Prime Video hosted a FYC Event for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Cast members Morfydd Clark (Galadriel), Ismael Cruz Córdova (Arondir), Sophia Nomvete (Princess Disa), Owain Arthur (Prince Durin IV), and Peter Mullan (King Durin III) took a break from production of the second season in the UK to gather in Los Angeles and reflect on the inaugural season.

Moderator Felicia Day also spoke with additional panelists, including several Heads of Departments with Ramsey Avery (Production Designer), Kate Hawley (Costume Designer), Ron Ames (VFX Producer/Producer), Bear McCreary (Composer), and Executive Producer/Director J.A. Bayona, each discussing their craftwork on the first season of the series.

During the panel conversation, actress Morfydd Clark shared a surprise about the second season, confirming that her canon character Galadriel will wear one of the previously forged Elven rings, and revealing that additional rings will be forged in the much-anticipated new season, giving fans a taste of what is to come.

All eight first season episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video. The Rings of Power is a part of the savings, convenience, and entertainment that Prime members enjoy in a single membership.

He’s one of the biggest music stars and brands in the world, let alone in Asia where is a megastar. At one point in 2021, he was China’s most followed star. JACKSON WANG currently is on the road with his Magic Man World Tour, landing in Toronto last night at Coca-Cola Colisseum.

The former member of massive K-Pop Boy Group Got7, has been focusing on his own projects in recent years making a splash and growing in popularity with both 2019 solo disc Mirrors and 2021 followup, Magic Man which peaked at number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart.

Wang hails from Hong Kong but his success been far-reaching with a devout fandom around the world. His brand Team Wang has a Fashion Design stream, in addition to releasing his own music, with distribution support from Warner Music.

His Magic Man World Tour Toronto stop sold-out completely, leaving fans scrambling to buy from verified resellers last night, giving fans out this way a rare chance to see him and he would not disappoint, despite much of his newer material being about feeling burnt-out from years of crushing it.

Wang was invited to last week’s Met Gala, dressed by Louis Vuitton, channeling Karl Lagerfeld, with a Cartier watch.

We had the utmost pleasure meeting Wang, who is such a kind person, taking his time to chat and give hugs. He went deep asking us our greatest life goals and giving us affirmations before heading off for the night. On his off day, he had a bit of time to go to Chinatown for some Hot Pot where he was spotted by fans.

Wang‘s new single is “Slow” (ft. Ciara). See the brand-new Video:

(Photo/video credit: Team Wang/Mr. Will Wong)

Hot Docs announced this morning the winning documentaries in this year’s official competition and the recipients of additional awards honouring Canadian and international filmmakers. The awards were revealed at the Hot Docs 2023 Awards Presentation at TIFF Bell Lightbox, hosted by arts journalist and co-founder of Media Girlfriends, Garvia Bailey. 15 awards in total were given out, including 11 awards for Festival films in competition – of which four were won by female filmmakers –and CAD 80,000 in cash and prizes were awarded. Playing on screens across Toronto, the 30th-anniversary Hot Docs Festival will close on Sunday, May 7. The Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian documentary will be announced on the last day of the Festival at a special encore screening at 7:00 pm at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. The top Canadian feature in the audience poll will receive a CAD 50,000 cash prize, courtesy of Rogers Group of Funds. The overall Audience Award winner will be announced after the Festival.

The Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary was presented to Last Respects (D: Megan Durnford | P: Megan Durnford | Canada | 2023), in which Montreal priest Abbé Claude Paradis creates a touching annual ceremony to celebrate the lives of the “unclaimed.” The award includes a $3,000 cash prize courtesy of John and Betty Youson. Jury statement: “For its human, simple and necessary approach to the universal theme of the dignity and value of every single life that stands out by virtue of its compelling, skilfully crafted visual language as much as its personal story and message.”

The Best International Short Documentary Award was presented to Mrs. Iran’s Husband (D: Marjan Khosravi | P: Milad Khosravi | Iran | 2023), a pointed exploration of family and labour in Iran. The award includes a $3,000 cash prize. Jury statement: “For its subtle intelligence and non-judgmental narrative. This honest family portrait allows us to approach a reality that deserves our attention now.”

In the Best International Short Documentary Award category, the jury also acknowledged Dear Ani (D: Micah Levin | P: Micah Levin | USA | 2022) with an honourable mention.

Hot Docs is an Academy Award qualifying festival for short documentaries and, as winners of the Best International Short Documentary Award and the Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary Award respectively, Mrs. Iran’s Husband and Last Respects will qualify for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided they comply with Academy rules.

Veteran Canadian producer Bonnie Thompson, producer of Echo of Everything (D: Cam Christiansen | P: Bonnie Thompson | Canada | 2022), received the Don Haig Award, announced at the beginning of the Festival. The award is given to an outstanding independent Canadian producer with a film in the Festival in recognition of their creative vision, entrepreneurship and track record for nurturing emerging talent and comes with a $5,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Don Haig Foundation.

The award for Best Mid-Length Documentary was presented to Being in a Place – A Portrait of Margaret Tait (D: Luke Fowler | P: Luke Fowler, Sarah Neely | UK | 2022), an experimental tribute to Scottish filmmaker Margaret Tait. Sponsored by British Pathé, the award includes a $3,000 cash prize. Jury statement: “For its uniquely direct poetic sensibility to embody the spirit and work of an undercelebrated filmmaker and the way that the director moves us through its subject’s visions by way of her archives and placing us behind her camera we chose …”

In the Best Mid-Length Documentary category, the jury also acknowledged Scala (D: Ananta Thitanat | P: Abhichon Rattanabhayon, Nontawat Numbenchapol | Thailand | 2022) with an honourable mention.

