Matt Rife is taking the world of Comedy by storm and today we get a new Teaser for his upcoming Netflix special, MATT RIFE: NATURAL SELECTION. This premieres November 15, 2023.

About Matt Rife: Natural Selection

Logline: After having amassed a large social following through his viral content showcasing his quick wit and crowd work, Matt embarked on a sold-out world tour. Now in his first Netflix comedy special, Matt leaves no topic untouched – from crystals to social media trolls – and no audience member spared.

Executive Producers: Matt Rife, Christina Shams

Production Company: Irony Point

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

The Canada Council for the Arts is pleased to announce the 2023 finalists in the Governor General’s Literary Awards (GGBooks). These prestigious awards celebrate works published in Canada, in both official languages, across seven categories, and include books for readers of all ages.

“Announcing the 2023 Governor General’s Literary Awards finalists is exciting for everyone involved because we get to celebrate and help draw attention to some of this year’s most remarkable literary works. On behalf of the Canada Council for the Arts, I congratulate this year’s 70 finalists and I also thank the broader community of authors, illustrators, translators, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and readers, whose combined enthusiasm for books contributes to the growing vitality and diversity of literature in Canada.” – Michelle Chawla, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts

Following a rigorous process, the peer assessment committees convened by the Canada Council have selected 70 books published in Canada in 2023, as this year’s finalists.

About the GGBooks

Founded in 1936, the Governor General’s Literary Awards are some of the oldest and most prestigious prizes in Canada, with a total annual prize value of $450,000.
The Canada Council for the Arts has funded, administered and promoted these awards since 1959.
Finalists are selected by category-specific, language-based peer assessment committees (seven in English and seven in French), who consider eligible books published between August 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022.
Each writer, translator, or illustrator whose book is selected as winner in its category receives a $25,000 prize. Publishers receive $3,000 to promote the winning book; finalists receive $1,000 each.

English-language finalists for 2023 (seven categories)

Fiction

• A History of Burning – Janika Oza (Toronto, Ontario) McClelland & Stewart, Penguin Random House Canada
• Chrysalis – Anuja Varghese (Hamilton, Ontario) House of Anansi Press
• In the Upper Country – Kai Thomas (Petersburgh, USA) Viking, Penguin Random House Canada          
• The Sleeping Car Porter – Suzette Mayr (Calgary, Alberta) Coach House Books
• We Spread – Iain Reid (Kingston, Ontario) Scribner, Simon & Schuster Canada

Poetry

• Baby Book – Amy Ching-Yan Lam (Toronto, Ontario) Brick Books 
• Exculpatory Lilies – Susan Musgrave (Masset, British Columbia) McClelland & Stewart, Penguin Random House Canada
• Old Gods – Conor Kerr (Edmonton, Alberta) Nightwood Editions
• The Ridge – Robert Bringhurst (Heriot Bay, British Columbia) Harbour Publishing
• Xanax Cowboy – Hannah Green (Winnipeg, Manitoba) House of Anansi Press

Drama

• Forgiveness – Hiro Kanagawa (Port Moody, British Columbia) Playwrights Canada Press
• Is My Microphone On? – Jordan Tannahill (London, UK) Playwrights Canada Press
• The Enchanted Loom – Suvendrini Lena (Toronto, Ontario) Playwrights Canada Press
• The War Being Waged – Darla Contois (Winnipeg, Manitoba) Scirocco Drama, J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing
• William Shakespeareʼs As You Like It: A Radical Retelling – Cliff Cardinal (Toronto, Ontario Playwrights Canada Press

Non-fiction

• Gendered Islamophobia: My Journey With a Scar(f) – Monia Mazigh (Ottawa, Ontario) Mawenzi House Publishers 
• Invisible Boy: A Memoir of Self-Discovery – Harrison Mooney (Vancouver, British Columbia) HarperCollins Canada
• Message in a Bottle: Ocean Dispatches from a Seabird Biologist – Holly Hogan (St. Johnʼs, Newfoundland and Labrador) Knopf, Penguin Random House Canada
• Unbroken –  Angela Sterritt (British Columbia) Greystone Books
• Unearthing –  Kyo Maclear (Toronto, Ontario) Knopf, Penguin Random House Canada 

