyways.

For those with more ornate tastes, Godi's black-and-white vanity, sink and mirror would enliven many bathrooms.

Bespoke My Place illuminates traditional wallpaper with these back-lit translucent panels.

Not a design firm, but rather The Ontario Wood Products Export Association promoting its members, including furniture producers, in one of the most tangible and vivid exhibits of the show.

Grohe's bathrooms define luxury.

Oscar Kwong's ascetic tea room provided a welcome relief from the bustle of the IDS.

Zay Zay's duvet covers adds a giant splash of colour to any bedroom.

Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the LA Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA, handed out top honors to Spotlight, Beasts of No Nation and Room at this afternoon’s 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards. Carol, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Krisha, The Look of Silence, Son of Sauland Tangerine also received awards at the ceremony, which was held in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Spotlight received the Robert Altman Award. In addition to being the celebration that honors artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision, the Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs. The ceremony aired live today on IFC and a rebroadcast will air later this evening; please check your local listings for times. Clips from the ceremony will be available on Film Independent’s YouTube channel after the show.

Over the past 31 years, the Film Independent Spirit Awards has made a name for itself as the premiere awards show for the independent film community. Artists who have received industry recognition first at the Spirit Awards include Ava DuVernay, Justin Simien, Ryan Coogler, Joel and Ethan Coen, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Ashley Judd, Robert Rodriguez, David O. Russell, Edward Burns, Aaron Eckhart, Neil LaBute, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Hilary Swank, Marc Forster, Todd Field, Christopher Nolan, Zach Braff, Amy Adams, Lena Dunham and many more.

This year’s major category winners were Spotlight, which won Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Editing; Beasts of No Nation, which won Best Male Lead and Best Supporting Male; Room, which won Best Female Lead and Best First Screenplay; Carol, which won Best Cinematography; The Diary of a Teenage Girl, which won Best First Feature; Krisha, which won the John Cassavetes Award; The Look of Silence, which won Best Documentary; Son of Saul, which won Best International Film and Tangerine, which won Best Supporting Female.

The 9th annual Robert Altman Award was given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight received this award, along with casting directors Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee and ensemble cast members Michael Cyril Creighton, Billy Crudup, Paul Giulfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian D’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery and Stanley Tucci.

The 2016 Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship, which includes a cash grant of $10,000, was awarded to Zimbabwean filmmaker Sue-Ellen Chitunya. This annual award is given to a filmmaker currently participating in a Film Independent Artist Development program with the mission of diversity in mind. Chitunya, a participant in Project Involve, is currently in active development as a producer on her first narrative feature film, A Hard Place.


Complete list of the winners of the 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards

Best Feature
Spotlight (Open Road Films)

Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar

Best Director
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight (Open Road Films)

Best Screenplay
Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight (Open Road Films)

Best First Feature
The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics)
Director: Marielle Heller
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit

Best First Screenplay
Emma Donoghue, Room (A24)

John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000)
Krisha (A24)
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith

Best Supporting Female
Mya Taylor,Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures)

Best Supporting Male
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation (Bleecker Street/Netflix)

Best Female Lead
Brie Larson, Room (A24)

Best Male Lead
Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation (Bleecker Street/Netflix)

Robert Altman Award
Spotlight (Open Road Films)
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors: Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Michael Cyril Creighton, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci

Best Cinematography
Ed Lachman, Carol (The Weinstein Company)

Best Editing
Tom McArdle, Spotlight (Open Road Films)

Best International Film
Son of Saul (Hungary – Sony Pictures Classics)
Director: László Nemes

Best Documentary
The Look of Silence (Drafthouse Films/Participant Media)
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer
Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen


On January 9 the following winners were honored at the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood:

Mel Eslyn received the Piaget Producers Award. The award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality independent films. The annual award, in its 19th year, includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget for the 8th year. Finalists were Darren Dean, Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith.

Felix Thompson, director of King Jack, received the Kiehl’s Someone to Watch Award. The award recognizes talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is in its 22nd year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851. Finalists for the award were Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck directors of God Bless the Child and Chloé Zhao director of Songs My Brothers Taught Me.

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, director of Incorruptible, received the Truer Than Fiction Award. The award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not received significant recognition. The award is in its 21st year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Finalists for the award were Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi directors of Among the Believers and Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel directors of A Woman Like Me.

The ceremony for the 36th annual Golden Raspberry Awards or Razzies were held in Los Angeles on Saturday night to celebrate the worst in film.

The top "winners" were Fantastic Four and Fifty Shades of Grey which each took four awards, including a share of the top Worst Picture prize. Fifty Shades of Grey won the top acting prizes with Worst Actor going to Jamie Dornan, Worst Actress to Dakota Johnson, and Worst Screen Combo to both. The other awards claimed by Fantastic Four were for Worst Remake/Rip-off/Sequel, Worst Director (Josh Trank) and Worst Screenplay.

Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne, Jupiter Ascending claimed Worst Supporting Actor for Jupiter Ascending. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting took Worst Supporting Actress for Alvin & The Chipmunks: Road Chip and The Wedding Ringer. The all-time Razzie champ Sylvester Stallone won the Razzie Redeemer Award for recovering with an Oscar-contending performance in Creed.

Perennial favourite Adam Sandler led the nominations again this year, but this time he came away empty-handed.

List of nominations for the 36th annual Golden Raspberry Awards


List of winners for the 36th annual Golden Raspberry Awards

WORST PICTURE (tie)
Fantastic Four
Fifty Shades of Grey

WORST ACTOR
Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey

WORST ACTRESS
Dakota Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Eddie Redmayne, Jupiter Ascending

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Alvin & The Chipmunks: Road Chip and The Wedding Ringer

WORST REMAKE/RIP-OFF/SEQUEL
Fantastic Four

WORST SCREEN COMBO
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey

WORST DIRECTOR
Josh Trank, Fantastic Four

WORST SCREENPLAY
Fantastic Four (screenplay by Simon Kinberg, Jeremy Slater and Josh Trank, Based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)

RAZZIE REDEEMER AWARD
Sylvester Stallone (All-Time RAZZIE Champ, award contender for Creed)

The Just For Laughs/Juste Pour Rire Comedy Festival has announced a call for submissions for short films to present at their upcoming 34th edition of the festival.

The Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal is currently scheduled to run from July 13 - 31,  2016, and JFL42 in Toronto which is scheduled from September 22 - October 1, 2016.

Deadline is April 26, 2016

---

The 88th Academy Awards took place tonight at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. It was hosted by comedian Chris Rock, who joked that the Oscars were "the White People’s Choice Awards." His opening monologue was quite funny, and dealt primarily with the controversy surrounding the Oscars' lack of diversity.

The big surprise winner of the night was Tom McCarthy's Spotlight, the journalistic drama about the investigation of the Catholic Church abuse scandal in Boston. It won the first award of the night for Best Original Screenplay, but then didn't win another award until the final award of the night for Best Picture. It had been nominated for a total of 6 awards including the Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress (Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams respectively), as well as Best Director and Best Editing.

The presumed favourite, Alejandro G. Iñárritu The Revenant did pick up wins for Best Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (finally!), Alejandro G. Iñárritu for Best Director for the second year in a row (only the third director to win back-to-back after John Ford and Joseph L. Mankiewicz), and Best Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki for the third year in a row (after Birdman and Gravity).

The most awards on the night went to Mad Max: Fury Road, which swept the below-the-line categories. It won for Editing and both of the sound categories, plus the design categories of Production Design, Costume Design and Makeup/Hairstyling.

Many films with multiple nominations ended up going home empty-handed including Carol, The Martian, Brooklyn and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Nominations for the 88th Academy Awards


List of winners for the 88th annual Academy Awards

Best motion picture of the year
Spotlight (Open Road Films) (An Anonymous Content/Participant Media/Rocklin/Faust/First Look Media Production) Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant (20th Century Fox)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Brie Larson in Room (A24)

Achievement in directing
The Revenant (20th Century Fox) Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre (Sony Pictures Releasing) Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
The Hateful Eight (The Weinstein Company) Ennio Morricone

Best foreign language film of the year
Son of Saul, A Laokoon Filmgroup Production, Hungary

Best live action short film
Stutterer (A Bare Golly Films Production) Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

Best documentary feature
Amy (A24) (An On the Corner Films Production) Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees

Best documentary short subject
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (An SOC Films Production) Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies (Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox)

Best animated feature film of the year
Inside Out (Walt Disney) Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

Best animated short film
Bear Story (A Punkrobot Animation Studio Production) Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala

Achievement in visual effects
Ex Machina (A24) Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett

Achievement in sound mixing
Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo

Achievement in sound editing
Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) Mark Mangini and David White

Achievement in film editing
Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) Margaret Sixel

Achievement in cinematography
The Revenant (20th Century Fox) Emmanuel Lubezki

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin

Achievement in production design
Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson

Achievement in costume design
Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) Jenny Beavan

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl (Focus Features)

Adapted screenplay
The Big Short (Paramount) Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay

Original screenplay
Spotlight (Open Road Films) Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy

The Canadian Film Fest (CFF), celebrating it’s 10th edition, has revealed the line up for this year’s festival along with a new logo and website.

The CFF returns to The Royal Cinema in Toronto from March 30 – April 2 and opens with the Toronto premiere of Jeremy LaLonde’s How To Plan An Orgy In A Small Town, which is fresh off its U.S. premiere at Slamdance and stars Jewel Staite, Ennis Esmer, Katharine Isabelle and Kristian Bruun. Director X’s feature film debut Across the Line, with Stephan James and Sarah Jeffery, has its Toronto premiere as the closing night film.

The other feature films screening over the four-day festival include 20 Moves (dir. Harv Glazer), Borealis (dir. Sean Garrity), Chasing Valentine (dir. NavinRamaswaran), Dead Rush (dir. Zach Ramelan), Jackie Boy (dir. Cody Campanale), and The Sabbatical (dir. Brian Stockton).

The CFF short film program boasts 17 shorts, including Slamdance Grand Jury Award winner Winter Hymns. Some of Canada’s top on-screen talent like Paul Amos, Steve Lund, Meghan Heffern, Yannick Bisson, Lara Jean Chorostecki, Debra McGrath, Sean Cullen, Eric Peterson, Supinder Wraich, and more make appearances in the official short selections.

“The Canadian Film Fest has become a hotbed for emerging filmmakers. We’re proud to be one of the launching pads for some of Canada’s next generation of filmmakers. We’re very excited to showcase six world premieres in our 10th edition,” said Bern Euler, Executive Director, Canadian Film Fest.