The Lindalee Tracey Award, which honours an emerging Canadian filmmaker with a passionate point of view, a strong sense of social justice and a sense of humour, was presented to Gaëlle Graton. Graton will receive a $5,000 cash prize courtesy of the Lindalee Tracey Fund, $5,000 in post-production services from SIM, and a hand-blown glass sculpture by Andrew Kuntz, specially commissioned to honour Lindalee.

Award-winning Chinese American documentarian Christine Choy received the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award. Choy’s seminal work was featured in the Outstanding Achievement Retrospective Program at this year’s Festival.

The Scotiabank Docs For Schools Student Choice Award went to Invisible Beauty (D: Bethann Hardison, Frédéric Tcheng | P: Lisa Cortés, Paul Dallas | USA | 2023 | 115 min | Canadian Premiere), pioneering Black model Bethann Hardison’s exploration of racial diversity in the fashion world. The award is given to the Festival film in the Docs For Schools education program that receives the highest rating as determined by a student poll and comes with a $5,000 cash prize, courtesy of Scotiabank.

The Earl A. Glick Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award is given to a Canadian filmmaker whose film in competition is their first or second feature-length film. The award, which includes a $3,000 cash prize courtesy of the Earl A. Glick Family, was presented to director Dominique Chaumont for Veranada (D: Dominique Chaumont | P: Dominique Chaumont | Canada, Argentina | 2022). Jury statement: “Life seems still in the Argentinian plains, but a man and his sheep give sense to a craft that seems destined to disappear. Beautiful images and a mesmerizing soundtrack make Veranada a truly authentic cinematographic experience, transporting you to a world you need to know.”

The new John Kastner Award went to Silvicola (D: Jean-Philippe Marquis | P: Jean-Philippe Marquis | Canada | 2023), exploring the human impact on forests through breathtaking vistas and poignant vignettes set in Canada’s Pacific Northwest. The Award presents $5,000 to a Canadian Spectrum feature-length documentary of courage and compassion that embodies masterful and audacious storytelling, meticulous observation, and a profound trust between the director and the people who share their stories. Jury statement: “Many films ask the question, how are we meant to exist upon a living being, our Earth. This is a masterwork of patience and complexity that doesn’t seek easy answers, and for that we lean in with humility and heartache. This is a film that holds questions we should all be asking ourselves.”

The new Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, which recognizes the producers of a film in the Canadian Spectrum program that has the greatest potential to create social impact, went to Matt King and Andrew Ferguson of Someone Lives Here (D: Zack Russell | P: Matt King, Andrew Ferguson | Canada | 2022). The $10,000 cash prize accompanying the award will help enable the winning film team to optimize the impact of the documentary through outreach and marketing activities. Jury statement: “Creating safe spaces against all odds, trying to fight humiliating circumstances, the carpenter constructs little safe heavens while authorities seem not to appreciate his efforts. This important and well-constructed film leaves us asking: how should we be living alongside each other?”

The DGC Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature Documentary was presented to Caiti Blues (D: Justine Harbonnier | P: Nellie Carrier, Julie Paratian | Canada, France | 2023), in which an ex-New Yorker now living in a remote hippie town in New Mexico struggles to revive her dreams of singing on Broadway. Sponsored by the Directors Guild of Canada and DGC Ontario, the award includes a $5,000 cash prize. Jury statement: “In a lonely universe, we travel through a world of imagination in search of identity. Music fractures and interweave in a film about struggling to become the person you dream of and are in search of. This is deeply engaging filmmaking.”

The Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award was presented to I Lost My Mom (D: Denys Desjardins | P: Denys Desjardins | Canada | 2022), an empathetic and intimate doc in which filmmaker Denys Desjardins captures his elderly mother’s experience of neglect in Quebec’s healthcare system. Supported by DOC and Telefilm Canada, the award includes a $10,000 cash prize. Jury statement: “The filmmaker made something sublime out of limits. In a time of closures, he made a handmade work of art that opens empathy. This is a work of difficult love. This is deeply heartbreaking work.”

The Best International Feature Documentary Award was given to The Mountains (D: Christian Einshøj | P: Mathilde Hvid Lippmann | Denmark | 2023), which uses 75,000 photos and 30 years of home videos to weave a tender and humorous autobiographical portrait of the men in a Scandinavian family struck by devastating tragedy. The award includes a $10,000 cash prize. Director Christian Einshøj was also the winner of The Emerging International Filmmaker Award, given to an international filmmaker whose film in competition is their first or second feature-length film. The award, supported by the Donner Canadian Foundation, includes a $3,000 cash prize. Jury statement: “This unique, eloquent, and deeply honest look at a family told through various lenses was captivating. Christian Einshoj uses humour to tell a deeply personal story that anyone who is part of a family can relate to.”

In the Best International Feature Documentary category, the jury also acknowledged A Wolfpack Named Ernesto (D: Everardo González | P: Roberto Garza, Inna Payán, Jean-Christophe Simon | Mexico, France | 2023) with an honourable mention.

