Sid Sriram already is a huge star globally but he is about to build a fanbase in the English-speaking world very soon. He has devout fanbases in the Tamil ,Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Marathi-speaking communities and now is prepping the release of his English-language debut album with Universal Music.

The Berklee graduate was raised and educated in California before moving to Chennai, and then Colorado where he is based now. His sound can be described as California, Minnesota, R&B and Carnatic Music fused together.

Sriram worked with Ryan Olson and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver on this upcoming studio disc and it was an amazing experience seeing and hearing him perform live before an intimate audience at a private showcase held in Toronto at Drake Underground. He tells the audience he actually has been to the City before, but this is somewhere we wanted to debut this new material.

In support of the Album, Sriram did three days of Press in the City, ensuring he reaches that deserved new audience. His voice is a magical emotive instrument and his Music truly takes you to a different place. Debut single “Do the Dance” arrives late March.

Some highlights from his performance below:

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

Super Channel and the Canadian Film Fest (CFF), an indie-spirited festival dedicated to celebrating Canadian filmmakers, are pleased to team up for the fourth time to present a hybrid festival from March 28 to April 1. Canadian Film Fest Presented by Super Channel will showcase nine features, 25 shorts, and a digital series, running concurrently for audiences to enjoy in-person at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre and virtually on Super Channel Fuse. Tickets for the theatrical screenings can be purchased at canfilmfest.ca starting March 7, 2023.

“With the festival returning to the theatre this year, we are proud to be able to continue our partnership with the team at the CFF to bring these unique and engaging Canadian stories to a national audience to enjoy,” said Don McDonald, President and CEO, Super Channel.

“We have continued to see an incredible amount of submissions from Canadian filmmakers of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The level of talent and originality truly demonstrates the need for more homegrown storytelling. We’re proud to partner with Super Channel again to give cinephiles across Canada the opportunity to watch some of the best Canadian films and we’re also thrilled to invite local audiences back into the theatre,” said Ashleigh Rains, Festival Director, Canadian Film Fest.

The festival will open with the Toronto premiere of the Quebec-made comedy, Babysitter from director Monia Chokri, which was recently nominated for multiple 2023 Canadian Screen Awards. Adapted by Canadian playwright and screenwriter Catherine Léger’s play of the same name, and starring Patrick Hivon, Monia Chokri, Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Steve Laplante, the film explores what happens to a man after a sexist joke goes viral and the therapeutic journey he embarks on to free himself from sexism and misogyny. Opening night will also include the World Premiere of Streams Flow From a River as an exclusive Super Channel presentation. This six-episode short digital series directed by Christopher Yip is a character-driven drama about the struggles immigrant families face while trying to make a home. This marks the festival’s first digital series to be part of its line-up.

The Canadian premiere of the Super Channel Original feature film, Wintertide from writer/director John Barnard will close the festival. The film stars Niamh Carolan as a volunteer watchperson of an isolated northern city who battles a plague of depression that transforms the few remaining residents into empty, zombie-like automatons.

The festival includes an incredible line up of feature films this year including the Canadian Premiere of Polarized by director Shamim Sarif, about the unexpected connection between two women from the same town as they face barriers of race, religion and class; the documentary Bloom by director Fanie Pelletier, which explores the world of today’s teen girls; and Bystanders directed by Koumbie where a group of childhood friends share their traditional weekend getaway and forced to confront the elephant in the room. CFF will proudly showcase 25 Canadian short films including Joy Webster’s Menace about a young woman who gets reverent against her ex-boyfriend; Alex from director Aisha Evelyna following an unassuming Black woman shopping with her friend who is forced to reckon with judgement when all-too-familiar oppressive systems kick into gear; and Sean McCarron’s comedy Corvine about an eccentric boy who has trouble fitting in at school due to his obsession with crows.

This year’s slate of compelling Canadian features and shorts includes 61% female and 54% BIPOC filmmakers.