Social Media:
Twitter: @CanFilmFest
Facebook: facebook.com/CanFilmFest
Instagram: @canfilmfest
Youtube: Canadian Film Fest
Website: http://www.canfilmfest.ca/


Opening Night Film
How To Plan An Orgy In A Small Town
In high school Cassie Cranston was slut-shamed out of the wholesome and repressed town of Beaver’s Ridge following a humiliating attempt at losing her virginity. Now, years later, a big city sex columnist, Cassie returns home to bury her mother and finds a chance for revenge when her prudish childhood nemesis insists she helps her old friends plan an orgy. Director/Writer: Jeremy Lalonde. Cast: Jewel Staite, Ennis Esmer, Lauren Lee Smith, Katharine Isabelle, Mark O’Brien, Jonas Chernick, Kristian Bruun, Tommie-Amber Pirie. (Toronto Premiere)

Closing Night Film
Across the Line
Taking place over a matter of days, Across the Line looks at the deep-rooted racial tensions within North Preston, Nova Scotia, undoing the lives of three students at Cole Harbour high school. Director: Director X. Cast: Stephan James, Sarah Jeffery, Shamier Anderson, Lanette Ware, Steven Love, Denis Theriault, Cara Rickets. (Toronto Premiere)


Feature Film Lineup

20 Moves
Holocaust survivor Tom Kremer brought the world’s best selling puzzle toy “The Rubik’s Cube” to market in the early 1980’s.Invented by Erno Rubik in communist Hungary this magical cube would go on to symbolize an entire decade of pop culture, change the face of communism, spawn an art movement and become a teaching tool for high end mathematics. It would alsotouch the hands of 1/5th of the world’s population who simply wanted to see if they could solve this intriguing puzzle. Director: Harrv Glazer. Cast: Tom Kremer, Stewart Sims, George Irwin, Jessica Fridrich. (Toronto Premiere)

Borealis
Jonah Finn owes poker money. A lot. Tubby Finkleman, the volatile accountant for the Jewish mafia, warns him - if he doesn’t pay by morning, he and his pot-smoking teenaged daughter, Aurora, are gonna get hurt. Later, after yet another eye exam, Aurora’s doctor delivers the news to Jonah in private: she’s going completely blind. Unable to tell her the truth, Jonah takes Aurora on a dangerous road trip to remote Churchill, Manitoba. Director: Sean Garrity. Cast: Jonas Chernick, Joey King, Kevin Pollak, Emily Hampshire, Cle Bennett, Jake Epstein, Greg Bryk. (Toronto Premiere)

Chasing Valentine
Unable to get over the tragic loss of the love of his life and stuck with a day job of editing adult videos, Chase meets an unlikely ally, Valentine - a call girl who works under the various personas she has created for herself. Is Chase ready to uncover Valentine's dark secrets? Director: Navin Ramaswaran. Cast: Adam Langton, Gwenlyn Cumyn, Bobbie Phillips, Brad Cowan, Ryan Fisher. (Canadian Premiere)

Dead Rush
Dead Rush is the end of the world, as we know it. Seen through the eyes of one man - David. As he takes us through his journey: before,during and after the zombie outbreak. Director: Zach Ramelan. Cast: David Michael Moote, Raven Cousens, Charlie Hamilton, Caleigh Le Grand, Rich Piatkowski, Austin Duffy. (World Premiere)

Jackie Boy
Jack, a self-destructive womanizer, substitutes his emotional insecurities with drinks, drugs and one-night stands. It’s only after meeting the fiery-spirited Jasmine that he decides to change his ways. As Jack distances himself from his troubling lifestyle, he becomes determined to open up to Jasmine, but little does he know she has something different in mind. Director: Cody Campanale. Cast: Alino Giraldi, Shannon Coulter, Edward Charette, Andrew Di Rosa, Chloe Van Landschoot, Christina Bryson. (Toronto Premiere)

The Sabbatical
When a university professor is forced to produce a new photography book on his year off, he finds he's no longer the hotshot artist he once was. His workaholic wife is nowhere to be found and his best friend is busy leading a family life. Alone and desperate, he befriends a young artist who turns his world upside down. Mid-life crisis ensues. Director: Brian Stockton. Cast: James Whittingham, Laura Abramsen, Bernadette Mullen, Mike Gill, Trevor Aikman, Ken Wilson, Paul Gui-Crepeau, Candy Fox, Kevin Allardyce. (Toronto Premiere)




Short Film Lineup

Divorce Photographer
Carla, a seasoned wedding photographer, has just been dumped. She turns to her best friend, Kayla, who is about to go through the proceedings for a nasty, painful divorce and begs Kayla to let her shoot the impending un-coupling. Carla becomes obsessed with this new idea and word of the divorce photographer spreads like wildfire. Director: Christine Buijs. Cast: Amy Matysio, Nicole Stamp, Andrea Drepaul, Peter Spence.

Dude, Where’s My Ferret?
Skeezix has grown a righteous marijuana plant for the Colorado Chronic Cup Contest, whose grand prize is a cool thousand dollars. When Skeezix's dream girl Zelda shows up at his stoner pad to give him a lift to the venue in Boulder, it seems like everything is going to be gnarly. But when Zelda runs off unexpectedly, leaving her buzzkill pet Ferret Bueller behind, the situation becomes decidedly bogus. Director: Alison Parker. Cast: Jedidiah Goodacre, Brittney Wilson, Tim Carlson, Michael Roberds and Mike Smith as “The Bong”.

Duty Calls
A beat cop on the night shift downtown has the unglamorous job of dealing with a drunk, feisty older woman. His duty as an officer conflicts with his impulses as a private citizen as he handles the situation in this observation on city social power dynamics. Director: Jackie English. Cast: Debra McGrath, Seán Cullen, Glenda Braganza, Paul Amos.

Flung
A young woman visits an old friend in New York City, and struggles with her deepening affection for him as they engage in an unexpected fling. Director: Christopher Warre Smets. Cast: Meghan Heffern, Steve Lund.

Julia Julep
On the way back from her mother's funeral, six-year-old Julia and her Uncle Jacky stop at a giant orange snack bar rumoured to contain a magic cure for sick people. When Julia disappears inside to seek it out, her panicked uncle is left in the seedy parking lot where he's forced to deal with his own, very real grief. Director: Alana Cymerman. Cast: Emmanuel Schwartz, NaevaHernandez-Souki.

Keystone
When Jack begins to forget, he visits Keystone, an organization with an unlikely mandate: making your most important memories truly ‘unforgettable.’ When Jack begins to recount moments from his life in an interview, he reveals the bond he formed with one particular woman, and the importance he has placed on their story. Director: Ian Foster. Cast: Des Walsh, Paul Wilson, Brad Bonnell, Jennifer Smith.

Looking for Today
After coming home from WWII injured, Nate, a former boxer, turns to morphine to solve his problems. Chester, his girlfriend, struggles to find work. Nate wishes to regain his former self, Chester struggles to see a future. With nowhere to turn, the couple contemplates ending their lives. Director: Dylan Rayne Fitzgerald. Cast: Kenton Blythe, Stephanie Lawlor.

Onto Us
When Maria is invited into Adrian and Alana’s already warm bed she’s forced to come to terms with her relationship to their relationship and their expectations for a new partner. Director: Natty Zavitz. Cast: Laysla De Oliveira.

Pit
Harvey finds a small connection with one of his female examiners in what should be an extremely uncomfortable situation at a testing facility. Director: Jonathan Steckley. Cast: Lindsay Stewart, Jennifer Gough.

Shavasana
Struggling to alleviate the aching pain of regret, a young woman pushes herself through a strenuous yoga class. As the heat and physical challenges begin to take a toll on her mind and body she is confronted by her past, bringing her closer to achieving peace and forgiveness. Director: Ian Macmillan. Cast: Gillian Ferrier, Anna Hardwick, Steve Belford, Samy Osman, Alex Paxton-Beesley, Jane Luk, Lorna Wright.

Static
Ernest discovers his TV is bleeding. He calls a repairmanand then his son, only to be told “just throw it out”, but he can’t because the ailing TV is the last thing Ernest has of his beloved wife. When his emotional shield shatters along with the screen, Ernest is finally able to find the strength to give his faithful electronic companion the dying wish that he couldn’t give the love of his life. Director: Tanya Lemke. Cast: Eric Peterson, YannickBisson, Kristian Bruun, Janet Laine Green, Chantal Craig, Matt Murray, Supinder Wraich, Igor Pugdog.

Synapse Dance
Any dancer will tell you that dance has the power to heal. At Canada’s National Ballet School, Dancing with Parkinson’s is an exciting initiative that opens their doors to unlikely students, while allowing researchers to study the effect of dance on the brain. Using CG animation combined with live action dance shot in the beautiful NBS studios, this short documentary explores how the brain works, while showing the restorative power of dance for people living with Parkinson’s disease. Director: Karen Suzuki. Cast: David Dennison, Rachel Bar, Joseph DeSouza.

The Floaters
Claire, Josh, Pete, and Suz want nothing more then to have a fun-fuelled magic mushroom experience in the safe and peaceful confines of a summer cottage. But romantic entanglements, broken toilets, and expired pregnancy tests threaten to turn a good trip bad and a bad trip plain weird. Director: Nick Wilson. Cast: Amelia Wasserman, Jessica Hinkson, Kristian Bruun, Stefano DiMatteo, Angela Besharah.

The Girl Next Door
When Evette moves in to a new apartment, she learns she can hear her neighbours through the wall. With the safety of their separation she begins to obsess over their lives. Director: Peter Mabrucco. Cast: Lara Jean Chorostecki, Lauren MacKinlay, Farah Merani, Brad Cook.

The Substitute
A young teacher takes a job at an unusual private school where she soon discovers that the boys have a sinister power over the girls. As the boys behaviour becomes increasingly threatening she uncovers the source of the girls fear; an ominous locked door at the back of the classroom. Director: Nathan Hughes-Berry. Cast: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, David Bamber, Ben Kerfoot, Haruka Abe, Anna Hogarth.

Winter Hymns
Ten-year-old Joshua is spending his winter break at home in the backcountry of Northern Ontario. Killing time before a Christmas party later that night, Joshua along with his pal, Kane journey through the countryside looking for adventure and performing reckless antics. While hiking through the woods on their way home, the boys stumble across an empty cottage. Joshua breaks into the cottage in search of alcohol. But, when things go horribly wrong, Kane is left to pick up the pieces. Director: Dusty Mancinelli. Cast: Sam Ashe Arnold, Kyle Peacock.

Worst. Day. EVER.
Five University students have the worst day ever imaginable. Director: Adam Goldhammer. Cast: Harrison Tanner, James Karfilis, Hans Krause, Jackie Rowland, Jenna Warriner.

Hot Docs is pleased to announce 15 documentary features that will be a part of this year’s Special Presentations program, a high-profile collection of world and international premieres, award-winners from the recent international festival circuit and works by master filmmakers or featuring some star subjects. These films will screen as part of the 2016 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, running April 28 to May 8.

The complete Special Presentations program and the full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs 2016 will be announced on March 22, including the 2016 opening night film. Ticket packages and passes are now on sale online. Single tickets and package redemption will be available beginning Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

Notable subjects featured as part of the Special Presentations program include René Redzepi (ANTS ON A SHRIMP), Gary Numan (GARY NUMAN: ANDROID IN LA LA LAND), Norman Lear (NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU), Del Close (THANK YOU DEL: THE STORY OF THE DEL CLOSE MARATHON), and Anthony Weiner (WEINER).

Award-winners from the recent international festival circuit include Weiner (U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, Sundance 2016).

Special Presentation titles appear below, ordered alphabetically:

ANTS ON A SHRIMP
D: Maurice Dekkers | Netherlands | 2015 | 88 min | Canadian Premiere
Foodies rejoice! When celebrity chef René Redzepi of “The World’s Best Restaurant” Noma heads to Tokyo for a five-week pop-up, he pushes his culinary creativity, exacting business model and the very boundaries of food to an outrageously delicious boiling point.