Hot Docs is an Academy Award qualifying festival for feature documentaries and, as the winner of the Best International Feature Documentary Award, The Mountains will qualify for consideration in the Best Documentary Feature category of the annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided they comply with Academy rules.

The Special Jury Prize – International Feature Documentary was given to Name Me Lawand (D: Edward Lovelace | P: Fleur Nieddu, Sam Arnold, Beyan Taher, Neil Andrews, Marisa Clifford | UK | 2022), in which a young deaf Kurdish boy joyfully hones his communication skills at a UK school after a treacherous journey from Iraq, only to later face deportation from his new home. Sponsored by A&E, the award includes a $5,000 cash prize. Jury statement: “We were touched by this epic yet intimate story of a refugee family who had no choice but to leave their home to create a life for their deaf son.

The 2023 awards for films in competition were determined by four juries.

The Canadian Feature Documentary Jury:
Rodolfo Castillo-Morales (filmmaker, programmer, and curator), Shane Belcourt (filmmaker), Margje de Koning (filmmaker, educator, Artistic Director of Movies That Matter film festival).

The International Feature Documentary Jury:
Addie Morfoot (entertainment industry writer, head of editorial coverage for Variety), Ina Finchman (Oscar, BAFTA and Emmy nominated producer), Sudeep Sharma (programmer for the Sundance Film Festival).

The Mid-Length Documentary Jury:
Lina Rodriguez (filmmaker), Iris Ng (cinematographer), Amir George (award-winning filmmaker and Artistic Director of Kartemquin Films).

The Short Documentary Jury:
Anna Bressanin (US Editor of BBC Reel, the BBC’s platform for short documentary), Inga Diev (General Manager of Ouat Media), Inti Cordera (documentary filmmaker and producer).

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 rockets off to a big opening with $110 million from 4,450 theatres for this final installment in the Triology for Marvel/Disney. It gets raves from Critics with 81% on the Tomatometer. Best opening for the Series stil goes to the 2017’s second installment with $145 million in its debut.

Second is THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE, making it two films for Chris Pratt on-top. It makes $18.5 million this weekend from 3,909 theatres for Universal Pictures, a tally of $518 million over five weekends.

In third we have EVIL DEAD RISE with $5.6 million from 3,036 theatres for Warner Bros., a total $59 million over three weekends grossed.

ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET is fourth with $3.3 million for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures, earning $12.6 million it its second weekend out.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 rounds this Top Five out with $2.4 million for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures as well, bringing its seven week total to $180 million.

From the creators of DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Coming to Netflix in 2024. Today we get a title announcement for what looks to be yet another juicy series! Can’t wait to see more!

For those who don’t recall, these two brothers Lyle and Erik, rocked the world when they were convincted in 1996 for the murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez. They were both eventually sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Today, Prime Video announced the return of its hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty, launching with three episodes on Friday, July 14, 2023, with new episodes following weekly until the season finale on Friday, August 18, 2023. Based on the best-selling book trilogy from Jenny Han, Season One of the series became the No. 1 show on Prime Video during its premiere weekend. On July 14, The Summer I Turned Pretty Season Two will be a part of the savings, convenience, and entertainment that Prime members enjoy in a single membership.

Click HERE to view the release date announcement, featuring series stars Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, Sean Kaufman, and Rain Spencer, recurring guest David Iacono, and Elsie Fisher, who joined the cast this season in a recurring role. Jackie Chung and Rachel Blanchard also star, with Kyra Sedgwick joining Season Two in a recurring role.

The cast also revealed all eight episode titles for Season Two, allowing fans to speculate which of their favorite storylines from It’s Not Summer Without You, the second book in Han’s series, will translate to the screen, and what new surprises unique to the series may be in store for viewers this year.

The episode titles are as follows:

Episode 201 – “Love Lost” (Premiering July 14, 2023)
Episode 202 – “Love Scene” (Premiering July 14, 2023)
Episode 203 – “Love Sick” (Premiering July 14, 2023)
Episode 204 – “Love Game” (Premiering July 21, 2023)
Episode 205 – “Love Fool” (Premiering July 28, 2023)
Episode 206 – “Love Fest” (Premiering August 4, 2023)
Episode 207 – “Love Affair” (Premiering August 11, 2023)
Episode 208 – “Love Triangle” (Premiering August 18, 2023)

Belly used to count down the days until she could return to Cousins Beach, but with Conrad and Jeremiah fighting over her heart and the return of Susannah’s cancer, she’s not sure summer will ever be the same. When an unexpected visitor threatens the future of Susannah’s beloved house, Belly has to rally the gang to come together—and to decide once and for all where her heart lies.

Season Two of The Summer I Turned Pretty is led by showrunners Han and Sarah Kucserka. Han, Kucserka, Karen Rosenfelt, and Gabrielle Stanton serve as executive producers, along with Hope Hartman, Mads Hansen, and Paul Lee for wiip. The series is a co-production of Amazon Studios and wiip.