See below for the complete festival schedule or visit at canadianfilmfest.ca. All of the feature films will be available on Super Channel and will have a limited broadcast presentation during the festival’s run.

The 2023 Canadian Film Fest presented by Super Channel features schedule:

(All feature presentations both in theatre and on-air are preceded by a brief introduction and short film. All times are ET. Check local listings for Super Channel broadcast times)

Tuesday, March 28:

7 pm ET – Babysitter (Drama) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Monia Chokri
Cast: Patrick Hivon, Monia Chokri, Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Steve Laplante
Middle-aged Cédric is suspended from work after drunkenly kissing a female reporter on live TV. Stuck at home with his girlfriend, Nadine and their crying baby, Cédric teams up with his brother, Jean-Michel, to co-author a book apologizing for their past misogyny. Enter Amy: a mysterious and provocative young babysitter who, like a Mary Poppins of the libido, forces the trio to confront their sexual anxieties while turning their lives upside down.

Opening with the short film Momma’s Boy (director Sonny Atkins, World Premiere)

9 pm ET (Special Super Channel broadcast presentation only) – Streams Flow From a River (Drama) – World premiere (Super Channel Original Production)
Director: Christopher Yip
Cast: Jane Luk, Jinny Wong, Raymond Chan, Danielle Ayow, Liam Ma, Simon Sinn, Benjamin Sutherland, Brett Houghton, Wesley French
A freak snowstorm traps a dysfunctional Chinese Canadian family together in their rural Albertan hometown, forcing them to confront the events a decade prior that tore them all apart.

Wednesday, March 29:

7 pm ET – When Time Got Louder (Drama) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Connie Cocchia
Cast: Willow Shields; Locklyn Munro; Elizabeth Mitchell; Jonathan Simao
Departing for college, Abbie leaves her parents and brother who has autism and is non-verbal. As she explores her independence and sexuality, she’s torn between her new life and her love for her brother.

Opening with the short film Great Seeing You (director Holly Pruner, Toronto Premiere)

9 pm ET – Bystanders (Drama) – Toronto Premiere (produced in association with Super Channel)
Director: Koumbie
Cast: Marlee Sansom, Katelyn McCulloch, Deborah Castrilli, Cavell Holland, Peter Sarty, Taylor Olson
Kyle is Justin’s brother, Zeke is Justin’s roommate, Lily is Justin’s biggest fan, Sophia is Justin’s critic and Ayda is Justin’s first love. This group of childhood friends, now in their 20s, share their traditional spring weekend getaway and are forced to confront the elephant in the room: Justin.

Opening with the short film There Are No Children Here (director Shehrezade Mian, Toronto premiere)

Thursday, March 30:

7 pm ET – How to Get My Parents to Divorce (Comedy) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers
Cast: Charlotte St-Martin, Isabelle Blais, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Liam Patenaude, Charlie Fortier, Louka Amadeo Bélanger-Leos et Simone Laperle
Justine is about to finish grade six and is tired of her parents fighting all the time. Maybe she’ll be happier if they divorce? In order to force their hand, the pre-teen decides to create her own court. The end-of-school-year show is the pretext for this. With her friends, she must find young people from her entourage who will serve as lawyers and judges. When her plan turns into an obsession, her friendships may suffer. Especially since the situation could very well escape her…

Opening with the short film Sissy (directors Caleb Harwood, Simon Paluck, World Premiere)

9 pm ET – Golden Delicious (Drama) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Jason Karman
Cast: Cardi Wong, Chris Carson, Parmiss Sehat, Ryan Mah, Leeah Wong, Claudia Kai, Jesse Hyde, Hunter Dillon, Zavien Garrett, Jeffrey Joseph
When basketball-obsessed Aleks moves in across the street, Asian-Canadian teen Jake finds himself trying out for the basketball team to get his attention in this classic coming-of-age drama set in the digital age.