AUDRIE & DAISY
D: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk | USA | 2016 | 95 min | International Premiere
Two teenage girls suffer major trauma as victims of devastating and callously filmed sexual assaults. As their heartrending stories unfurl, the dark intersections of social media, bullying, critical misunderstandings surrounding consent and a rigid justice system reveal themselves.

GARY NUMAN: ANDROID IN LA LA LAND
D: Steve Read, Rob Alexander | UK | 2016 | 85 min | Canadian Premiere
Eighties electro-pop pioneer Gary Numan has re-emerged from the wilderness—anxiety, depression and creative block in check—with a renewed love of performing; but is his new hometown of Hollywood ready for this singular British rock star?

I AM THE BLUES
D: Daniel Cross | Canada | 2016 | 106 min | Canadian Premiere
From smoky juke joints to spirited church halls, this musical travelogue immerses us in the heart of the American South in search of wisdom and rhythm from the last of the original blues legends, including Bobby Rush, Lazy Lester and Barbara Lynn.

LO AND BEHOLD: REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD
D: Werner Herzog | USA | 2016 | 98 min | Canadian Premiere
“Does the internet dream of itself?” Werner Herzog deep dives into the murky morass that is the Internet today—from hacking to cyberbullying, robot sentience to scientific breakthroughs, no bits or bytes are left unturned in this thought-provoking, brain-tickling reverie.

MR. GAGA
D: Tomer Heymann | Israel, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany | 2015 | 100 min | Canadian Premiere
Stunning performances and rehearsal footage create a feast for the senses, immersing viewers in the creative process of Ohad Naharin, the Israeli choreographer and cultural maverick whose joyous approach has redefined the language of dance.

NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU
D: Rachel Grady, Heidi Ewing | USA | 2016 | 91 min | International Premiere
Still feisty in his 90s, Norman Lear transformed television with such groundbreaking sitcoms as All In the Family, Maude and Good Times, which brilliantly injected hot button issues of race, class and feminism into America’s living rooms.

OBIT
D: Vanessa Gould | USA | 2016 | 93 min | International Premiere
How do you distill a rich life into a mere 500 words? This engrossing encounter with New York Times obituary writers reveals the unexpected joys and existential angst of chronicling lives on the front lines of history.

THE PEACEMAKER
D: James Demo | USA | 2016 | 88 min | International Premiere
From Northern Ireland to Iraq, untrained mediator Padraig O’Malley has brokered agreements in the world’s most intractable conflicts through dogged determination and unorthodox methods, but can this former addict find salvation for himself?

SPACESHIP EARTH
D: Kevin McMahon | Canada | 2016 | 122 min | World Premiere
Illuminating McLuhan’s sentiment that we are all crew on spaceship earth, awesome images of our planet taken from space inspire prominent thinkers, from astronauts to activists, to make an urgent call to solve the problems we’ve created before it’s too late.

STRIKE A POSE
D: Ester Gould, Reijer Zwaan | Netherlands, Belgium | 2016 | 83 min | Canadian Premiere
The scene-stealing dancers from Madonna’s wildly popular concert doc Truth or Dare open up 25 years later about life after suddenly becoming queer icons at a young and, for some, unready age.

THANK YOU DEL: THE STORY OF THE DEL CLOSE MARATHON
D: Todd Bieber | USA | 2015 | 84 min | International Premiere
An inspiration to iconic improv group Upright Citizens Brigade, under-appreciated comedy giant Del Close is given an uproarious tribute as his students—from Amy Poehler to Bill Murray—recount stories of the pioneering mad genius at work.

UNLOCKING THE CAGE
D: Chris Hegedus, D A Pennebaker | USA | 2015 | 92 min | Canadian Premiere
Legendary duo Hegedus and Pennebaker focus their lens on a devoted and savvy lawyer in the midst of a ground-breaking case that seeks legal protection for chimpanzees and, ultimately, equality for all creatures under the law.

WEINER
D: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg | USA | 2015 | 100 min | International Premiere
This Sundance Award winner captures up close the epic—and utterly riveting—political meltdown of the titular disgraced ex-congressman as his surprise comeback campaign in the New York mayoralty race crashes and burns amidst new sexting allegations.

WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS
D: Beth Murphy | USA | 2016 | 89 min | World Premiere
Optimism and excitement imbue a remote Afghanistan village’s first school to accept female students—an all-girls institution founded by an inspiring local woman. As U.S. troops depart, the next generation of Afghans study their past and dream of their future.

The Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM) or Montreal International Documentary Festival has announced its call for submissions for this year's edition. It will be held from November 10 to 20, 2016.

Quebec’s only film festival dedicated to documentaries, the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) presents the best reality-based films, including the works of established directors and new talents alike. Every November, RIDM screens approximately 140 domestic and foreign productions and hosts a dozen complementary activities such as workshops, master classes, debates and roundtables. The festival typically welcomes about 100 guests from outside Quebec, and hands out 11 awards selected by juries comprised of industry professionals.

---

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN! MARCH 1 > MAY 31

RULES AND REGULATIONS Submission Deadline May 31, 2016 at midnight (UTC-5) Eligibility Requirements • RIDM accepts submissions of the following: short, medium-length and feature films, as well as interactive works (webdocumentaries and virtual reality projects). • Works must have been produced after June 1, 2015. • Works must be subtitled in either French or English (if the original language is neither French nor English). • Incomplete submissions will not be considered (see "Submission Procedure" in the application form). • Works already refused by RIDM may not be resubmitted. • Selected films must grant RIDM the Quebec premiere, meaning they cannot have been broadcast, webcast or screened in Quebec before being shown at RIDM. • Selected interactive works must grant RIDM the Quebec premiere, meaning they cannot have been the object of a presentation in Quebec before being shown atRIDM. Submission Fee A submission fee is charged in order to cover administrative costs. • Canadian submissions: CAN$25 + taxes (CAN$28.74), payable via Paypal or by cheque. • International submissions: CAN$35 + taxes (CAN$40.24), payable via Paypal. SUBMIT NOW!

CANADIAN SUBMISSION

INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSION

---

L'APPEL À SOUMISSION EST MAINTENANT OUVERT ! 1e MARS > 31 MAI

RÈGLEMENTS Date limite d’inscription 31 mai 2016 à minuit (UTC-5) Conditions d’admissibilité • Les RIDM acceptent la soumission des types d’œuvres suivantes : courts, moyens et long métrages, ainsi que les œuvres interactives (webdocumentaires et oeuvres de réalité virtuelle). • L'oeuvre doit avoir été produite après le 1e juin 2015. • L'oeuvre doit être sous-titrée en français ou en anglais (si la langue originale de l'oeuvre n'est ni le français, ni l'anglais). • Les dossiers incomplets ne seront pas considérés (voir "Procédure d'inscription" dans le formulaire). • Une œuvre déjà refusée aux RIDM ne peut être soumise à nouveau. • Les films sélectionnés doivent donner la primeur québécoise aux RIDM, c’est-à-dire qu’ils ne pourront être télédiffusés, webdiffusés ou bénéficier d’une projection au Québec avant leur projection aux RIDM. • Les oeuvres interactives sélectionnées doivent donner la primeur québecoise auxRIDM, c'est-à-dire qu'elles ne pourront faire l'objet d'une présentation au Québec avant leur présentation aux RIDM. Frais d’inscription Des frais d’inscription sont exigés afin de couvrir les coûts administratifs. • Soumissions canadiennes : 25$CAN + taxes (28,74$CAN) payables via Paypal ou par chèque. • Soumissions internationales : 35$CAN + taxes (40,24$CAN) payable par Paypal. SOUMETTEZ VOTRE OEUVRE DÈS MAINTENANT !

SOUMISSION CANADIENNE

SOUMISSION INTERNATIONALE

http://www.ridm.qc.ca

CONNECTING CHILDREN TO THE BEST CINEMA FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AT THE 19th ANNUAL TIFF KIDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Festival extended to three weekends to make room for more films, more family time and more fun!

Toronto – The TIFF Kids International Film Festival™, one of the world’s premier film festivals for children aged 3-13, returns for its 19th year, brimming with exhilarating stories, diverse programming, and lively animations that will delight and inspire children and parents alike.

The TIFF Kids Festival kicks off on Opening Night with the Toronto premiere of Oddball, a heartwarming, comedic feature based on a true story about a chicken farmer, his granddaughter and their mischievous dog saving fairy penguins from extinction in an Australian seaside town. The festival wraps with its Closing Night film, the Canadian premiere of Little Door Gods, a beautifully animated 3D film from first-time feature director Gary Wang that was inspired by Chinese folklore. All screenings and events take place at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto from April 8 to 24, 2016.

“We are beyond thrilled to extend the festival to three weekends for 2016 in order to give families more opportunities to see quality children’s films they may never have the opportunity to see again,” said Elizabeth Muskala, Director of TIFF Kids and Youth Learning.

“This year, we have so many great films that touch on a variety of relevant and timely issues that are important to children today, including our Opening Night film Oddball which teaches the significance of taking care of our environment and wildlife; The World of Us, which came straight from the Berlin Film Festival, and deals with issues of bullying and self-acceptance; the Canadian premiere of Code M, which comes from the director of past TIFF Kids favourites, and follows a young girl as she perseveres through a difficult journey to honour her grandfather’s wishes; and CodeGirl from acclaimed producer Lesley Chilcott, which follows young girls as they strive to enter the male-dominated app world.”

In honour of our 40th year, TIFF is excited to announced a variety of specialty programming including, a special free screening of Rob Reiner’s post modern fairy tale, The Princess Bride; a retrospective celebration of 40 years of craft, comedy, and characters from Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace & Gromit; a 60th anniversary screening of the classic French short The Red Balloon; a special screening of The Boxtrolls in digital 3D followed by a discussion with Mark Shapiro from LAIKA Studio, expanding on the filmmaking process and the art of stop-motion animation; and a pancake and waffles breakfast served before screenings of a surprise film. TIFF’s celebration of Roald Dahl’s centenary continues with a 20th-anniversary screening of Matilda, the charming big-screen adaptation of Dahl’s classic story.

Special guests will introduce films and be available for question-and-answer sessions following select screenings throughout the TIFF Kids Festival, with guests to be announced on tiff.net in the coming weeks.

The 2016 TIFF Kids Festival features a total of 139 films, comprising 28 features and 111 shorts hailing from 35 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Philippines, France, India, South Korea, and many more.

The TIFF Kids International Film Festival takes place at TIFF Bell Lightbox from April 8 through April 24. Tickets for the TIFF Kids Festival are on sale now for TIFF Members, and are available to the general public beginning March 9. Prices are Adult $13, Student/Senior $10.50 and Children (13 and under) $9. Opening Night Film and Party $35 per person. Premium Screenings (Closing Night Film and Special Events) $20 per person. Some activities are free.

Tickets for digiPlaySpace are on sale March 2 for educators and TIFF Members, and March 4 to the general public. Entry to digiPlaySpace™ is $10, TIFF Members see it free and have access to a preview day on Friday, March 4. Tickets to digiPlaySpace can also be purchased in a combo package with a ticket for a TIFF Kids International Film Festival, DreamWorks or Good Friday screening for $15 for children, $20 for adults. For more information on screenings and activities, or to purchase tickets, please visit tiff.net/kids call 416-599-TIFF (8433) or 1-800-599-TIFF, or visit the Steve and Rashmi Gupta Box Office at TIFF Bell Lightbox. TIFF prefers Visa.