Jenny Han is the No. 1 New York Times best-selling author of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Summer I Turned Pretty series. Her books have been published in more than 30 languages. For television, she created two new series based on her books—Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, which she executive produces and co-showruns, and the Netflix series XO, Kitty, a spinoff of the To All the Boys universe, which she also executive produces and co-showruns. For film, she executive produced all three films in Netflix’s global hit To All the Boys trilogy. Han lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Paramount+ debuted a first look and official title for the highly anticipated espionage thriller SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS (previously titled “Lioness”). From Academy Award® nominee Taylor Sheridan, the original series stars series lead and executive producer Zoe Saldaña, Academy Award winner and executive producer Nicole Kidman, Canadian Laysla De Oliveira, and Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman. SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios exclusively for Paramount+.

SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS is based on a real-life program and follows Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira), a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine recruited to join the Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Saldaña will play Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives.

SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS will also star series regulars Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Stephanie Nur and Hannah Love Lanier with Emmy Award® Nominee Michael Kelly in a recurring role. The series is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Malone and John Hillcoat.

The series is the latest addition to Sheridan’s growing slate on Paramount+, which includes 1923, 1883, MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN, and TULSA KING as well as the upcoming series LAWMEN: BASS REEVES and LAND MAN.

For more information about Paramount+ and SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlusCA and @SpecialOpsLioness on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and @SpecOpsLioness on Twitter.

The 33rd annual Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, which proudly champions innovative 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers from across the globe, has revealed its full film lineup. Showcasing 107 films from 30 countries, including 33 feature films, and 7 world premieres. The festival will take place both in-person and virtually from May 25th to June 4th, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. The announcement was made today by Inside Out’s Co-Head & Executive Director, Elie Chivi, and Co-Head & Artistic Director, Andrew Murphy.

The festival’s opening night film this year will be the Canadian Premiere of acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs’ French romantic drama PASSAGES, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance to rave reviews. The drama about three people caught in a love triangle marked by passion, jealousy, and narcissism stars Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adele Exarchopoulos. Closing the festival will be the World Premiere of a fantastical summer romance with a big musical heart, GLITTER & DOOM by Tom Gustafson, which is a love story told through the song lyrics by the Indigo Girls and features Alex Diaz, Missy Pyle, Tig Notaro, Alan Cammish and Lea DeLaria, along with the Indigo Girls themselves.

This year’s RE:Focus Gala selection is the Sundance Next Audience Award and Berlin Panorama Audience Award winner, KOKOMO CITY by Grammy-nominated artist, D. Smith. Through laughter and conversation, D. Smith captures an unapologetic and unfiltered look into the lives of four Black transgender sex workers. The documentary also features a unique and exhilarating soundtrack that matches the film’s striking black and white visuals.

Inside Out’s Centerpiece Gala will host the World Premiere of Canadian documentary, SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei. The documentary is a moving exploration of more than four decades of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation, which continues to support the needs of the 2SLGTBQ+ communities.

Highlights from the Special Presentations lineup include the Canadian premieres of Ally Pankiw’s I USED TO BE FUNNY and Georgia Oakley’s BLUE JEAN. Fresh from its SXSW Grand Jury Nomination, I USED TO BE FUNNY features Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY), Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Dani Kind, and Ennis Esmer. The Canadian writer-director’s debut feature is about an au pair and aspiring stand-up comic, struggling with PTSD, who must decide if she wants to join the search for a missing teen she used to nanny. BLUE JEAN is a story about a gym teacher living a double life in Thatcher’s England. It comes to Inside Out after winning Venice’s Giornate Degli Autori’s People’s Choice, Best Lead Performance for star Rosy McEwen at the British Independent Film Awards, as well as multiple BAFTA nominations, including Outstanding Debut for Oakley.

Other notable festival titles include the World Premieres of Loveleen Kaur’s music documentary LEILANI’S FORTUNE, which follows queer, immigrant Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry; and Ian Gabriel’s RUNS IN THE FAMILY, a heartfelt dramedy about a father-son road trip across South Africa. Inside Out will also host the Canadian premiere of MUTT, which played at the Berlin and Sundance festivals earlier this year to critical acclaim, and focuses on a trans character as they adjust into their new life and identity.

Additional festival highlights include the Canadian premieres of 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren. The Berlin Guild Film Prize winner is the story of a young child and her path to discover her identity alongside her mother and the women in her family; and ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, the Teddy Award winner by Nigeria’s Babtunde Apalowo about a delivery driver in Lagos whose quiet life is disrupted by a friendly, easy-going photographer.

Inside Out will also host a special 20th Anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s SCHOOL OF ROCK, starring Jack Black, with cast member Rivkah Reyes in attendance (who also has a film they wrote, GIANNA, playing at the festival).

“We are thrilled to welcome audiences to the 33rd annual Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. We are incredibly grateful to our members, donors, sponsors and stakeholders as well as our queer filmmaking family, for their continued loyalty and support, and without whom, this festival would not be possible,” said Elie Chivi, Co-Head and Executive Director.

“2023 is the year of Inside Out! Further solidifying our place in the spring pre-pride calendar, the Inside Out family has been hard at work to unveil today the best and most crucial cinematic voices from the 2SLGBTQ+ community.” said Andrew Murphy, Co-Head and Artistic Director. “Built around the heart of our cinematic experiences, we continue to strive to build experiences of connection, industry and professional development, and at the end of the night, a dance floor, because joy comes in many forms,” commented Andrew Murphy, Co-Head & Artistic Director.