Opening with the short film majboor-e-mamool (director Haaris Qadri, Toronto Premiere)

Friday, March 31:

7 pm ET – Bloom (Documentary) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Fanie Pelletier
Through moments in the lives of three groups of girls, images gleaned from the web and live streams of young women around the world, BLOOM delves into the world of today’s teenage girls. We delicately observe a hyper-connected but lonely generation inhabited by great lucidity, an inner struggle with self-image obsession, and a need for self-affirmation in the face of a complex sense of alienation.

Opening with the short film Shallots and Garlic (aka Bawang Merah Bawang Putih) (directed by Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, Toronto Premiere)

9 pm ET – Retrograde (Drama) – Toronto Premiere
Director: Adrian Murray
Cast: Molly Reisman, Sofia Banzhaf, Bessie Cheng, Meelad Moaphi, Dean Tardioli, Erik Anderson
A minor traffic citation spirals into an all-consuming obsession for a neurotic young woman.

Opening with the short film Alex (director Aisha Evelyna, Toronto Premiere)

Saturday, April 1:

2 pm ET – Homegrown Shorts Program 1 – featuring Corvine, Amani, The Untouchable, Junior’s Giant, Soap, Everything Will Be Alright, October 5^th, Quiet Minds Silent Streets

4 pm ET – Homegrown Shorts Program 2 – featuring The Temple, There Was Nothing, Bach Ma, Fursona, Call Me Daddy, No Bedroom, The English Teacher, Desi Time Travel

7 pm ET – Polarized (Drama) – Canadian Premiere
Director: Shamim Sarif
Cast: Holly Deveaux, Maxine Denis, Tara Samuel, Adam Hurtig, Hesham Hammoud, Abraham Asto, Baraka Rahmani
North America, present day. In a fading small town, Lisa goes to work at an ‘urban farm’ – the kind of controlled production that has helped push traditional farms like her family’s out of business. The political climate – leaning against immigrants – feels threatening for the urban farm owners – Dalia and her successful, Muslim family. Weeks before Dalia’s wedding, a heated encounter between the two women exposes deep prejudices and results in Lisa losing her job. But it’s only the start of an unexpected connection between these two women from the same town, but very different worlds. As the pair face a growing attraction, they will have to break the barriers of race, religion and class that separate them, or risk settling for the lives their families have laid out.

Opening with the short film Rachel and Raha (director Nedda Sarshar, Toronto Premiere)

9 pm ET – Wintertide (Drama, Horror, Zombie) – Canadian Premiere (Super Channel Original)
Director: John Barnard
Cast: Niamh Carolan, Solange Sookram, Jeremy Walmsley, Michael O’Sullivan
Beth, a volunteer watch person of an isolated northern city battles a plague of depression that transforms the few remaining residents into empty, zombie-like automatons. She discovers that by entering an alternative dimension through her own dreams, she’s able to stave off the illness during the long, possibly endless winter. But will her power be enough to sustain her?

Opening with the short film Menace (director Joy Webster, Toronto Premiere)

Sunday, April 2: Rebroadcast of winning films (to be announced)

TIFF is delighted to announce the 2023 TIFF Writers’ Studio participants. Now in its 12th year, Writers’ Studio is a collaborative, five-day intensive lab offering Canadian and international screenwriters and writer-directors a space to consolidate skills, exchange ideas, and navigate challenges, while participating in workshops, artist talks, peer-to-peer mentorships, and one-on-one project development consultations guided by industry experts. Writers’ Studio will take place March 20–24, 2023, at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

With more than 200 submissions from around the world, TIFF is proud to announce that the following writers have been selected: Teyama Alkamli, Berkley Brady, Harry Cepka, Luis De Filippis, Idil Ibrahim, Aaron Lucas, Nesaru Tchaas, and Farida Zahran. Five participants from the 2023 class will also be awarded a grant generously supported by CHANEL to further the development of their feature-length script. The selected participants are Teyama Alkamli, Berkley Brady, Luis De Filippis, Idil Ibrahim, and Farida Zahran.

“Programmes like the Writers’ Studio help spark the next generation of storytellers, both in Canada and internationally,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “At TIFF, we are committed to providing professional development and access to the industry, with leading experts to foster new talent. We see the big impact every year.”