TIFF Pocket Fund provides free access to TIFF Kids International Film Festival, learning programmes, camps and family-friendly screenings to children and youth from under-served communities throughout the Greater Toronto Area, ensuring no child or youth is turned away due to financial circumstance. This year, donations will be generously matched by the Harbinger Foundation and will allow a child to explore, create and express their identity, unlocking a wealth of future possibilities. To apply for, donate to or learn more about how to help TIFF unlock the power of film, visit tiff.net/pocketfund.


HIGHLIGHTS AND EVENTS FOR TIFF KIDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL INCLUDE:

Pancakes, Waffles & Film!
Come for pancakes and waffles and stay for a surprise screening!
Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Saturday, April 16 at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 16 at 11 a.m.

Aardman 40th Anniversary Retrospective
For 40 years, Aardman Animations has entertained and charmed the world, creating much-loved characters and bringing unforgettable stories to life. Aardman continues to lead the field with a unique combination of animation wizardry and humour. Celebrate 40 years of craft, comedy and characters from Aardman with these 14 shorts.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 24 at 10:15 a.m.

The Making of The Boxtrolls and LAIKA Stop-Motion Features
Following a digital 3D screening of LAIKA studio’s acclaimed 2014 release The Boxtrolls, join LAIKA’s Mark Shapiro as he discusses how the fast-rising studio—which recently marked its tenth anniversary and is already renowned for its films Coraline and ParaNorman—continues to expand the boundaries of the 120-year-old tradition of stop-motion animation.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.
Friday, April 22 at 10 a.m. (School)
Saturday, April 23 at 10:30 a.m.

Special Screening:The Princess Bride | FREE
In the classic postmodern fairy tale from Rob Reiner, a young boy (Fred Savage) lies in bed recovering from the flu while his grandfather (Peter Falk) reads from William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, a tale of true love and high adventure that includes pirates, monsters, giants, duels, and miracles. At the centre of the story are Buttercup and Westley (Robin Wright, Cary Elwes), young sweethearts whose devotion to each other is put to the ultimate test after Westley disappears at sea and Buttercup, now betrothed to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), is kidnapped by three adventurers: fencing master Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), gentle giant Fezzik (André the Giant), and their bumbling leader Vizzini (Wallace Shawn)—with a mysterious masked man in close pursuit.
Recommended for ages 8 and up
Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m.

20th Anniversary Screening: Matilda
In partnership with Penguin Random House Canada, TIFF is proud to honour the centenary of Roald Dahl's birth with Dahl Days, a series of special events taking place at TIFF Bell Lightbox throughout 2016 in celebration of the iconic author and his contribution to children's literature.

Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) is a bright-eyed, intelligent, book-loving six-year-old who is continually neglected and mistreated by her corrupt, mean-spirited parents (Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman). Enrolled at a crumbling school run by cruel headmistress Agatha Trunchbull (Pam Ferris), Matilda discovers that she has amazing telekinetic powers, and soon leads the children in a full-out rebellion against Trunchbull's strict rule. A passion project for director-star DeVito, Matilda was one of the most critically acclaimed children’s films of the 1990s and remains one of the greatest translations of Roald Dahl’s magical world to film.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Sunday, April 17 at 3 p.m.

60th Anniversary Screening: The Red Balloon | FREE
Originally released in October of 1956, the classic French short The Red Balloon continues to delight audiences six decades on. To honour this milestone, families can relive the magic of Albert Lamorisse’s Academy Award–winning masterpiece with this special screening of the classic film on the big screen.
Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Saturday, April 23 at 1:30 p.m.

Jump Cuts
The Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers Showcases returns for its 15th year to provide Ontario’s young directors with an opportunity to see their work on the big screen. Presenting short films created for young people by young people, Jump Cuts is open to amateur filmmakers in two categories: grades 4 through 6, and grades 7 through 8. The finalists will be announced in the coming weeks, and their films will be screened, with Q&A sessions with the filmmakers, during the TIFF Kids International Film Festival. Prizes for top films will be announced at the Public Awards Ceremony on Sunday, April 24.

New for 2016 filmmakers in grade 4-6 may be eligible for the "filmpossible" award, presented by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, for the most accomplished film to have an onscreen representation of disability, where the winning film will receive a trophy and $500 bursary.
Grade 4 to 6 screenings: Sunday, April 24 at 1 p.m.
Grade 7 to 8 screenings: Sunday, April 24 at 1:15 p.m.

TIFF Kids Festival Passport
Children can pick up their very own TIFF Kids Passport and tour the world, with 35 countries represented in this year’s lineup. Kids can get a stamp for every feature film and shorts programme they attend. Once they have collected three stamps, they can visit the Passport Bureau during the TIFF Kids Festival to claim a prize.

Free Activities
Every Saturday and Sunday during the TIFF Kids Festival TIFF Bell Lightbox will host free drop-in activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And the Awards Go To… | FREE
TIFF is committed to involving and engaging children in the critical assessment of films. Through the TIFF Kids Festival Jury Awards, People’s Choice Awards and two awards selected by an adult jury, TIFF Kids Festival continues to create a forum where kids’ voices can be heard.
Sunday, April 24, at 3:15 p.m.

FEATURE FILM PRESENTATIONS

Opening Night!
Oddball, dir. Stuart McDonald, Australia, English
Toronto Premiere
In this heartwarming tale that highlights the importance of conservation and respecting the environment, an Australian chicken farmer, his 10-year-old granddaughter and his mischievous sheepdog, Oddball, set out to protect a colony of fairy penguins from extinction.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Closing Night!
Little Door Gods (Xiao Men Shen), dir. Gary Wang, China, Chinese with English subtitles, 3D
Canadian Premiere
This beautifully animated film draws on Chinese folklore for its tale of a god who, facing unemployment as fewer people turn to the Spirit World for guidance, ventures into the human world on a quest to prove the spirits’ worth.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Abulele, dir. Jonathan Geva, Israel, Hebrew with English subtitles
International Premiere
In this touching story, a boy’s secret friendship with a mythical creature helps him deal with his grief over losing his brother and face down the bullies at school.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Antboy 3, dir. Ask Hasselbalch, Denmark, Dutch with English subtitles
North American Premiere
The action-packed finale of the Antboy trilogy finds Pelle, a.k.a. Antboy — now in his teens and preparing to leave his crime-fighting alter ego behind — only to find that his nemesis, The Flea, has been released from prison.
Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Belle and Sebastian 2: The Adventure Continues (Belle et Sébastien 2: L'aventure continue), dir. Christian Duguay, France,
French with English subtitles
Toronto Premiere
This thrilling update of the popular 1960s TV series, based on the beloved French children’s novel, reintroduces us to brave Sebastian and his faithful canine companion Belle as they set out to find Sebastian’s adoptive mother following the end of World War II.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Birds of Passage (Les Oiseaux de Passage), dir. Olivier Ringer, Belgium/France, French with English subtitles
Two young friends learn teamwork and experience freedom for the first time as they overcome physical and emotional barriers in order to save a duckling, in this heartwarming tale from Belgian director Olivier Ringer.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Blinky Bill: The Movie, dir. Deane Taylor, Australia, English
Toronto Premiere
Aspiring explorer Blinky Bill teams with a koala and a lizard to trek deep into the Outback to find his missing dad, in this animated adventure from Down Under.
Recommended for ages 5 and up.

The Boxtrolls, dirs. Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi, USA, English
A young boy raised by a tribe of friendly subterranean trolls sets out to rescue his friends when they are captured by a diabolical exterminator.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

The Boy and the Beast (Bakemono no ko), dir. Mamoru Hosoda, Japan, Japanese with English subtitles
2015 Toronto International Film Festival
A young boy in modern-day Tokyo stumbles into an alternate dimension and becomes the apprentice to a bearlike warrior, in this stunning animated fantasy from writer-director Mamoru Hosoda.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.

Code M, dir. Dennis Bots, Netherlands, Dutch with English subtitles
Canadian Premiere
In this delightful thriller, a 12-year-old girl vows to fulfill her grandfather’s lifelong search for the sword of D’Artagnan, the leader of the Three Musketeers, with help from her cousin and a new friend. But will their alliance survive the perilous quest to uncover the mystery?
Recommended for ages 10 and up.

CodeGirl, dir. Lesley Chilcott, USA, English & Portuguese, Spanish, French with English subtitles
In this thrilling and educational documentary, teams of high-school students from around the world compete in the Technovation Challenge, which encourages girls to become developers in the male-dominated app industry while developing their skills in innovation and critical thinking.
Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Enclave (Enklava), dir. Goran Radovanovic, Germany/Serbia, Serbian, German with English subtitles
Toronto Premiere
In this thought-provoking drama set in Kosovo in 2004, a little boy’s optimism prevails over the tragedy of war and cultural conflict.
Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Happy Mother's Day, dir. Anjuli Shukla, India, Hindi with English subtitles
International Premiere
Kaku and Vicky are determined to save money for Mother’s Day, which is a new occasion in their town, but the young siblings soon learn that their love for their mother can’t be measured by the price of a gift.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

HELP, I Shrunk My Teacher (HILFE, ich hab meine Lehrerin geschrumpft), dir. Sven Unterwaldt Jr., Germany, German with English subtitles
International Premiere
Felix is already having a hard time adjusting at his new school — but things take a turn for the bizarre when he accidently shrinks his strict principal to only 15 centimetres in height! Can he figure out how to return her to her original size while at the same time saving the school from closure?
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

How to Steal a Dog, dir. Kim Sung-Ho, South Korea, Korean with English subtitles
Toronto Premiere
This adaptation of the novel of the same title — about a young girl’s scheme to afford a house for her displaced family — uses tenderness and light-hearted humour to teach a valuable lesson in morality, compassion, honesty and love.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Little Azkals, dir. Baby Ruth Villarama, United Kingdom/Philippines, Tagalog with English subtitles
North American Premiere
This inspirational and heartwarming documentary follows 22 boys, selected for the Philippine Football Federation’s training programme for the 2019 World Cup qualifier, as they do their country proud during competitions in the UK.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

The Little Prince (Le Petite Prince), dir. Mark Osborne, France, French with English subtitles
This exquisitely animated modern-day retelling of the classic fairy tale about an aviator who befriends a young boy who arrives on Earth from outer space; features an all-star voice cast that includes Jeff Bridges, James Franco, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams and Benicio Del Toro.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Long Way North, dir. Rémi Chayé, France/Denmark, French with English subtitles
Canadian Premiere
Set in 1892, this animated adventure follows 15-year-old aristocrat Sasha as she leaves behind her comfortable Saint Petersburg life in the hopes of tracking down and saving her beloved grandfather, a famous explorer who has gone missing near the North Pole.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.

Matilda, dir. Danny DeVito, USA, English
TIFF’s celebration of Roald Dahl’s centenary continues with this 20th-anniversary screening of Matilda, director Danny DeVito’s charming big-screen adaptation of Dahl’s classic tale.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Mina Walking, dir. Yosef Baraki, Afghanistan/Canada, Pashto with English subtitles
A young Afghan girl is torn between supporting her family and pursuing an education in this documentary-style story of survival, perseverance, and independence.
Recommended for ages 12 and up.