“This year’s program offers an eclectic and captivating lineup of films, showcasing the rich and multifaceted experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ communities globally and right here in our own backyard. From the bold and innovative works of local talent Luis De Filippis, VT Nayani, and Ally Pankiw to the world premieres and festival favorites from 30 countries, we are excited for our audience to join us and explore the complex and joyful nuances of queer life,” added Jenna Dufton, Director of Festival Programming.

Inside Out, in addition to being a major resource for 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers and showcasing their work through the flagship festival, is one the world’s leading 2SLGBTQ+ film organizations, having founded the world’s only 2SLGBTQ+ Feature Finance Forum. The selected participants and mentors for the 8th edition International Financing Forum, will be announced in the coming weeks. Finance Forum success stories screening in this year’s festival are BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND (Trevor Anderson), BLUE JEAN (Georgia Oakley), GLITTER & DOOM (Tom Gustafson), GOLDEN DELICIOUS (Jason Karman), MUTT (Vuk Lungulov-Klotz), and SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT (Luis De Filippis).

The programming team is led by Director of Festival Programming Jenna Dufton, and is comprised of Lucia Linares (Programming Coordinator), and programmers Ferdosa Abdi, Rasheed Bailey, Ashley Bodika, Katherine Connell, Jacob Crepeault, Ferrin Evans, Ahlam Hassan, Claire Jarvis, Allia McLeod, Emma Pitters-Fisher, Nik Redman, and Scott Smart.

All in-person screenings at the festival will take place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto, and all industry events, including the opening and closing night parties, as well as the activities for the LGBTQ International Financing Forum, will take place at Artscape Sandbox. Many films will also be available virtually and available in Ontario.

Individual tickets for screenings (in person and digital), ticket packages, and all-access passes are on sale as of today at insideout.ca.

The full 2023 festival selections include:

OPENING GALA

PASSAGES, directed by Ira Sachs (France/Narrative)
The latest work by acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs starring Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogowski and Adele Excharpouplo, is a tale about two men who wonder if their crumbling marriage can survive when one of them has an affair with a woman.

CLOSING GALA

GLITTER & DOOM, director by Tom Gustafson (USA/Narrative)
When carefree Glitter and aspiring musician Doom meet it is love at first sight but they have only 29 days to discover if their love will last. Told through song lyrics by the Indigo Girls, the romance features some of their greatest hits, including the iconic anthem “Closer to Fine.” The film stars Alex Diaz, Alan Cammish, Lea DeLaria, Missi Pyle, Tig Notaro, and the Indigo Girls themselves.

RE:FOCUS GALA

KOKOMO CITY, directed by D. Smith (USA/Documentary)
Through conversation and laughter, Grammy nominated artist D. Smith presents a vibrant portrait of four black transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia who reflect on belonging and identity within the Black community and beyond.

CENTREPIECE GALA

SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei (Canada/Documentary)
A moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

I USED TO BE FUNNY, directed by Ally Pankiw (Canada/Narrative)
An au pair and aspiring stand-up comedian, struggling with PTSD, must decide to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny as she tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage.

BLUE JEAN, directed by Georgia Oakley (UK/Narrative)
Jean, a gym teacher, struggling to live her life openly under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government faces a crisis with the arrival of a new student that challenges Jean to her core.

PREMIERES

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS), directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain / Narrative)
An eight-year-old child struggles with identity, her birth name feels very wrong, and her nickname Cocó doesn’t feel quite right either. During a summer among the beehives, she explores her name and identity alongside her mother and the women of her family.

OPPONENT (MOTSTANDAREN), directed by Milad Alami (Sweden/Narrative)
Iman and his family were forced to flee Iran and end up in northern Sweden. To protect his family he joins a local wrestling club. However, one sparring partner in particular ignites old feelings and Iman must choose between his own desires and the safety of his family.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY, directed by Ian Gabriel (South Africa/Narrative)
Former scam artist Varun and his trans drag performer son, River, embark on a road trip across South Africa. As River worries about missing Her Majesty’s Drag Competition and the opportunity to win the prize money to pay for his top surgery, secrets bubble to the surface and the duo’s relationship will be tested like never before.

SISI & I (SIS & ICH), directed by Frauke Finsterwalder (Germany, Switzerland, Austria/ Narrative)
Countess Irma finds Empress Sisi in Greece, away from the etiquette of the court. They live in freedom, but no matter how much Irma and Sisi resist, in the end they are left with only one fatal path that will bind them together forever.

ICONS

COMMITMENT TO LIFE, directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (USA / Documentary)
Hollywood played a critical role in the battle against HIV/AIDS as doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists came together to change the path of the epidemic and how the world saw it.

HUMMINGBIRDS, directed by Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefania ‘Beba” Contreras (USA/ Documentary)
Filmmakers and activists Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras are coming of age in Laredo, Texas. Stuck in an immigration process with the threat of deportation for their families, they boldly refuse to be scared into submission and spend their days planning protest actions while expressing themselves with music, poetry, and art, creating magic in everyday moments.

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?, directed by Ella Glendining (UK/Documentary)
Filmmaker Ella Glendining was born with a very rare disability. Using intimate video diary entries, conversations with similarly bodied people and doctors treating her condition, Ella explored what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.

IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL, directed by Alexandria Bambach (USA/Documentary)
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school as queer friends who never expected to make it big. Against all odds, they broke through in the 1980s, maintaining musical careers on their own terms with an unwavering commitment to progressive politics and queer rights.