This year’s lab will support the development of feature-film scripts through dedicated one-on-one discussions with international story consultants Andrew Ahn, Trey Ellis, Christina Lazaridi, and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith. Additionally, the participants will engage in daily artist talks and workshops facilitated by renowned filmmakers and industry experts including Ashley Comeau, Brad Fraser, Marilyn McCallum, and Anthony Shim. From the Canadian Film Centre’s CBC Actors Conservatory, alumni including Getenesh Berhe, Vivien Endicott-Douglas, and Araya Mengesha will join for a full-day table read of the projects in development.

As a major supporter of Share Her Journey, the CHANEL Women Writers’ Network provides funding to advance the careers of women and non-binary participants and alumni of TIFF Writers’ Studio. The multi-year program, launched in 2021, includes additional access to script consultants and established screenwriters, peer-to-peer sessions with emerging filmmakers, and a talent summit that allows writers to showcase their work to producers and other industry insiders. CHANEL’s participation extends and enriches TIFF’s support for writers and writer-directors by facilitating the acceleration and development of their projects and by offering opportunities to connect with a diverse network of mentors and peers.

TIFF’s Talent Development programmes are produced by Jane Kim, Industry Programming Producer, and Anita Tavakol, Talent Development Manager, and supported in part by TIFF’s Share Her Journey initiative. Now a permanent initiative, Share Her Journey began in 2017 as a five-year campaign and commitment to address gender parity and to champion women in front of and behind the camera through TIFF’s Festival and year-round initiatives.

Now in its second year, the Renee Perlmutter Memorial Fellowship for Literary Adaptation will provide one writer focusing on adapting literary work for the screen with an additional grant toward developing their project. This year’s recipient is Berkley Brady, who is working on an adaptation of the novel The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson.

Notable TIFF Studio alumni include filmmakers Cory Bowles (Black Cop), Romeo Candido (Another Life), Tracey Deer (Beans), Martin Edralin (Islands), Lisa Jackson (Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier), Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round), Fawzia Mirza (Noor & Layla), Jasmin Mozaffari (Firecrackers), Sanja Živković (Easy Land), Silvina Schnicer (Carajita), and Taratoa Stappard (Taumanu). Following their involvement in TIFF Studio, many of these filmmakers have gone on to present their films at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Berlinale, and SXSW.

More here including Participant Bios.

Focus Features will release New Regency‘s acclaimed Telluride Film Festival favorite, THE BIKERIDERS, in theatres on June 21, 2024. Universal Pictures International to handle international distribution.
The highly anticipated crime-epic was written and directed by Jeff Nichols. Today we get a new Trailer!

THE BIKERIDERS, starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy and Norman Reedus, follows the rise of a midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals. Seen through the lives of its members, the club evolves over the course of a decade from a gathering place for local outsiders into a more sinister gang, threatening the original group’s unique way of life.

Sarah Green and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones are producing through Tri-State, the company they share with Nichols, alongside New Regency. Fred Berger is executive producing.

Focus Features’ slate includes Alexander Payne’s THE HOLDOVERS starring Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, along with upcoming titles DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS from Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, BACK TO BLACK about the life and music of Amy Winehouse from director Sam Taylor-Johnson, Robert Eggers’ reimagining of NOSFERATU, Edward Berger’s thriller CONCLAVE, Zelda William’s feature directorial debut LISA FRANKENSTEIN written by Diablo Cody, Kobi Libii’s satrical comedy, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES, Baltasar Kormakur’s TOUCH, and Goran Stolevski’s new feature, HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS, among others.

New Regency’s most recent release was the sci-fi film THE CREATOR, directed by Gareth Edwards. The company’s upcoming titles include a series for Amazon based on their hit 2005 film MR. AND MRS. SMITH and starring two-time Emmy® winner Donald Glover that will premiere on February 2, 2024.
The film is inspired by Danny Lyon’s book of photography.

Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix is back in BEAU IS AFRAID, the latest from Ari Aster (Midsommar, Hereditary). See the brand-new Trailer.

Synopsis:

A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster.

Written/Directed by: Ari Aster
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey and Patti LuPone
Distributed in Canada by: Sphere Films

Opening only in theatres April 21, 2023 via Sphere Films Canada.

(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films Canada)

Today, Disney+ unveiled the trailer and key art for musical romantic comedy “Up Here”. The Original series premieres exclusively on Disney+ in Canada on Friday, March 24, 2023.

“Up Here” is set in New York City in the waning days of 1999, and follows the extraordinary story of one ordinary couple, Lindsay and Miguel, as they fall in love and discover that the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves – and the treacherous world of memories, obsessions, fears and fantasies that lives inside their heads.

The eight-episode series stars Mae Whitman (“Good Girls”), Carlos Valdes (“Gaslit”), Katie Finneran (“The Gilded Age”), John Hodgman (“Dicktown”), Andréa Burns (“West Side Story”), Sophia Hammons (“The Social Dilemma”), and Emilia Suárez (“A Good Person”).

“Up Here” is written by Steven Levenson (“tick, tick…BOOM!,” “Dear Evan Hansen”) and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (“The Carmichael Show”) with songwriting duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (“Frozen,” “WandaVision”) writing original songs. Thomas Kail (“Hamilton”) directs and executive produces the series alongside Levenson, Sanchez-Witzel, Anderson-Lopez, Lopez, and Jennifer Todd. 20th Television serves as the production company alongside Kail’s Old 320 Sycamore Productions.

Robust parental controls ensure that Disney+ remains a suitable viewing experience for everyone in the family. Subscribers can set access limits on mature content and create PIN-protected profiles alongside the already existing Kids Profiles to give parents and guardians peace of mind.

MAFIA MAMMA follows an American woman (Toni Collette) who inherits her grandfather’s mafia empire in Italy. Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere (Monica Bellucci), she hilariously defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.

The cast also includes Giulio Corso (Signora Volpe), Francesco Mastroianni (Dead Uncle), Alfonso Perugini (New York), Sophia Nomvete (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Eduardo Scarpetta (The Ignorant Angels), Tim Daish (The Dirty Black Bag), and Tommy Rodger (The Cursed).

MAFIA MAMMA will be released in Canadian theatres on April 14, 2023 via levelFILM.

(Photo/video credit: levelFILM)

Canadian creatives have once again risen to the top at this year’s Academy Awards and in keeping with tradition, The Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles, Zaib Shaikh will open the doors of Canada’s House to honour this year’s Canadian Oscar nominees. Canadians and Canadian-led films have received nominations in top awards categories including Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Feature, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling. The private reception will take place during Oscar week on Thursday, March 9, 2023.

This year’s honourees include Best Picture nominee James Cameron, director, co-writer and producer of Avatar: The Way of the Water (20th Century Studios) whose film is also nominated for Best Sound, Production Design and Visual Effects; Women Talking (MGM/United Artists Releasing), produced by Frances McDormand, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, and written and directed by beloved Canadian auteur Sarah Polley is also nominated in the Best Picture category. Polley herself is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film. Canadian-American actor Brendan Fraser is nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his poignant and heartfelt role in the Best Picture-nominated film The Whale (A24). The Academy Award-nominated Canadian makeup artist Adrien Morot alongside his colleagues Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley is nominated for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling also for The Whale.

“Canadians in film don’t just help generate billions of dollars for the Canadian economy but are also, once again this year, being recognized as amongst the best, most talented creators and creatives in the industry,” said Zaib Shaikh, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles. “It is an honour to celebrate their success, and to highlight the diversity that is inherent to Canadian storytellers. It is clear that the stories Canadians choose to tell resonate with global audiences everywhere because they explore universal truths, highlight values of inclusivity and showcase human perseverance. To all of the nominees we will be celebrating in the days to come, a huge “Congratulations et Félicitations!”