My Skinny Sister (Min lilla syster), dir. Sanna Lenken, Sweden/Germany, Swedish with English subtitles
Toronto International Film Festival 2015
The feature debut of writer-director Sanna Lenken takes a unique approach to the issue of eating disorders, observing the moral dilemma facing an awkward 12-year-old girl when she discovers that her older sister, a beautiful competitive figure skater, has been starving herself in her quest for excellence.
Recommended for ages 12 and up.

The Princess Bride, dir. Rob Reiner, USA, English
With its action, romance, hijinks, and inconceivable(!) assortment of heroes and villains, Rob Reiner’s 1980s classic is a postmodern fairy tale that is sure to enthrall the whole family.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Raven the Little Rascal - The Big Race (Der kleine Rabe Socke - Das große Rennen), dirs. Ute Von Münchow-pohl and Sandor Jesse, Germany, English
North American Premiere
After accidentally destroying the other animals’ food-storage cabin with his soapbox racer, little Raven knows he has to take responsibility for his actions. How? The answer lies in teamwork and friendship.
Recommended for ages 4 and up.

The Rooster of St. Victor, dir. Pierre Greco, Canada, English
In celebration of National Canadian Film Day (NCFD) on April 20, an initiative of REEL CANADA held in communities all across the country to celebrate Canada through film, TIFF Kids will hold a special screening of The Rooster of St. Victor, free for all students. Tired of their daily 4 a.m. wake-up call, the townsfolk of St. Victor force the local rooster to fly his coop — only to find that they were better off with the bird’s pain-in-the-neck punctuality.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

The Secret Society of Souptown (Supilinna Salaselts), dir. Margus Paju, Estonia/Finland, Estonian with English subtitles
Toronto Premiere
In their most important mission yet, Souptown’s team of budding young detectives must consult an ancient notebook to reverse a mysterious curse that has all the town’s adults acting like little kids.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Windstorm 2 (Ostwind 2), dir. Katja von Garnier, Germany, German with English subtitles
Toronto Premiere
This sequel to the 2014 TIFF Kids Festival favourite is a moving coming-of-age film in which young hero Mika and her beloved horse, Windstorm, must win a tournament to save her family’s stables.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.

The World of Us (Woorideul), dir. Yoon Ga-eun, South Korea, Korean with English subtitles
North American Premiere
Ten-year-old Sun’s friendship with new kid Jia is thrown into turmoil when Jia realizes that Sun is routinely picked on by their classmates, in this moving and true-to-life film about the realities of bullying, classroom pecking orders, and the importance of loyalty.
Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, dir. Victor Vu, Vietnam, Vietnamese with English subtitles
Canadian Premiere
Two young brothers find their close relationship tested in this beautiful coming-of-age drama based on the novel by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh and set in the picturesque countryside of central Vietnam.
Recommended for ages 11 and up.

About TIFF
TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

The Writers Guild of Canada celebrates 25 years of working for Canadian screenwriters, showcasing their talents at the 20th annual WGC Screenwriting Awards. The gala event takes place on May 2, 2016 at Toronto’s beautiful Koerner Hall.

This year close to 150 scripts were nominated, with 24 scripts chosen as finalists, and 32 screenwriters up for awards. Special awards, including the WGC Showrunner Award, the Alex Barris Mentorship Award, and the Sondra Kelly Award will also be presented.

We bring back Ryan Belleville as host, and the show is co-written by Mr. Belleville with stand-up/sketch comedian Jeremy Woodcock. This year’s awards will include special 25th anniversary features throughout the gala.

The 2016 awards span the entire realm of screenwriting in Canada, with nominations in the following categories: Children’s, Documentary, Feature Films, MOW or Miniseries, Shorts and Webseries, TV Comedy, TV Drama, and Teens and Tweens.

Don’t miss the winners! The WGC Screenwriting Awards will be held Monday, May 2, 2016, at the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning’s Koerner Hall. Ticket information coming soon.


2016 WGC Screenwriting Awards Finalists

CHILDREN
Numb Chucks, Season 2 “Witless to the Prosecution”
Written by Evan Thaler Hickey
Odd Squad, Season 1 “Puppet Show”
Written by Charles Johnston
Pirate Express, Season 1 “Fountain of Misspent Youth”
Written by David Elver

DOCUMENTARY
Deluged by Data
Written by Josh Freed
Ninth Floor
Written by Mina Shum

FEATURE FILMS
A Christmas Horror Story
Written by James Kee and Sarah Larsen and Doug Taylor and Pascal Trottier
End of Days, Inc.
Written by Christina Ray
The Saver
Written by Wiebke von Carolsfeld

MOW or MINISERIES
The Book of Negroes: Episode 1
Story by Lawrence Hill, Teleplay by Clement Virgo
The Gourmet Detective
Written by Becky Southwell & Dylan Neal
Kept Woman
Written by Doug Barber & James Phillips

SHORTS & WEBSERIES
Bob! The Slob
Written by James Nadler
Goldfish
Written by Michael Konyves

TV COMEDY
Mr. D, Season 4 “President Jimmy”
Written by Anita Kapila
Mr. D, Season 4 “Short Stocked”
Written by Marvin Kaye
Schitt’s Creek, Season 1 “The Cabin”
Written by Amanda Walsh

TV DRAMA
19-2, Season 2 “Orphans”
Written by Jesse McKeown
19-2, Season 2 “Property Line”
Written by Nikolijne Troubetzkoy
19-2, Season 2 “School”
Adapted by Bruce M. Smith
Orphan Black, Season 3 “Newer Elements of Our Defense”
Written by Russ Cochrane
X Company, Season 1 “Into the Fire”
Written by Mark Ellis & Stephanie Morgenstern

TWEENS & TEENS
Some Assembly Required, Season 2 “Rocket with a Pocket”
Written by Jennica Harper
Some Assembly Required, Season 2 “Snappo”
Written by Cole Bastedo & Jennifer Siddle
The Stanley Dynamic, Season 1 “The Stanley Grandpa”
Written by Alice Prodanou

Get ready movie buffs, because the 2016 Movie Awards are coming to you Sunday, April 10th from the Warner Brother Studios in Burbank, California.

It's time to witness another show down. Voting is now open, so get hype to cheer on more of your favorite bad ass girl crushes, epic superheroes and lovable villains as they fight dirty for the Golden Popcorn. Your vote counts towards their destiny. To host this epic night of movie magic, MTV has enlisted action hero and all-around BAMF, Dwayne Johnson, and 2015 Comedic Genius honoree, Kevin Hart to be our masters of the Golden Popcorn. This dynamite duo will be sure to fill the night with unforgettable jokes, side-splitting introductions, and tweet-provoking moments.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens leads the pack with a whopping 11 MTV Movie Awards nominations, including noms in key categories like Movie of the Year, Best Female Performance (Daisy Ridley), Best Villain (Adam Driver) and Breakthrough Performance (Ridley and co-star John Boyega). Meanwhile, Deadpool scored eight nominations, including five for the Merc With a Mouth himself, Ryan Reynolds. (Here’s hoping he and co-star Morena Baccarin will re-enact their nominated “Best Kiss” on the Movie Awards stage.)

But that’s not all: starting today, fans can cast their votes for their favorites at MovieAwards.MTV.com, through Sunday, March 20. Fans will also be allowed to vote for the coveted “Movie of the Year” directly on Google — just Google “MTV Vote” and make your pick. Seriously, voting has never been easier.

Be sure to tune in for the 2016 MTV Movie Awards on Sunday, April 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and don’t forget to vote for your faves before voting closes on Sunday, March 20.


List of nominations for the 2016 MTV Movie Awards

Movie of the Year
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Creed
Deadpool
Jurassic World
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Straight Outta Compton

True Story
Concussion
Joy
Steve Jobs
Straight Outta Compton
The Big Short
The Revenant

Documentary
Amy
Cartel Land
He Named Me Malala
The Hunting Ground
The Wolfpack
What Happened, Miss Simone?

Best Female Performance
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Anna Kendrick, Pitch Perfect 2
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road
Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Morena Baccarin, Deadpool

Best Male Performance
Chris Pratt, Jurassic World
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Matt Damon, The Martian
Michael B. Jordan, Creed
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Will Smith, Concussion

Breakthrough Performance
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Brie Larson, Room
Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Dakota Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey
John Boyega, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
O’Shea Jackson Jr., Straight Outta Compton

Best Comedic Performance
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Kevin Hart, Ride Along 2
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect 2
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Will Ferrell, Get Hard

Best Action Performance
Chris Pratt, Jurassic World
Dwayne Johnson, San Andreas
Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2
John Boyega, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Vin Diesel, Furious 7

Best Hero
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road
Chris Evans, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Dwayne Johnson, San Andreas
Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2
Paul Rudd, Ant-Man

Best Villain
Adam Driver, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Ed Skrein, Deadpool
Hugh Keays-Byrne, Mad Max: Fury Road
James Spader, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Samuel L. Jackson, Kingsman: The Secret Service
Tom Hardy, The Revenant

Best Virtual Performance
Amy Poehler, Inside Out
Andy Serkis, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Jack Black, Kung Fu Panda 3
James Spader, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Lupita Nyong’o, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Seth MacFarlane, Ted 2

Ensemble Cast
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Furious 7
Pitch Perfect 2
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2
Trainwreck

Best Kiss
Amy Schumer & Bill Hader, Trainwreck
Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey
Leslie Mann & Chris Hemsworth, Vacation
Margot Robbie & Will Smith, Focus
Morena Baccarin & Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine, Pitch Perfect 2

Best Fight
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) vs. Ajax (Ed Skrein), Deadpool
Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) vs. The Bear, The Revenant
Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) vs. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), Mad Max: Fury Road
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) vs. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Avengers: Age of Ultron
Rey (Daisy Ridley) vs. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) vs. Lia (Nargis Fakhri), Spy

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television held its first gala tonight at the Westin Harbour Castle for the first round of Canadian Screen Award winners for 2016. The event was hosted by comedian Seán Cullen and presented 50 Canadian Screen Awards in the News & Sports, Documentary, Lifestyle, Reality & Digital Media categories.

In addition, they presented and three previously announced Academy Special Awards – Canada in Perspective received the Diversity Award; Mark Starowicz received the Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism; and Much Music Video Awards – Router-Based Production Audio Design received the Outstanding Technical Achievement Award.