Young People’s Literature – Text

• As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow – Zoulfa Katouh (Zurich, Switzerland) Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Hachette Book Group
• Berani – Michelle Kadarusman (Toronto, Ontario) Pajama Press
• Fire on Headless Mountain – Iain Lawrence (Gabriola Island, British Columbia) Margaret Ferguson Books, Penguin Random House Canada
• The Probability of Everything – Sarah Everett (Edmonton, Alberta) Clarion Books, HarperCollins
• Weird Rules to Follow – Kim Spencer (British Columbia) Orca Book Publishers

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

• Boobies –  Nancy Vo (British Columbia) Groundwood Books
• Mr. S – Monica Arnaldo (Sainte-Julie, Quebec) Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins 
• Still This Love Goes On – Buffy Sainte-Marie (Kapaa, USA) and Julie Flett (Victoria, British Columbia) Greystone Kids, Greystone Books
• The Skull – Jon Klassen (Los Angeles, USA) Candlewick Press
• When You Can Swim – Jack Wong (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Scholastic Canada 

Translation (from French to English)

• Alone: The Journeys of Three Young Refugees – Arielle Aaronson (Montréal, Quebec) Groundwood Books Ltd. A translation of Seuls, by Paul Tom.
• House Within a House – D.M. Bradford (Verdun, Quebec) Brick Books. A translation of Désormais, ma demeure, by Nicholas Dawson.
• Kukum – Susan Ouriou (Calgary, Alberta) Arachnide, House of Anansi Press Inc. A translation of Kukum, by Michel Jean.
• Okinum –  Émilie Monnet (Chelsea, Quebec) Scirocco Drama, J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing. A translation of Okinum, by Émilie Monnet.
• Rosaʼs Very Own Personal Revolution – Peter McCambridge (Québec City, Quebec) QC Fiction, Baraka Books. A translation of La logeuse, by Éric Dupont  

French-language finalists for 2023 (seven categories)

Fiction

• Galumpf – Marie Hélène Poitras (Montréal, Quebec) Éditions Alto
• Lʼor des mélèzes – Carole Labarre (Sept-Îles, Québec) Mémoire dʼencrier
• Mon fils ne revint que sept jours – David Clerson (Montréal, Québec) Héliotrope
• Sombre est la nuit – Brigitte Haentjens (Montréal, Québec) Les Éditions du Boréal
• Une carte postale de lʼocéan – Stéfani Meunier (Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard, Québec) Leméac Éditeur

Poetry

• À terre ouverte – Sebastián Ibarra Gutiérrez (Québec City, Quebec) Éditions Hamac
• Atikᵁ utei. Le coeur du caribou – Rita Mestokosho (Ekuanitshit, Quebec) Mémoire dʼencrier
• Exercices de joie – Louise Dupré (Montréal, Quebec) Le Noroît
• La fabrique du noir – Virginie Chaloux-Gendron (Québec City, Quebec) Le Noroît
• Les deuils transparents – Virginie Savard (Montréal, Quebec) Triptyque

Drama

• Akuteu – Soleil Launière (Montréal, Québec) Éditions du remue-ménage
• Charlie, du vent derrière le nombril – Martin Bellemare (Montréal, Québec) Dramaturges Éditeurs
•  Gros gars – Mathieu Gosselin (Montréal, Québec) Éditions Somme toute
• Les glaces – Rébecca Déraspe (Montréal, Québec) Éditions de Ta Mère
• Mama – Nathalie Doummar (Montréal, Québec) Éditions du remue-ménage

Non-fiction

• Faux rebelles. Les dérives du politiquement incorrect – Philippe Bernier Arcand (Ottawa, Ontario) Éditions Poètes de brousse
• Jʼaccuse les tortionnaires dʼOmar Khadr – Frédéric Bérard (Montréal, Quebec) Saint-Jean Éditeur
• La société de provocation – Dahlia Namian (Montréal, Quebec) Lux Éditeur
• Mégaptère – Martine Béland (Pointe-de-l’Église, Nova Scotia) Leméac Éditeur
• Panique à lʼUniversité – Francis Dupuis-Déri (Montréal, Quebec) Lux Éditeur