Canadian animators dominated this year’s nominations with Domee Shi, writer and director of Canadian love letter Turning Red (Pixar Animation Studios) and Chris Williams, co-writer, director and producer of The Sea Beast (Netflix) both earning Best Animated Feature nominations. Writer/Director/Animator duo Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby are nominated along with producer David Christensen for the NFB film The Flying Sailor in the Best Animated Short category.

“We are incredibly proud of the Canadians who have secured top nominations on the world stage of the Academy Awards and are amongst the best in their field,” said Francesca Accinelli, Interim Executive Director & CEO of Telefilm Canada. “From the fantastical lens of animation to a powerful and bold adapted screenplay, to innovative filmmaking technology years in the making to pure excellence in documentary storytelling, Canadians continue to be leaders in the global film industry.”

The Best Documentary Feature category also has strong Canadian representation with producer Ina Fichman nominated alongside her colleagues Shane Boris and Sara Dosa for Fire of Love (Sandbox Films), and Navalny (CNN Films) produced by Diane Becker, Shane Boris, Melanie Miller and Odessa Rae, and helmed by Canadian documentary filmmaker Daniel Roher.

“Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis have made yet another contribution to Canada’s rich cultural heritage with The Flying Sailor, which has earned a third Oscar nomination for Amanda and a fourth for Wendy. As the film’s producers, we at the NFB are proud to provide Canadian filmmakers with a unique creative environment, allowing them to experiment and create exceptional works that captivate viewers all over the world,” said Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada.

About Zaib Shaikh
Zaib Shaikh began his mandate as Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles in December 2018. He is the Government of Canada’s senior representative in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada.He comes to the posting after an extensive career in the media and entertainment industries, having worked as an actor and producer in theatre, film and television. His work includes acting roles in Deepa Mehta’s film Midnight’s Children, as well as starring in the CBC comedy series Little Mosque on the Prairie, which has been seen in more than 80 countries. Mr. Shaikh co‐produced the special Long Story Short: CBC Turns 75 and co‐wrote, directed and coproduced the film Othello: The Tragedy of the Moor. He also co-founded and served as an artistic producer of the Whistler Theatre Project in British Columbia. From 2014 until his appointment in 2018, Mr. Shaikh was the Film Commissioner and Director of Entertainment Industries for the City of Toronto. In that role, he oversaw and grew the city’s screen, music, live festival, sporting event and tourism sectors, helping to double the value of film production in Canada’s largest city, which surpassed $2 billion in 2016. Mr. Shaikh has served as a board member for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion and, most recently on the board of AFC (formerly the Actors Fund of Canada). He has served on juries and committees for the Gemini Awards, ACTRA Awards, Ontario Arts Council, and Theatre Ontario Youth Program as well as an ambassador for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and for Amnesty International Canada. Mr. Shaikh is married to Ms. Kirstine Stewart. They have two children.

About Telefilm Canada
As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations which principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/Telefilm_Canada and on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

About the NFB
The NFB is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences, working with talented creators across the country. The NFB is taking action to combat systemic racism and become a more open and diverse organization, while working to strengthen Indigenous-led production and gender equity in film and digital media. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including 12 Oscars®. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.

About the Talent Fund
The Talent Fund is a national donation initiative dedicated to the impact and longevity of first-time filmmakers’ careers from across Canada. Igniting career paths in cinema, the Talent Fund invests in emerging talent and provides support to build their professional portfolios, fosters community and knowledge-sharing through professional mentorship, and prioritizes emerging creators from historically underrepresented communities. Funds raised are invested in Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program – a career accelerator and launchpad – which helps the next generation of storytellers contribute to a thriving Canadian film industry. Since 2012, the Fund has supported 165 film projects, brought to life by more than 360 emerging artists (writers, producers, and directors) and has financed films that have earned over 180 awards worldwide. Individual donors, family foundations, corporations and sponsors invest in the Talent Fund as they believe in the power of storytelling through film, and the impact this program has on the careers of emerging artists. To learn more about the Talent Fund or to make a donation, visit thetalentfund.ca.