Photos by Allan Tong


Complete list of the Canadian Screen Award winners for Gala 1

Barbara Sears Award for Best Editorial Research
the fifth estate - The Mob and Michael Degroote
CBC (CBC)
Nicole Reinert, Alexandra Byers, Greg McArthur, Zach Dubinsky, Chelsea Gomez, Joseph Loiero

Barbara Sears Award for Best Visual Research
The Nature of Things: Jellyfish Rule!
CBC (CBC)
Gina Cali

Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series
Balletlujah
CBC (CBC)
(Corkscrew Media)
Scott Henuset, Heather Edwards, Brent Kawchuk

Best Cross-Platform Project - Non-Fiction
CBC News and CBC Aboriginal: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
(CBC)
Connie Walker, William Wolfe-Wylie, Tiar Wilson, Kimberly Ivany, Michael Pereira

Best Direction in a Documentary or Factual Series
Ice Pilots NWT - D-Day
History Channel Canada (Shaw Media)
Matt Shewchuk

Best Direction in a Documentary Program
Songs of Freedom

Ian Hanomansing

Vision TV (Zoomer Media)
Barbara Willis Sweete

Best Direction in a Lifestyle or Information Program or Series
The Marilyn Denis Show
CTV (Bell Media)
Bob Haller

Best Direction in a Live Sporting Event
2015 IIHF World Junior Gold Medal
TSN (Bell Media)
Andy Bouyoukos

Best Direction in a Reality / Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada – Man I’ve Got a Big Butt
CTV (Bell Media)
Rob Brunner

Best Documentary Program
SOL
Super Channel (Allarco Entertainment)
(Arnait Video Productions)
Marie-Hélène Cousineau, Stephane Rituit

Best Factual Program or Series
Still Standing
CBC (CBC)
(Frantic Films)
Jamie Brown, Catherine Legge, Jeff Peeler

Best History Documentary Program or Series
Vietnam: Canada's Shadow War
CBC (CBC)
(Merit Motion Pictures)
Merit Jensen Carr, Andy Blicq

Best Host or Interviewer in a News or Information Program or Series
CBC News Network - Power & Politics
CBC (CBC)
Rosemary Barton

Best Lifestyle Program or Series
Income Property
HGTV Canada (Shaw Media, Scripps Networks Interactive)
(SKIT Inc.)
Jennifer Dick, Kit Redmond, Scott McGillivray, Toni Miceli, Jenna Keane

Best Live Entertainment Special
The JUNO Awards 2015
CTV (Bell Media)
(Insight Production Company Ltd.)
John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby, Ed Robinson, Allan Reid, Lindsay Cox, Pam De Montmorency, Rose Marra

Best Live Sports Event
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
TSN (Bell Media)
(TSN)
Jim Panousis, Steve Abitrante

Best Local Newscast
CTV News Vancouver at 6
CTV (Bell Media)
(Bell Media)
Ethan Faber, Les Staff, Rhonda Fuller, Len Catling, Charles Wright

Best National Newscast
CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme
CTV (Bell Media)
(Bell Media)
David Hughes, Rosa Hwang, Allan Black, Mark Borchiver, Lisa LaFlamme

Best News Anchor, Local
CBC News: Vancouver at 6
CBC (CBC)
Andrew Chang

Best News Anchor, National
CBC News Network with Ian Hanomansing
CBC (CBC)
Ian Hanomansing

Best News or Information Program
CBC News: Marketplace - Licence to Deceive
CBC (CBC)
(CBC)
Tiffany Foxcroft, Tyana Grundig, Erica Johnson, Morna Scott-Dunne, Bill Arnold

Best News or Information Segment
W5: Hands of God
CTV (Bell Media)
(CTV)
Victor Malarek, Mary Dartis, Litsa Sourtzis, André Lapalme, Jerry Vienneau, Brian Mellersh

Best News or Information Series
16x9
Global (Shaw Media)
(Global)
Laurie Few, Carolyn Jarvis

Best News Special
Decision Alberta 2015
Global (Shaw Media)
(Shaw Media)
Kenton Boston, Chris Bassett, Michael Fulmes, Michael Hennigar, Deb Zinck, Michel Gosselin, Lisa Geddes

Best Original Interactive Production Produced for Digital Media
Highrise: Universe Within
(National Film Board of Canada)
Anita Lee, David Oppenheim, Gerry Flahive, Katerina Cizek, Pietro Gagliano

Composer Darren Fung

Best Original Music for a Non-Fiction Program or Series
The Great Human Odyssey - Rise of a Species
CBC (CBC)
Darren Fung

Best Original Program or Series Produced for Digital Media - Non-Fiction
VICE Canada Reports
(VICE Canada)
Patrick Mcguire

Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Factual Series
Tricks on the Dead: The Story of the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI
OMNI (Rogers Media)
Jordan Paterson, Norm Li

Best Photography in a Lifestyle or Reality / Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada - Take Your Clue and Gooo!
CTV (Bell Media)
Ryan Shaw

Best Photography in a News or Information Program, Series or Segment
CBC News: The National - Losing Liberia
CBC (CBC)
Jean-Francois Bisson

Best Picture Editing in a Documentary Program or Series
Songs of Freedom
Vision TV (Zoomer Media)
David New

Best Picture Editing in a Factual Program or Series
Hockey Wives – Married to the Game
W Network (Corus)
Al Manson

Best Picture Editing in a Reality/Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada - Who’s Feeling Sporty Now
CTV (Bell Media)
Seth Poulin, Jonathan Dowler, Ben O'Neil, Burak Ozgan, Michael Tersigni

Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Non-Fiction Program or Series
Tricks on the Dead: The Story of the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI
OMNI (Rogers Media)
Cole Paterson, Candise Paul

Best Reality / Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada
CTV (Bell Media)
(Insight Production Company Ltd.)
John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby, Mark Lysakowski, Mike Bickerton, Sarah James, Kyle Martin, Daniela Battistella, Robyn Bigue, Ann Camilleri, Guy Clarkson, Catherine Petersen

Best Reportage, Local
Taxi Assault
Global (Shaw Media)
(Shaw Media)
Nancy Hixt, Dani Lantela, Lee Dillman

CBC's Adrienne Arsenault

Best Reportage, National
CBC News: The National - Ebola
CBC (CBC)
(CBC)
Adrienne Arsenault

Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series
The Great Human Odyssey
CBC (CBC)
(Clearwater Documentary)
Niobe Thompson

Best Sound in a Non-Fiction Program or Series
Songs of Freedom
Vision TV (Zoomer Media)
Peter Sawade, David Rose, L. Stu Young, Lou Solakofski, Martin Gwynn Jones, Krystin Hunter, Jane Tattersall

Best Sports Analyst in a Sports Program or Series (TIE)
2015 IIHF World Junior Gold Medal Game
TSN (TSN)
Ray Ferraro
AND
2015 IIHF World Junior Gold Medal Game
TSN (TSN)
Bob McKenzie

Best Sports Feature Segment
The Butterfly Child
TSN (Bell Media)
(TSN)
Ross Rheaume, James Duthie, Brent Blanchard, Devon Burns, Michael Banani

Best Sports Host in a Sports Program or Series
2015 Pan Am Games - Pan Am Afternoon
CBC (CBC)
Andi Petrillo

Best Sports Opening/Tease
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Opening Tease
TSN (Bell Media)
(TSN)
Matt Dunn, Michael Farber, Devon Burns, Darren Oliver, Steve Denheyer

Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
TSN (Bell Media)
Luke Wileman

Best Sports Program or Series
Defector
Sportsnet (Rogers Media)
(Sportsnet)
Marc Leblanc, Jeremy McElhanney

Best Talk Program or Series
The Marilyn Denis Show
CTV (Bell Media)
(Bell Media)
John Simpson, Michelle Crespi

Best Writing in a Documentary Program or Series
15 to Life: Kenneth's Story
iChannel (Stornoway Communications)
Nadine Pequeneza

Best Writing in a Factual Program or Series
Ice Pilots NWT - D-Day
History Channel Canada (Shaw Media)
Samantha Beck

Best Writing in a Lifestyle or Reality / Competition Program or Series
Survivorman Bigfoot - Legend of Klemtu Hill
OLN, Science Channel (Rogers Media, Discovery Communications LLC)
Les Stroud

Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program
Sugar Coated
TVO (TVO)
(The Cutting Factory)
Michele Hozer, Janice Dawe

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television held their gala evening at the Westin Harbour Castle for the second round of Canadian Screen Award winners for 2016.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is pleased to announce that 49 Canadian Screen Awards and six Academy Special Awards were presented tonight in Drama, Children’s or Youth, Comedy and Variety categories. This Canadian Screen Awards Gala was hosted tonight by comedian Steve Patterson at the Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto.

“On either side of the camera, Canadian artists have consistently produced television to the highest standard in drama, comedy and children’s programming,” says Academy CEO Helga Stephenson. “Congratulations to all the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards’ nominees and winners who’ve raised the bar for us all again.” Six previously announced Academy Special Awards were presented tonight to:

• Ivan Fecan for the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute sponsored by National Bank
• Wendy Crewson for the Earle Grey Award
• Karen Walton for the Margaret Collier Award
• Performing Arts Lodges (PAL CANADA) for the Humanitarian Award
• This Hour Has 22 Minutes for the Academy Icon Award
• Ana Serrano for the Digital Media Trailblazing Award sponsored by the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC)

The Academy's Canadian Screen Awards is the annual awards show to celebrate the best in film, television and digital media; they are part of Canadian Screen Week (March 7 –13, 2016) and the 2-Hour Broadcast Gala will air LIVE at 8pm ET (9 AT | 9:30 NT) Sunday March 13, 2016 on CBC.

Photos by Allan Tong


Complete list of the Canadian Screen Award winners for Gala 2

Best Achievement in Casting
19-2 - School
Bravo! (Bell Media)
Robin D. Cook, Andrea Kenyon, Randi Wells, Marissa Richmond

Best Achievement in Make-Up
Orphan Black - Ruthless in Purpose, and Insidious in Method
Space (Bell Media)
Stephen Lynch, Sandy Sokolowski

Best Animated Program or Series

Ivan Fecan and Lloyd Robertson

Rocket Monkeys
Teletoon (Corus Entertainment)
(Breakthrough Entertainment)
Ira Levy, Peter Williamson, Joan Lambur, Mark Evestaff, Dan Abdo, Michael Feder, Jason Patterson, Mauro Casalese



Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series
Degrassi
MTV (Bell Media)
(Epitome Pictures Inc.)
Linda Schuyler, Stephen Stohn, Sarah Glinski, Matt Huether, Stephanie Williams, Stefan Brogren

Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series
Finding Stuff Out
TVO (TVO)
(Apartment 11 Productions Inc.)
Jonathan Finkelstein, Jean-Louis Coté

Best Costume Design
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
(Entertainment One)
Kate Carin

Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth
Gaming Show Interactive
(Secret Location, Banger Films, DHX Media)
Pietro Gagliano, Ryan Andal, Kathryn Rawson, Todd Feaver, Jesse Shamata

Best Cross-Platform Project - Fiction
The Book of Negroes Interactive
(Secret Location, Conquering Lion, Entertainment One, CBC)
James Milward, Ryan Andal, Kathryn Rawson, Allen Martin, Damon D'Oliveira

Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series
Degrassi - Finally, Part 2
MTV (Bell Media)
Phil Earnshaw

Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series
Schitt's Creek - The Cabin
CBC (CBC)
Paul Fox

Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Clement Virgo

Best Direction in a Dramatic Series
19-2 - School
Bravo! (Bell Media)
(Sphere Media Plus)
Daniel Grou (Podz)

Best Direction in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
2015 Pan Am Games Opening Ceremony
CBC (CBC)
Shelagh O'Brien

Best Direction in an Animated Program or Series
Paw Patrol - Pups Save a Talent Show / Pups Save the Corn Roast
TVO (TVO)
Jamie Whitney