Young People’s Literature – Text

• Escarpolette – Sylvie Drapeau (Montréal, Québec) Dominique et compagnie / Les éditions Héritage
• Le plancher de la lune – Jean-Christophe Réhel (Repentigny, Québec) la courte échelle
• Linoubliable – Lou Beauchesne (Montréal, Québec) la courte échelle
• Mélie quelque part au milieu – Mylène Goupil (Blainville, Québec) Éditions Québec Amérique
• Zipolaris Tome 3 : La malédiction de Zangra – J.L. Blanchard (Laval, Quebec) Éditions Fides

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

• La fin des poux? – Orbie (Percé, Quebec) Éditions Les 400 coups
• Trèfle – Nadine Robert (Varennes, Quebec) and Qin Leng (Toronto, Ontario) Comme des géants
• Truffe – Fanny Britt (Montréal, Quebec) and Isabelle Arsenault (Montréal, Québec) Les Éditions de la Pastèque
• Seuls – Paul Tom (Montréal, Quebec) and Mélanie Baillairgé (Montréal, Québec) la courte échelle
• Un rhume de cheval – Pierrette Dubé (Saint-Lambert, Quebec) and Enzo (Montréal, Québec) Fonfon

Translation (from English to French)

• Dans lʼombre du soleil : Réflexions sur la race et les récits – Catherine Ego (Montréal, Québec) Les Éditions du Boréal. A translation of Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling, by Esi Edugyan.
• Nʼayons pas peur du ciel – Dominique Fortier (Montréal, Québec) Éditions Alto. A translation of We Should Not Be Afraid of the Sky, by Emma Hooper.
• Père fictif – Luba Markovskaia (Montréal, Quebec) Éditions de la Pastèque. A translation of Fictional Father, by Joe Ollmann. 
• soufrelangue – Madeleine Stratford (Ottawa, Ontario) Éditions Prise de parole. A translation of sulphurtongue, by Rebecca Salazar.
• Tout est bien – Marie Frankland (Montréal, Québec) Éditions Québec Amérique. A translation of Allʼs Well, by Mona Awad.

Makeup of the 2023 English-language peer assessment committees

Fiction: Carleigh Baker, Neil Bissoondath and Jessica Westhead

Poetry: Mary Dalton, Moez Surani and Gillian Sze

Drama: Aaron Bushkowsky, Tai Amy Grauman and Julie Tamiko Manning

Non-fiction: KatłĮà Lafferty, Lorri Neilsen Glenn and Rinaldo Walcott

Young People’s Literature – Text: Cheryl Foggo, June Hur and Tom Ryan

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books: Marianne Ferrer, Lee Edward Födi and Mahak Jain

Translation (from French to English): Bilal Hashmi, Melissa Bull and Pablo Strauss

Makeup of the 2023 French-language peer assessment committees

Fiction: Edem Awumey, Danielle Dussaultand Tassia Trifiatis-Tezgel

Poetry: Mimi Haddam, Gabriel Osson and Judy Quinn

Drama: Katrine Deniset, Isabelle Hubert and Gabriel Léger-Savard

Non-fiction: Karim Akouche, Martine Jacquot and Julie Kurtness

Young People’s Literature – Text: Cheyda Haramein, Jean-François Sénéchal and Danièle Simpson

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books: Julien Chung and Andrée Lévesque-Sioui

Translation (from English to French): Rose Després, Benoit Laflamme and Marie-Thé Morin

Mark your calendars. The 14 winners will be announced on ggbooks.ca on November 8, 2023.

Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts star in LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND. Today we get a new Official Trailer for this feature, premiering at the AFI Fest tomorrow night.

Synopsis:
In this apocalyptic thriller from award-winning writer and director Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot), Amanda (Academy Award winner Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke), rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie). Their vacation is soon upended when two strangers — G.H. (Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha’la) — arrive in the night, bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and seeking refuge in the house they claim is theirs. The two families reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world. Based on the National Book Award-nominated novel by Rumaan Alam, LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND is produced by Esmail Corp, Red Om Films, and executive produced by Higher Ground Productions.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win one of this year’s top films, PAST LIVES, just nominated for three Gotham Awards! You will be changed forever once you see this.

Synopsis:

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance.

Bonus Content:
Director’s Commentary
Bounded by Fate Featurette

Product details

• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Parcel Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18 x 13.9 x 1.2 cm; 80 Grams
• Canadian Home Video Rating ‏ : ‎ Parental Guidance (PG)
• Director ‏ : ‎ Celine Song
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 46 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ Sept. 19 2023
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Producers ‏ : ‎ David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler
• Writers ‏ : ‎ Celine Song

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You can Re-Tweet this from our “X” account for another chance.