LEILANI’S FORTUNE, directed by Loveleen Kaur (Canada/Documentary)
An intimate journey with queer, immigrant, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet, as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry. After a decade of making music she is now receiving critical acclaim and nominations, finally getting the validation and support she needs to embark on the creation of the album of her prophecies.

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

A QUEER’S GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL LIVING, directed by Ari Conrad Birch and Michal Heuston (Canada/Documentary)
The lives of four queer folks from various religions meet at the intersection of faith and queerness – Summeiya, the genderfluid founder of Queer Muslim Network Toronto, Juliana, a bisexual teacher and former Baptist Christian, Vaibhav, a gay Hindu dancer, and Ari, a trans Coptic Orthodox drag artist.

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, directed by Trevor Anderson (Canada/Narrative)
Robin’s arrival at a small-town Alberta middle-school causes a stir because the students aren’t sure of Robin’s gender. When Robin becomes friends with Trevor, the school bully, their friendship is put to the test when they are both attracted to Izzy.

BLOOM ROOM, directed by Tristen Sutherland, Yasmijn Nicolle, Christian Anderson, Sochima Nwakaeze, Ajahnis Charley (Canada/Series)
This six-episode series follows a group of Black millennials in an online community who love plants. As the group becomes entangled in each other’s lives, they find purpose in caretaking for their plants and their budding relationships.

GOLDEN DELICIOUS, directed by Jason Karman (Canada/Narrative)
Everyone wants something from high school senior Jake. But it’s not until Aleks, an openly gay teen with a love for basketball, moves in across the street that Jake begins to struggle with his own desires. To get closer to Aleks, Jake devotes himself to making the basketball team – only to realize it’s not basketball he really wants.

SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT, directed by Luis de Filippis (Canada, Switzerland/Narrative)
Ren reluctantly accompanies her very Italian family on a beach resort holiday. As Ren navigates a resort not suited to her trans identity and coped with her parents’ loving yet overbearing nature, she tries to balance the yearning for independence and the need to rely even more on her family’s support.

THIS PLACE, directed by V.T. Nayani (Canada/Narrative)
Kawenniióhstha leaves her community of Kahnawà:ke for Toronto and to find her Iranian father, who she has never met. Malai is a Tamil woman dealing with her father’s terminal illness and trying to decide what her future should look like. The women meet by chance but form an intense attraction and bond as they navigate complex issues of identity and family.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

A PLACE OF OUR OWN (EK JAGAH APNI), directed by Ektara Collective (India/Narrative)
Trans women Laila and Roshni are looking for housing after they are evicted from their rental. As their search continues, it transcends physical spaces and biological bonds, and as new friendships blossom, help arrives from unexpected places.

ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, directed by Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria/Narrative)
Bambino is a delivery driver in Lagos, living a quiet life but when he meets Bawa, a friendly and easygoing photographer, something clicks. But in a country where homosexuality is illegal and taboo, Bambino doesn’t know what to do with their connection; judging by the life choices of his friend Ifeyinwa, the options seem limited.

ALMAMULA, directed by Juan Sebastian Torales (France, Argentina, Italy/Narrative)
After being gay bashed by local boys, Nino’s family moves to their country home. Nino is forced to attend confirmation class and is warned not to enter a nearby forest or risk being captured by the Almamula, a mythic creature that takes away those who commit carnal sins. But he is pulled to explore the forest and find out if the Almamula is real.

BIG BOYS, directed by Corey Sherman (USA/Narrative)
Jamie’s dream camping trip is ruined before it even begins when he finds out that his beloved cousin is bringing her new boyfriend. Jamie’s initial jealousy of the competent and confident Dan quickly turns into a friendship as the weekend progresses, and Jamie comes to terms with who he is.

MUTT, directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (USA/Narrative
Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña’s past are thrust back into his life after he lost since transitioning – his relationships with his father, his younger half-sister, and his ex-boyfriend – all while tackling the day-to-day challenges of living life in-between.

NARROW PATH TO HAPPINESS, directed by Kata Olah (Hungary, USA/Narrative)
A young Romani couple living in a remote village in Hungary have a very big dream: to make a musical based on their lives so they go to Budapest where they can live more openly. But, they must return to their village for one final reckoning, hoping to finally find the inspiration to write their own happy ending.

NORWEGIAN DREAMS, directed by Levi Igor Devold (Norway, Poland, Germany/Narrative)
Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. He begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. When a strike breaks out, his loyalty to his fellow workers is tested.

QUEENDOM, directed by Agniia Galdanova (USA/Documentary)
Gena, an artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public, which becomes a new form of art and activism and puts her life in danger.

SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING: SCHOOL OF ROCK, directed by Richard Linklater (USA/Narrative)
Fired from his band, down and out rockstar Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is desperate for work and takes a job as a substitute music teacher at an uptight private school where his attitude and hijinks have a powerful effect on his students.
Special guest, Rivkah Reyes (Katie), will be in attendance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mike White and Richard Linklater’s classic comedy.

THE VENUS EFFECT (VENUSEFFEKTEN), directed by Anna Emma Haudal (Denmark/Narrative)
Responsible and level-headed Liv believes she has her whole life figured out but cracks begin to show in her stable and simple life the arrival of eccentric artist Andrea. As the two women grow closer Liv’s life is thrown off course and she must contend with a breakup, a divorce, and an identity crisis that jeopardizes her shot at a happy life with the woman she loves.