Best Host in a Pre-school, Children's or Youth Program or Series
Finding Stuff Out - Poop
TVO (TVO)
Harrison Houde

Best Host in a Variety, Lifestyle, Reality/Competition, or Talk Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada – Man I’ve Got a Big Butt
CTV (Bell Media)
Jon Montgomery

Best Music Program or Series
We Day 2014
MTV (Bell Media)
(Bell Media)
Sheila Sullivan, John Kampilis, Ken Katigbak

Best Original Music Score for a Program
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
(Entertainment One)
Philip Miller

Best Original Music Score for a Series
Orphan Black - Certain Agony of the Battlefield
Space (Bell Media )
Trevor Yuile

Best Original Program or Series Produced for Digital Media - Fiction
Carmilla
(Shaftesbury / Smokebomb)
Jay Bennett, Steph Ouaknine, Kaaren Whitney-Vernon, Christina Jennings, Denise Darroch, Carrie Hayden

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series
X Company - Walk With the Devil / Into the Fire
CBC (CBC)
Torben Liebrecht

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series
Schitt's Creek - Honeymoon / Surprise Party
CBC (CBC)
Chris Elliott

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Lyriq Bent

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Shailyn Pierre-Dixon

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role or Guest Role in a Comedic Series
Schitt's Creek - Our Cup Runneth Over / Carl’s Funeral
CBC (CBC)

Writer Daniel Levy

Emily Hampshire

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Aunjanue Ellis

Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series
Degrassi - Give Me One Reason
MTV (Bell Media)
Aislinn Paul

Best Performance in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series
Remedy - Playing Doctor Conner
Global (Shaw Media)
Christine Horne

Best Performance in a Program or Series Produced for Digital Media
Saving Hope: Psychic Healing
(Entertainment One, ICF Films)
Michelle Nolden

Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series
Numb Chucks - From Dusk Till Dawn
YTV (Corus Entertainment)
Julie Lemieux

Best Performing Arts Program
King Lear
CBC (CBC)
(Melbar Entertainment Group)
Barry Avrich, Susan Edwards, Anita Gaffney, Michael Levine

Best Photography in a Comedy Program or Series
Schitt's Creek - Honeymoon
CBC (CBC)
Gerald Packer

Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series
Orphan Black - Certain Agony of the Battlefield
Space (Bell Media)
Aaron Morton

Best Photography in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Sunnyside - Top Hat
City (Rogers Media)
D. Gregor Hagey

Best Picture Editing in a Comedy Program or Series
Schitt's Creek - Surprise Party
CBC (CBC)
James Bredin

Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series
Orphan Black - Newer Elements of Our Defence
Space (Bell Media)
Matthew Anas

Best Picture Editing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Rick Mercer Report - Episode Three
CBC (CBC)
Allan Maclean, Miles Davren

Best Pre-School Program or Series
Odd Squad
TVO (TVO)
(Sinking Ship Entertainment)
J.J. Johnson, Blair Powers, Tim McKeon, Paul Siefken, Adam Peltzman, Matthew J.R. Bishop, Georgina Lopez

Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Jason Clarke, Ian Greig, Robert van de Coolwyk, Brian Glaser, Renee Filipova

Best Sound in a Comedy or Dramatic Program or Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Derek Mansveldt, David Rose, David McCallum, Martin Gwynn Jones, Joe Mancuso, Steve Hammond, Erik Culp, Frank
Morrone, Scott Shepherd, Alexander Rosborough

Best Sound in a Variety or Animated Program or Series
2015 Pan Am Games Opening Ceremony
CBC (CBC)
(CBC)
Antonio Montano, Michael Nunan, Andrew Roberts, Kent Ford, Mark Vreeken

Best Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Rick Mercer Report
CBC (CBC)
(Island Edge Inc.)
Gerald Lunz, Rick Mercer, Tom Stanley

Best Visual Effects
Vikings - To The Gates!
History Channel Canada (Shaw Media)
Dennis Berardi, Dominic Remane, Michael Borrett, Ovidiu Cinazan, Paul Wishart, Jeremy Dineen, Engin Arslan, Ken MacKenzie, Bill Halliday, Leann Harvey, Maria Gordon, Julian Parry

Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series
Degrassi - Give Me One Reason
MTV (Bell Media)
Matt Huether

Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series
Schitt's Creek - Honeymoon
CBC (CBC)
Daniel Levy

Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
Clement Virgo, Lawrence Hill

Best Writing in a Dramatic Series
Presented with the participation of the COGECO Program Development Fund
Orphan Black - Scarred by Many Past Frustrations
Space (Bell Media)
Alex Levine

Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Rick Mercer Report - Episode Eleven
CBC (CBC)
Rick Mercer, Rick Currie, Greg Eckler, Chris Finn, Tim Steeves, George Westerholm

Best Writing in an Animated Program or Series
Numb Chucks - As the Worm Turns
YTV (Corus Entertainment)
Mark Steinberg

Comedian Norm Macdonald hosted the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards live on CBC from the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, where 39 CSAs were presented to winners from across the country, it was announced by the Academy of Canadian Cinema &
Television.

"Tonight we congratulate and applaud all of the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards' nominees and winners,” says Academy Chair Martin Katz. “Through your skill, artistry and talent – you represent the cultural infrastructure of our creative economy. We are all very proud of you.”

39 Canadian Screen Awards’ winners included six Academy Special Awards:

• Corner Gas: The Movie won the Golden Screen Award for TV Drama / Comedy
• Amazing Race Canada won the Golden Screen Award for TV Reality Show
• Jamie M. Dagg won the Best First Feature for River sponsored by Telefilm Canada
• Yannick Bisson won the Fan’s Choice Award sponsored by American Express
• Martin Short was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award
• Snowtime! won Cineplex Golden Screen Award for Feature Film, recieved by producer Marie-Claude Beauchamp

Over 125,000 fans voted and chose Yannick Bisson of Murdoch Mysteries as the winner of the 2016 Fan’s Choice Award, sponsored by American Express, it was announced today by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.


Complete list of winners for the 2016 Pre-Show & CBC Broadcast CSA Winners

FILM

Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design | Meilleure direction artistique
Ethan Tobman, Mary Kirkland - Room

Achievement in Cinematography | Meilleures images
Yves Bélanger - Brooklyn

Achievement in Costume Design | Meilleurs costumes
Joanne Hansen - Beeba Boys

Achievement in Direction | Meilleure réalisation
Lenny Abrahamson - Room

Achievement in Editing | Meilleur montage
Nathan Nugent - Room

Achievement in Make-Up | Meilleurs maquillages
Sid Armour, Jennifer Gould - Room

Achievement in Music - Original Score | Meilleure musique originale
Michael Brook - Brooklyn

Achievement in Music - Original Song | Meilleure chanson originale
Jenny Salgado, André Courcy - Scratch - A Hip-opera | Scratch - Un Hip-Opéra - “C’est aujourd’hui que je sors”

Achievement in Overall Sound | Meilleur son d'ensemble
Lou Solakofski, Ian Rankin, Joe Morrow, Russ Dyck, Graham Rogers, James Bastable, André Azoubel, Don White, Jack Hereen - Hyena Road

Achievement in Sound Editing | Meilleur montage sonore
Jane Tattersall, David McCallum, Martin Gwynn Jones, Barry Gilmore, David Evans, Dave Rose, Brennan Mercer, Ed Douglas, Kevin Banks, Goro Koyama, Andy Malcolm - Hyena Road

Achievement in Visual Effects | Meilleurs effets visuels
Phil Jones, Sarah Wormsbecher, Eric Doiron, Anthony DeChellis, Lon Molnar, Geoff D.E. Scott, Nathan Larouche, Mark Fordham - Hyena Road

Adapted Screenplay | Meilleure adaptation
Emma Donoghue - Room

Best Animated Short | Meilleur court métrage d'animation
The Ballad Of Immortal Joe - Hector Herrera, Pazit Cahlon

Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Documentary | Meilleures images dans un long métrage documentaire
Arnaud Bouquet - Last of the Elephant Men

Best Editing in a Feature Length Documentary | Meilleur montage dans un long métrage documentaire
James Scott - How to Change the World

Best Live Action Short Drama | Meilleur court métrage dramatique
She Stoops To Conquer - Zack Russell, Marianna Khoury

Best Motion Picture | Meilleur film
Room - David Gross, Ed Guiney

Best Short Documentary | Meilleur court métrage documentaire
Bacon & God's Wrath - Sol Friedman

Original Screenplay | Meilleur scénario
Benjamin August - Remember

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | Interprétation masculine dans un premier rôle
Jacob Tremblay - Room

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | Interprétation masculine dans un rôle de soutien
Nick Serino - Sleeping Giant

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Interprétation féminine dans un premier rôle
Brie Larson - Room

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role | Interprétation féminine dans un rôle de soutien
Joan Allen – Room

Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary | Meilleur long métrage documentaire Ted Rogers
Hurt - Peter Gentile, Alan Zweig


TELEVISION

Best Comedy Series
Schitt's Creek
CBC (CBC)
(Not A Real Company Productions Inc.)
Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy, Andrew Barnsley, Fred Levy, Ben Feigin, Mike Short, Kevin White, Colin Brunton

Best Dramatic Series
19-2
Bravo! (Bell Media)
(Sphere Media Plus, Echo Media)
Jocelyn Deschenes, Virginia Rankin, Bruce M. Smith, Luc Chatelain, Greg Phillips, Saralo MacGregor, Jesse McKeown

Best International Drama
Vikings
History Channel Canada (Shaw Media)
(Take 5 Productions)
Sheila Hockin, John Weber, Michael Hirst, Morgan O'Sullivan, James Flynn, Alan Gasmer, Sherry Marsh, Bill Goddard

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Schitt's Creek - Carl’s Funeral
CBC (CBC)
Eugene Levy

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Orphan Black - Newer Elements of Our Defence
Space (Bell Media)
Ari Millen

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Schitt's Creek - Don’t Worry, It’s His Sister
CBC (CBC)
Catherine O'Hara

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Orphan Black - Certain Agony of the Battlefield
Space (Bell Media)
Tatiana Maslany

Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble)
Sunnyside - Top Hat
City (Rogers Media)
Kathleen Phillips, Pat Thornton, Patrice Goodman, Kevin Vidal, Alice Moran, Rob Norman, Norm Macdonald

Best TV Movie or Limited Series
The Book of Negroes
CBC (CBC)
(Entertainment One, Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Entertainment)
Damon D'Oliveira, Clement Virgo, Margaret O'Brien, Carrie Stein, Lance Samuels, Bill Niven, Michael Levine

Submissions for RIDM 2016 are now open!

Quebec’s only film festival dedicated to documentaries, the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) presents the best reality-based films, including the works of established directors and new talents alike. Every November, RIDM screens approximately 140 domestic and foreign productions and hosts a dozen complementary activities such as workshops, master classes, debates and roundtables. The festival typically welcomes about 100 guests from outside Quebec, and hands out 11 awards selected by juries comprised of industry professionals.

Doc Circuit Montréal, the documentary market organized in parallel with the festival, hosts a dozen activities for documentary professionals, including workshops and presentations, and facilitates more than 1,500 business meetings.