Rules and regulations here.

PAST LIVES is now in stores.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Following its world premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival, the feature-length documentary WE WILL BE BRAVE will be celebrating its hometown premiere at the 27th edition of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival on November 11, 2023.

Directed by Toronto’s Chrisann Hessing, the documentary follows the journey of Toronto’s “Good Guise” collective, who are committed to sparking conversations around healthy masculinity through art. From photography and beatboxing to poetry and martial arts, the artists in the collective share their unique lived experiences and welcome others to join in their mission of finding radical alternatives to shame and punishment. As each of them grapples with upheavals in their personal lives, their resolve is further tested by a dire lack of resources and the burden of racialized discrimination. WE WILL BE BRAVE is a story about personal evolution, healing and an unlikely brotherhood forged in vulnerability.

“We’re thrilled to bring the film to audiences in Toronto, where we shot the film and where the Good Guise are based,” said director Hessing. “We’re excited to contribute to the cultural conversations surrounding men’s mental health and raise awareness about the Good Guise collective and their important work.”

The film was produced by Tanya Hoshi and Chrisann Hessing with the support of Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program, Hot Docs Cross Currents Fund and the Indigenous Screen Office.

Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival tickets can be purchased at: https://www.reelasian.com/festival-events/we-will-be-brave/.
Learn more about the film by visiting www.wewillbebrave.ca or checking it out on Instagram and Facebook.

After premiering to raves at TIFF ’23, we get a new release date for Elevation Pictures’ FITTING IN: February 2, 2024.

Synopsis:

A joyful, comedic drama, from writer/director Molly McGlynn, Fitting In is a coming-of-age story that follows 16-year-old Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) who is unexpectedly diagnosed with a reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis upends her plans to have sex, her presumptions about womanhood and sexuality, her relationship with her mother, and most importantly, herself.

A semi-autobiographical feature written and directed by Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round), Fitting In stars Maddie Ziegler, Emily Hampshire, Djouliet Amara, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Ki Griffin. The feature film is produced by Jennifer Weiss and Liane Cunje, and executive produced by Janelle Monae, Mikael Moore, Molly McGlynn, Brenden Brady, Adrian Love, Laurie May, James Huntsman, and Lisa Gutberlet.

Directed by Molly McGlynn

Screenplay by Molly McGlynn

Starring: Maddie Ziegler, Emily Hampshire, Djouliet Amara, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Ki Griffin

We first fell in love with Reneé Rapp seeing her in popular HBO MAX series Sex Lives of College Girls. Though she came from primarily a theatre background, which then landed her a star-making run on Broadway as Regina George in Mean Girls and lucky for us, she’ll reprise the role in the upcoming film adaptation of the beloved franchise!

Rapp just recently released her full-length debut LP SNOW ANGELS, on which she penned the entire tracklist, going on to garner strong reviews. We’re still humming her first single “Too Well” from earlier this year! She sold-out her Toronto show at HISTORY last night, bringing the house down, including a hilarious interaction with a fan who was inspired to “come out” by Rapp!

We are such a huge fan of Rapp‘s and were so thrilled to meet her. Despite having a really busy day and getting like no rest being on tour, she appreciated the kind words of support. She is amazing!

(Photo/video credit: Universal Music Group/Mr. Will Wong)

UNFILTERED, the Canadian produced docuseries by TAXI that has taken audiences on an unprecedented journey through the heart of Ontario’s horse racing industry, has concluded. This series, presented by Ontario Racing and supported by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), has captivated the hearts of both seasoned racing enthusiasts and newcomers to the sport alike.

The Thrilling Finale: The grand finale of UNFILTERED offers a breathtaking view of the horse racing world like never before. Among the featured horses in this captivating conclusion are Cool Kiss, ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson, and Wickenheiser, by jockey Rafael Hernandez.

An Unprecedented Journey: Throughout the docuseries, UNFILTERED has aimed to provide audiences with an immersive, unscripted experience in the world of horse racing. The response from fans and the racing community has been overwhelming, and the impact of the series was seen at the prestigious King’s Plate event.