WOLF AND DOG (LOBO E CAO), directed by Claudia Varejao (Portugal, France/Narrative)
Friends Ana and Luis were born on the island of São Miguel. Both have been expected to fit into the lives that have been laid out for them. But watching Luis push back against his father’s expectations, Ana begins to question the world around her.

SHORTS PROGRAM

The full shorts lineup can be found here.

Future of Film Showcase (FOFS), Canada’s most sought-after festival for emerging Canadian filmmakers, turns 10! To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the festival welcomes 2023 Canadian Screen Award winner Lamar Johnson (Brother, The Last of Us) as this year’s keynote speaker and announces the official film selections and industry programming. Tickets to the four-day festival — taking place May 18 – 21, 2023 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre (259 Richmond St. W), Startwell Studios (230 Niagara St.), and virtually across Canada — are on sale now at fofs.ca. 

This year’s FOFS feature film selection is the Toronto premiere of Geneviève Albert’s critically acclaimed debut feature film NOÉMIE SAYS YES. Written and directed by Albert, the story follows 15-year-old Noémie who befriends a group of delinquents and falls in love with a pimp. After some convincing, she finds herself thrust into life as an escort. The film received 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominations for Best First Feature Film, as well as Performance in a Leading Role for Kelly Depeault. Preceding the feature is the Toronto premiere of short film RESTE directed by Quebecois filmmaker Ginger La Pecheur, following the story of a young girl left alone in an apartment, bringing to light what can be the daily life of a child with candor and bitterness. Both films will screen on Sunday, May 21st at the Scotiabank Theatre. 

The official shorts programming features an exciting lineup from emerging Canadian talent including: 

• Marilyn Cooke’s award-winning and incisive NO GHOST IN THE MORGUE (TIFF ‘22), a 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Live Action Short Drama; 
• the Toronto festival premieres of LATE SUMMER, a whimsical romance in the vein of Canadian legend Guy Maddin, from Winnipeg filmmaker Ryan Steel, and Toronto filmmaker Suzannah Moore’s insular drama QUICHE, presenting a quite gaze over a suspicious neighbor and a private new mother;
• the Ontario premieres of Montreal filmmaker Charles Marois’ HORIZONS, an experimental short that deconstructs the landscape in a way that makes us lose our sense of reality and continuity, and Toronto filmmaker Richard Reeves’ INTERSEXTION, an experimental animation in which two abstract energies fall in love, unite as one, then disappear into a vanishing point. 
• EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT (SXSW ‘22), an intimate portrait of anguish during the beginning of the COVID Pandemic, directed by Montreal’s Farhad Pakdel;
• I THOUGHT THE WORLD OF YOU (TIFF ‘22, VIFF ‘22), an elegiac, sensuous fictionalization of a real life Canadian musician’s myth, from Vancouver based filmmaker Kurt Walker;
• Katie Matthew and Jess Shane’s Guantanamo Bay-set aural documentary SIGNAL AND NOISE, a stirring investigation into colonial effects through senses not often considered; 
• BLUE GARDEN (Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival ‘22), a hybrid documentary-animation about a Japanese-Canadian fisherman during the WW2 internment, by Vancouver’s Natalie Murao; and
• the experimental drama AT EACH NIGHT from Montreal’s Marie-Josée Tremblay.

“Film’s immersive experience has the power to excite, inspire, transform and transport audiences, and the conversation that follows our screenings offers a window into the motivations and processes of leading professionals,” said Eric Bizzarri, Co-Founder and CEO, Future of Film Showcase. “We’re looking forward to celebrating 10 years of the Future of Film Showcase with audiences in person and virtually across Canada, and connecting aspiring talent with industry veterans and rising stars like Lamar Johnson. This year’s program is not to be missed!” 

FOFS also presents seven awards to featured filmmakers: Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Picture Editing, Best Director, Best Screenplay and People’s Choice. Award winners are selected by the FOFS 2023 Jury: Jason Anderson (TIFF), Brad Deane (Producer, So Much Tenderness), Samah Ali (Hot Docs, DOC NYC), Miryam Charles (Director, Cette Maison), Anthony Q Farrell (writer and producer; The Office), and Simone Holland (Content Creator, Wieden + Kennedy). The People’s Choice Award is determined by audience vote. The award-winning films will stream free across Canada on CBC Gem beginning May 23, 2023.

In addition, FOFS presents industry programming that offers valuable development opportunities through workshops, panel discussions and one-on-one mentorship, directed towards fostering the future of emerging Canadian filmmakers. 

Industry Programming Highlights for the FOFS’ 10^th Anniversary include:

Thursday, May 18

• The Future of Equity in Film Panel, Co-Presented by Fae Pictures: In conversation with Christopher Yip (Showrunner, Streams Flow from a River), Yazmeen Kanji (Founder, Films With a Cause), and Thomas Antony Olajide (Learn to Swim) and moderated by Aashna Thakkar (Manager of Programming, Regent Park Film Festival), the panel centers on the importance of equity within the film industry and explores initiatives that can help improve it. 