RIDM accepts submissions of short, medium-length and feature films, as well as interactive works (webdocumentaries, installations, mobile and tablet applications, and virtual and augmented reality projects).

Submission period: March 1st to May 31st, 2016

To submit a Canadian production, click here
To submit an international production, click here
For more information visit http://www.ridm.qc.ca/en/filmsubmissions-02

---

Les soumissions pour les RIDM 2016 sont ouvertes !

Seul festival au Québec entièrement dédié au documentaire, les Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM) offrent au public le meilleur du cinéma du réel en rassemblant les grands auteurs et les nouveaux talents. Chaque année en novembre, les RIDM présentent autour de 140 films d'ici et d'ailleurs et une dizaine d'activités complémentaires telles que des ateliers, leçons de cinéma, débats et tables rondes. Une centaine d'invités hors-Québec viennent au festival et 11 prix sont remis par des jurys formés de professionnels de l'industrie.

Doc Circuit Montréal, le marché du documentaire organisé en parallèle aux RIDM, offre l'occasion aux professionnels du milieu documentaire d'assister à une dizaine d'ateliers de formation et de conférences, et génère plus de 1500 rencontres d'affaires.

Les RIDM acceptent la soumission des types d’œuvres suivants : courts, moyens et longs métrages, ainsi que les œuvres interactives (webdocumentaires, installations, applications mobiles et tablettes, et œuvres de réalité virtuelle ou augmentée).

Période de soumissions : 1er Mars au 31 mai 2016.

Pour soumettre une production canadienne, cliquez ici.
Pour soumettre une production internationale, cliquez ici.
Pour plus d’informations : http://www.ridm.qc.ca/fr/soumissionsdefilms-02

TIFF Studio 2016 Applications are now open:
Calling Canadian writer-directors!

Applications for Canadian writer-directors are now open for TIFF Studio, our year round training programme for mid-career professionals, co-supported by the Harold Greenberg Fund and the Director’s Guild of Canada. Our fourth edition will run from June to January 2017.

Studio is a space for filmmakers to be inspired, consolidate skills, exchange ideas, and discuss challenges in a collaborative environment. Offered to a select group of 10 mid-career, writer-directors, Studio is intended to take the candidates careers to the next level, via creative and business skill development.

Develop your project, get feedback from your peers and meet some of the most acclaimed industry professionals currently working – including filmmakers, experienced producers and other experts in both the Canadian and international film industries.

This year, Studio is open to writer-directors with a minimum of one feature film and/​or three short film credits as writer-director. Participants should be curious about all fields of film, TV, documentary, online, interactive and transmedia, and are looking to collaborate with their peers, as well as to challenge their own views. Learn more.

For all questions email studio@tiff.net

Applications are FREE and close on April 25, 2016.

Link to application page:

APPLY TODAY!

by Allan Tong

From June 9-19, Italian cinema rules Toronto and Vaughan (with screenings in Hamilton, Quebec City and, new this year, Niagara Falls) with the Italian Contemporary Film Festival. The ICFF offers another entertaining year of movies, mostly drawn from Italy with a few from Canada, but this year the overall program skews towards comedy and romance.


The opening night film, Quo Vado?, strikes precisely this balance. It's a feel-good adventure starring Italian comedy sensation Checco Zalone (attending opening night in Toronto on June 9) who plays a privileged and obnoxious bureaucrat who pisses off the wrong higher-up during government downsizing. She, in turn, transfers Checco to the middle of nowhere, Italy’s Arctic research station. Predictably, Checco meets Valeria (Eleonora Giovanardi), falls in love with her and gets caught between two worlds--his comfy, but spiritually empty one in Italy, and his fulfilling yet uncertain one with Valeria. Quo Vado? is a good choice for opening night. It's a sunny, populist favourite. After all, it was a huge hit in Italy over the winter, and Zalone is hard to dislike. He carries Quo Vado? and the movie's script throws us enough curves at a fast pace to keep us entertained. Sure, it's a light comedy, but it's fun.


More challening isGod Willing (Se dio vuole). Tommaso (Marco Giallini) is scalpel-sharp as a successful, but arrogant cardiac surgeon. Giallini plays him hilarious deadpan cynicism. The turning point in Tommaso's life comes when his only son, Andrea, decides to become a priest, a career path that deeply upsets the atheistic Tommaso. When Tommaso investigates the charismatic Father Don Pietro, whom he believes brainwashed Andrea, the entire family changes and Tommaso mellows. The ending is a little too sweet, but Tommaso's transformation is still convincing. Giallini delivers the best comedic performance at ICFF.


Me, Myself, And Her (Io e lei) is neither a comedy or a romance (as advertised) but a drama that misses the mark. Federica (Margherita Buy) and Marina (Sabrina Ferilli) are lovers who've been living together for five years until Federica has an affair with a man. The hetero twist is nothing new in gay and lesbian films, nor are the emotional stakes in this film ever that high. Me, Myself, And Her starts with promise, with Marina being a committed lesbian and Federica remaining ambivalent about her sexuality, but the film winds up evading the resolution of these tough questions.


Love literally takes an unexpected turn inThe Stuff of Dreams (La stoffa dei sogni). Convicts and stowaway actors are shipwrecked on a remote island in the middle of the Mediterranean where, by chance, a prison operates. Guards capture them all after they discover the ship's captain with a bullet in his head washed up on the beach. To avoid arrest, the cons masquerade as the actors. Since nobody is carrying I.D., the warden demands they put on a play, Shakespeare's Tempest, so he can ferret out the bad guys based on their bad acting.

There's an unexpected lyricism to this drama, which could have played for easy laughs and suspense instead. Instead, the Mediterranean island of Asinara is presented as a dreamy backdrop to where the warden transferred years ago to recover from a broken marriage. An unexpected romance blossoms between his young daughter (who grew up on the isolated island) and one of the fugitives. The comedy and suspense could have been milked further, but The Stuff of Dreams is a sweet and charming tale.


One of the two Canadian films at this year's ICFF is Piazza-Petawawa, a documentary about a shameful chapter in Canadian history. During World War Two, the Canadian government invoked the War Measures Act in order to arrest anybody suspected of ties with the Axis nations. About 30,000 Italian-Canadians were listed as “enemy aliens” and over 700 were interned in camps. (For context, Japanese-Canadians were also interned, but in far higher numbers.) Piazza-Petawawa is important for telling the stories of the victims, but the film relies too much on talking heads and a heavy-handed score. More archival photos, using actors in re-creations and/or adding animation would have helped re-create the memories of these interview subjects.

Check back here for more ICFF reviews and coverage in the days to come.

For ICFF showtimes and ticket information, please click here.

"Thank you for the orgasm," declared Italian funnyman, Checco Zalone.


He and his longtime collaborator, director Gennaro Nunziante (right), opened the Italian Contemporary Film Festival last night with Quo Vado?, a comedy smash in Italy.


For me, the film was better the second time around. (Read my original review here.) No, it wasn't because the large screen and sparkling sound system of the TIFF Bell Lightbox dwarfs my home theatre system where I first watched the film as a low-res screener, but rather it came down to hearing the Italian-Canadian audience laugh at themselves. They were reacting to Zalone littering, honking his horn in traffic, being a 38-year-old mama's boy and the glory of holding a "permanent position" as a do-nothing bureaucrat. Ah, now I get it.






Afterwards, the sold-out audience feasted on pork and pasta at Roy Thompson Hall at Toronto's most luxurious film festival party. Wine flowed as women in long dresses danced with men in sharp suits beneath a clear sky.

Quo Vado? screens tonight in Vaughan at the Colossus Cineplex, and the ICFF runs through June 19. For my festival reviews, click here.

by Allan Tong

The best film of this year's Italian Contemporary Film Festival is They Called Me Jeeg (Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot).

To label Jeeg as Italy's first superhero action film is incomplete. It's also a dark comedy with a twisted romance. Enzo (Claudio Santamaria) is a small-time crook who falls into radioactive waste during a cop chase. He's a lonely wanker who eats endless pudding and has no friends. During a botched drug deal which slays a fellow criminal, Enzo discovers these super physical powers that let him survive a fall off a high building and to shove refrigerators across rooms with his bare arms.

Enzo literally robs an ATM by ripping it out of the wall and steals using his newfound powers. That ends when gang leader Zingaro (Luca Marinelli) comes looking for his drugs and cash, and he strong-arms Alessia (Ilenia Pastorelli), the mad daughter of Enzo's fellow criminal. Enzo winds up protecting--and falling in love--with the poor, deluded Alessia who believes Enzo is the hero of a Japanese anime called Steel Jeeg Robot. She's been lost in her own world ever since her mother died years ago and/or her father started molesting her.

Meanwhile, videos of Enzo superhuman feats, like lifting a streetcar, go viral on social media and the public and police fear they have a supervillain terrorizing Rome. Ironically, Zingaro wreaks mayhem in the city streets by hunting down Enzo and Alessia.

Lead screenwriter Nicola Guaglianone takes Hollywood superhero conventions (radioactive super-powers, ordinary villain turns superhero) and imbues his characters with touching flaws and the story with left-handed turns. They add up to make They Called Me Jeeg into something imaginative and original. TV veteran Gabriele Mainetti makes an audacious debut, proving he can direct explosive action sequences as good as anyone in Hollywood yet convey humour and tenderness in dysfunctional characters. Santamaria plays Enzo with understated intensity, and Pastorelli portrays Alessia with surprising pathos in a role that is vulnerable to cliche.

Just when I thought that movies were stuck in the toilet, along comes something like They Called Me Jeeg to revive my faith.



Don’t Be Bad (Non essere cattivo)also explores Italy's criminal underbelly but is rooted in hard realism, not fantasy. Shot like a  gritty documentary, Don’t Be Bad follows a pair of  hedonistic young thugs who live in a world of money, clubs and cocaine in the nineties. Technically, the film is well made and the acting is taut, but Don’t Be Bad left me cold towards its amoral, empty anti-heroes.

Unfortunately, two films, a comedy and a drama, suffer from melodrama, though they're based on superb premises.Ustica dramatizes the 1980 Italian plane crash into the Tyrrhenian Sea that involved terrorism and government cover-up. The film is spoiled by wooden acting and on-the-nose dialogue. Two of A Kind (Ambo) is about a husband and father trying to have a second child, but he discovers he's sterile and his son is not actual son. The film takes a sickly sweet approach with the little boy narrating. Also, many scenes are bathed in soft focus and drowned  in a syrupy soundtrack.


A clearer, more rewarding approach is found in Rewind and Reboot (Torno indietro e cambio Vita). Marco is a successful businessman whose marriage of 25 years suddenly falls apart. He confesses to longtime buddy, Claudio, that he wishes he could go back in time and change his life. Boom! A car accident grants them both this wish and Marco meets with his future wife in high school in 1990.

Rewind and Reboot is a time travel comedy. Nothing new, but there are plenty of good laughs and clever story turns to make this a delightful watch. Overall, the acting is fine, particularly Ricky Memphis who is deadpan-perfect as Claudio in a subplot that nicely interweaves with Marco's. Rewind and Reboot is another strong comedy at this year's ICFF.

More ICFF reviews here.

The ICFF screens in Toronto and Vaughan with additional screenings in Hamilton, St. Catharines and Quebec City through June 19. Click here for the schedule and ticketing details.