Today, SiriusXM Canada in partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA), announced the eight semi-finalists vying to be named the 2023 winner of SiriusXM’s Top of the Country competition. The stakes are high as each of the semi-finalists begin recording original tracks in-studio, which will later be shared with Canadian country fans to vote for their favourites. The field will be narrowed down to the top three, but only one will eventually be crowned the winner, receiving $25,000 and the title of the SiriusXM Top of the Country champion.

From across Canada, the 2023 semi-finalists are:

· Hailey Benedict – St. Albert, Alberta

· Noah Derksen – Winnipeg, Manitoba

· Teigen Gayse – Kelowna, B.C.

· Amanda Jordan – Smith Falls, Ontario

· Mark Ledlin – Vancouver, B.C.

· The Prairie States – Edmonton, Alberta

· Dayna Reid – Elmvale, Ontario

· Lydia Sutherland – Montréal, Québec

To learn more about the artists, please visit www.siriusxm.ca/topcountry. For high resolution images of the eight semi-finalists, please click HERE.

“As a champion of Canadian artists, the Top of the Country competition is a highlight for us at SiriusXM Canada, as it helps spotlight new talent and provides unparalleled support and development opportunities,” said Michelle Mearns, VP, Programming & Operations, SiriusXM Canada. “Now in our fifth year, we’ve seen how the program helps to propel careers and it’s exciting to watch previous winners like SACHA and Tyler Joe Miller achieve such success.”

After the public shows their support by voting for their favourites, the finalists will head to Nashville for industry mentorship opportunities and a performance spot at the 2023 CMA Fest. They’ll close out the summer with a festival performance at Lasso Montréal in August, followed by the Top of the Country Finale at Country Music Week in September where the winner will be crowned. In addition to the $25,000 grand prize, SiriusXM is awarding both runners-up $10,000 and all will receive a SOCAN song writing camp experience in Nashville following the competition. The Finale will air live on SiriusXM’s new Top of the Country Radio (ch. 171).

“The Canadian Country Music Association is proud to continue cultivating the immense talent the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition brings forward each year,” shares Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “This program is one of the many ways that the CCMA champions and elevates Canadian artists and we’re thrilled to see this new batch of semi-finalists shine and embrace this exciting opportunity.”

SiriusXM’s Top of the Country in partnership with the CCMA is part of SiriusXM’s ongoing tradition of promoting and elevating the best emerging Canadian music. SiriusXM continues to offer a leading platform for Canadian artists through its significant financial contributions and North American-wide reach.

A Red Carpet Premiere in Scarborough? Is ths for real? Cineplex Scarborough Town Centre hosted a special screening of Clement Virgo’s BROTHER, adapted from David Chariandy’s Novel of the same name. Like its source material this film version has gone on to win huge accolades after its TIFF ’22 Premiere, and if this weren’t enough it has garnered 14 Canadian Screen Award nominations, plus being named a finalist for Rogers’ Best Canadian Feature Award at the upoming Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.

The stars are all aligned yes, they even showed up alongside Director/Writer Virgo at the screening attended by select Media, plus friends and family. Lamar Johnson stars as Michael, a young man growing-up amidist the rise of gang violence in Scarborough in the ’90s. We meet his protective brother Francis (Aaron Pierre) whom at a young age, struggles with the ideals of masculinity, being handed the responsibilties of being a proxy caregiver while their mother works overnight shifts, and also his own standing in the neighbourhood and peers. Rad Simonpillai moderated a Q&A following the Movie, commenting on the importance of audiences seeing this Scarborough-set story.

See a reel of highlights from the night here:

The screening was followed by an afterparty at the Scarborough Civic Centre Library, attended by the likes of special guests Catherine Hernandez (Author of “Scarborough“) and Director X!

Elevation Pictures release BROTHER March 17, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures/Mr. Will Wong)