Friday, May 19

• One-on-One Virtual Coffees Sessions, Presented by the DGC Ontario: Participants can register for a 15-minute one-on-one conversation with an industry professional in their area of interest to network and receive valuable insight, advice, and mentorship. Sessions are available for directing, producing, cinematography, art department, picture editing, sound editing and more. The meetings are not pitch sessions. A variety of diverse industry professionals will participate, including Tom Hastings (Paramount+ Canada), Melanie Hadley (Executive Director, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada), Carolyn Wu (Bell Media), Abdul Malik (Fae Pictures), Claire Peace McConnell (VVS Films), Jenn Kuzmyk (Banff World Media Festival), Paige Murray (CBC) and others. 

• In The Casting Room BIPOC Workshop, Presented by ACTRA Toronto:  BIPOC actors have the opportunity to meet with and audition for leading casting directors Millie Tom (Casting, Degrassi: The Next Generation), Larissa Mair (Casting, Run the Burbs, The Hardy Boys), Sergio Alvarado (The Brunch Store Casting) and Linds Christopher (Casting, Family Feud Canada). Actors will receive feedback and critique and have the ability to foster a relationship with their assigned casting directors. 

• In The Casting Room Panel, Presented by ACTRA Toronto: Toronto’s leading casting directors will discuss how actors can create greater impact with their self-tape and auditions. Following the open panel discussion, Janet Rose Nguyen will moderate a Q&A session with Millie Tom, Larissa Mair, Sergio Alvarado and Linds Christopher. This panel will be ASL interpreted and a recording will be posted to FOFS’ digital channels with closed captioning. 

Saturday, May 20

• How To Get Funded Panel,  Presented by Canada Media Fund: Access to funding is fundamental to a film’s success. Join some of Canada’s leading funding organizations for an intimate discussion about what they look for when selecting projects, including the different funding opportunities that exist within their space. Participating in the panel are Peter Kingstone (Toronto Arts Council), Ayesha Husain (Telefilm Canada), Zachary Goldkind (Director of Programming, FOFS), and moderator Eman Pathan (Chief Financial Officer, FOFS). This event will be ASL Interpreted and a recording of this panel will be posted to FOFS’ digital channels with closed captioning.
  
• Art Department Panel: New this year, FOFS presents an informative discussion featuring various departments within the art department, such as production design, set decoration, props and more. Learn about various roles, day-to-day duties and pathways to working within the art department, moderated by Frances Santiago (Creative Director, FOFS) and featuring Flora Yin (Production Designer, OLG x Raptors, Foot Locker, Little Caesars), Chelsea Attong (Production Designer, The Bay, McDonald’s, Junos 2022), Michelle Braham (Property Master, No Time to Die) and Dialla Kawar (Production Designer, Soft, Learn to Swim)

Sunday, May 21

• Closing Keynote Conversation with Lamar Johnson: This in-conversation discussion will explore Johnson’s journey as an actor; his body of work, and touch on how to pursue a career in the industry for young creatives hoping to follow their passions within film.

• Web & TV Pilot Workshop, Presented by Canada Media Fund and Fae Pictures: The workshop begins with a special screening of the pilot episodes of CTV’s Shelved, a new workplace comedy from creator Anthony Q Farrell (The Office, Run the Burbs); Fakes, a new digital series by David Turko; as well as digital series virgins! from Aden Abebe. Farrell, Abebe, and Jasmin Mozaffari (Firecrackers) will lead a discussion following the screenings. 

For more information, visit fofs.ca. Future of Film Showcase can be found on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @FutureFilmShow and #FOFS2023.  

It was a total earth-shattering moment when I realized there actually is a JEWISH MATCHMAKING series coming soon to Netflix. You all know how much I love INDIAN MATCHMAKING, but is this branch of the Series a worthy successor of it’s predecessor?

We had the opportunty to preview a few episodes of JEWISH MATCHMAKING, which centers on professional Matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom, as she tries to help single Jewish men and women find love from the US to Israel. Aleeza is refreshing in that she goes by the philosophy that she doesn’t care so much that it has to be her making the match, so much as that her clients actually find love somehow. Even if it means on their own.

Along the way, we meet some singles here and more often than not they want something physical. Ori is coming off a long-term relationship but is uncompromising about wanting his partner to have good looks more than anything. And even at that he’s rather picky to boot and lacks self-awareness even though he has a good group of friends who aren’t afraid to keep him in-check.

Harmonie is in her 40s and has a big, bubbly personality. She also wants someone whom she is physically attracted to, but Aleeza makes her go outside her comfort zone, dating someone who could ground her, but is she ready for that?

Dani is particular about her partner’s eyebrows, almost to the point it is an obsession. Not only does the man she date have to be really handsome, but also possess amazing eyebrows. But of course, they can’t be better than hers!

JEWISH MATCHMAKING draws its audience in with quirks in its singles, which while not apparent to them, are plain to see for the audience. Though the Series doesn’t quite have the same charm and mysticism that INDIAN MATCHMAKING possesses, it is entertaining enough even though the singles we meet here don’t quite have the same humility we saw with Sima Aunty‘s crew.

The Show makes an intersting point of how the various divides and how religious – or “Flexodox” – these singles are, can dictate the dynamic of the relationship. Case in point – Fay and Shaya, a couple whose chemistry is absolutely off-the-charts when we meet them. So while some pairings appear somewhat successful, one partner being more religious, can sway the fate of their chemistry even when everything’s there on paper.

JEWISH MATCHMAKING arrives May 3, 2023 on Netflix.