Voices of Enthusiasm

Maxine Chapman, VP Brand and Marketing Officer of OLG, added, “I am deeply proud of our collaboration with UNFILTERED, which has brought the exhilaration of horse racing to unprecedented heights. The King’s Plate provides the backdrop for the final episode, we take pride in shining a spotlight on the Horse Racing industry through this docuseries, contributing to the growth of the sport by attracting additional fans”.

Graham Lang, Chief Creative Officer at TAXI, emphasized the use of advanced cameras to capture The King’s Plate in the highest quality possible, saying, “UNFILTERED represents our commitment to delivering a raw and unscripted portrayal of this captivating sport that is aimed at bringing the viewer along a highly visceral and emotional journey.”

Where to Watch: As the thrilling finale of UNFILTERED approaches, viewers can now watch the full docuseries, featuring all five episodes. The series is accessible on Crave, TSN, TSN+, and YouTube.

Today, Prime Video announced its highly anticipated new series, Fallout, will premiere April 12, 2024.

Fans were treated to this special announcement on the 26th anniversary of Fallout Day, an annual celebration of all things dedicated to the award-winning and best-selling video game franchise. In addition, Amazon Studios launched the series’ official social channels to engage passionate fans across the globe. They debuted with an interactive Pip-Boy interface graphic that embedded the release date within the scrolling text to further delight and surprise fans and audiences worldwide.

Set in the future post-apocalyptic Los Angeles and world of Fallout, the series is an original story based on Fallout that will be part of the canon of the games. The series comes from Kilter Films and executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creators of Westworld. It will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

The series cast includes Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight), Aaron Moten (Emancipation), Moisés Arias (The King of Staten Island), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), Michael Emerson (Person of Interest), Leslie Uggams (Deadpool), Frances Turner (The Boys), Dave Register (Heightened), Zach Cherry (Severance), Johnny Pemberton (Ant-Man), Rodrigo Luzzi (Dead Ringers), Annabel O’Hagan (Law & Order: SVU), and Xelia Mendes-Jones (The Wheel of Time).

Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner serve as executive producers, writers and co-showrunners. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy executive produce via Kilter Films under their Amazon overall deal. Athena Wickham of Kilter Films also executive produces along with Todd Howard for Bethesda Game Studios and James Altman for Bethesda Softworks. Amazon and Kilter Films produce in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks. Nolan directed the first three episodes of the epic series.

About Kilter Films

Kilter Films is a Los Angeles-based production company founded and run by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan. Nolan is a critically acclaimed, Academy Award- and Emmy award-nominated writer, director, and producer, known for his work on The Dark Knight, Interstellar, and Memento. Joy is an Emmy award-nominated writer, director, and producer. Kilter Films produced HBO’s hit series Westworld, which recently premiered its fourth season. Westworld has amassed 54 Emmy nominations over its three seasons, along with DGA, WGA, PGA, and SAG nominations. Through their deal with Amazon, Kilter Films produced the series adaptation of William Gibson’s 2014 sci-fi thriller novel, The Peripheral, starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Gary Carr, which follows a woman in a near-future America in which technology has started to subtly alter society. They have also partnered with Bethesda Game Studios to develop Fallout, a television show for Amazon based on the worldwide best-selling video game franchise, starring Walter Goggins and Ella Purnell. In film, Joy made her feature film directorial debut with Reminiscence for Warner Bros. Starring Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, and Thandie Newton, Joy wrote the script, which landed on The Black List, and produced with her Kilter Films partner Nolan, Michael De Luca, Aaron Ryder, and Athena Wickham. Kilter Films also produces interactive and transmedia marketing for the series, including a Westworld Super Bowl spot directed by Nolan. Previously, Kilter Films created and produced CBS’ 2011-16 Emmy-nominated crime series Person of Interest, starring Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, and Taraji P. Henson.

SK Films is excited to announce that Alex and Tyler Mifflin are back again in season five of their TVO Original series THE WATER BROTHERS. The six-episode series will be airing on Thursdays at 9pm and Sundays at 7pm on TVO and will also be available online on TVO.org, TVO Docs YouTube AND on the TVO Today app. The first episode will premiere on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

The Water Brothers is an eco-adventure documentary series that explores the world, uncovering the most challenging water stories of our time. Join Alex and Tyler Mifflin as they investigate the problems and search for the solutions, with dedicated conservationists, scientists, and citizens, all to better protect our most precious resource.