Canadian Film Fest (CFF) presented by Super Channel, the indie-spirited festival dedicated to celebrating Canadian filmmakers, revealed the 2024 award winners on Saturday, March 23, 2024 following a successful 6-day event at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre.

Kim Albright’s With Love and a Major Organ won Best Feature, Anna Fahr was honoured with DGC Ontario Best Director award for her film Valley of Exile, and Jonas Chernick & Diana Frances’s The Burning Season won the feature film jury award for Best Screenplay. Additionally, Eva Thomas’s Redlights won Best Short Film and Ian Harnarine’s film, Doubles, was awarded the Reel Canadian Indie Award and took home People’s Pick for Best Flick.

“We’re so proud to have showcased amazing storytellers on the big screen from filmmakers in our own backyard. The joy and excitement inside the theatre throughout the festival reminds us of the power of film to captivate, enlighten, and unite audiences. Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners!” said Ashleigh Rains, Festival Director, Canadian Film Fest.

See below for the complete list of winners for CFF 2024. For more information, visit canfilmfest.ca.

The 2024 Canadian Film Fest Award Winners:

BEST FEATURE – With Love and a Major Organ

DGC ONTARIO BEST DIRECTOR – Anna Fahr for Valley of Exile

REEL CANADIAN INDIE AWARD – Doubles
*This award honours a film that exemplifies the spirit of indie filmmaking.

BEST SHORT FILM – Redlights

BEST SHORT FILM PRODUCER – Kiarash Dadgar for The Steak
*This prize is awarded to a BIPOC short film producer and includes a 2025 CFF All-Access festival pass

BOUNDLESS IMAGINATIONS BEST WRITING FOR SHORT FILM – Charles Dionne for Virga

PEOPLE’S PICK FOR BEST FLICK – Doubles

Feature Film Jury Awards:
The feature film jury included Adrian Murray (Filmmaker), Navin Ramaswaran (Director & Editor), Cory Bowles (Actor & Director), and Sarah Booth (Actor).

SCREENPLAY – Jonas Chernick & Diana Frances for The Burning Season

BEST PERFORMANCE – Taylor Olson for Look at Me

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Errol Sitahal for Doubles

Short Film Jury Awards:
The short film jury consisted of Nathalie Younglai (Writer & Director), Patrick Yang (Talent Agent, Oldfield Management), and Madeline Rose (Co-Chair, outACTRAto).

BEST COMEDY PERFORMANCE – EITR

BEST COMEDY SHORT – Dead Cat

BEST ANIMATED SHORT – Boat People

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY – Hello Anson

BEST DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE – Gauri Prasad for Rock the Cradle

HONOURABLE MENTION – Breathe

About the Canadian Film Fest:

The Canadian Film Fest is a non-profit organization whose mission is to celebrate the art of cinematic storytelling by exclusively showcasing Canadian films. The festival unites film-loving audiences with diverse selections of features and shorts from across the country. The CFF provides Canadian filmmakers with essential professional development and networking opportunities through its Industry Series and awards.

Hollywood Suite is thrilled to announce the premiere of a new season of their original documentary series A Year in Film. Premiering Thursday, April 11, 2024 the fifth season will explore the iconic films of 1977, 1988, 1991, and 2002 as industry leaders and critics take a deep dive into topics such as New Queer Cinema, comedic box office hits, Canadian perversion, and renowned world cinema.

Whether it’s transporting film lovers to a galaxy far, far away, or completely changing the way we think of fava beans and a nice Chianti, the curated collection of cinematic touchstones will be explored by in-house experts Alicia Fletcher, Cameron Maitland and Emily Gagne, alongside some of Canada’s foremost authorities in cinema including horror maven Andrea Subissati, the Globe and Mail’s entertainment columnist Johanna Schneller, writer and culture critic Devan Islas, and film critic Courtney Small.

This season’s episodes:

 A Year in Film: 1977
Explores Star Wars, Slap Shot, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Smokey & the Bandit, Eraserhead, and more. Premieres April 11 at 9pm ET on HS00

 A Year in Film: 1988
Explores Child’s Play, Die Hard, Working Girl, Coming to America, Beetlejuice, and more. Premieres April 12 at 9pm ET on HS00

 A Year in Film: 1991
Explores Thelma & Louise, Silence of the Lambs, Point Break, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Boyz n the Hood and more. Premieres April 13 at 9pm ET on HS00

 A Year in Film: 2002
Explores Spider-Man, Chicago, The Bourne Identity, 28 Days Later, Adaptation and more. Premieres April 14 at 9pm ET on HS00

All four episodes will be available on Hollywood Suite On Demand beginning April 1. The fifth season of the A Year in Film podcast, a perfect companion piece to the series, is available now for free at hollywoodsuite.ca/podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CBC celebrated Canada’s Biggest Night in Music this evening at The 53rd Annual JUNO Awards Broadcast. Hosted by legendary singer, songwriter and pop superstar Nelly Furtado, the awards were broadcast from Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s YouTube page.

JUNOS’ most decorated artist and Nova Scotian Anne Murray took to the stage to present the Group of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada to The Beaches. Following their win, The Beaches also took to the stage with a dynamic performance to cap off a stellar weekend for the band, winning Rock Album of the Year the previous night as well.

Two other performers went home with JUNO Awards this evening, TALK with Breakthrough Artist of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and Charlotte Cardin won Album of the Year Presented by Music Canada for her hit album “99 nights.” Charlotte also went home with Pop Album of the Year the previous night.

Fans around the world were given the option to vote for the TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, which was awarded to Karan Aujla.

The evening’s broadcast included the induction of Maestro Fresh Wes to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, his Induction was Presented by JUNOS Premier Sponsor, TD. The honour was presented to him by Kardinal Offishall who also introduced Maestro Fresh Wes ahead of his incredible performance.

The MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment, was awarded to, Stephen Richardson (École St. Joseph School, Yellowknife, NT) not only for his impact on students in kindergarten through to grade 12 but also his dedication to the Yellowknife community and the music education field. He is the first educator from the Northwest Territories to win this award and has been nominated for this award three times before.

The 2024 JUNO Awards Broadcast featured additional performances from some of Canada’s brightest stars. Host Nelly Furtado took to the stage to wow the crowd with her performance followed by Karan Aujla (2024 Breakthrough Artist of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters nominee) and Ikky who impressed the audience with their performance. A powerful performance from Jeremy Dutcher & 2024 JUNO Award winner Elisapie ft. the fiery Mi’kmaq fiddler Morgan Toney and artistic creator Sarah Prosper. A double award winner from the JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada, Songwriter of the Year Presented by SOCAN and Alternative Album of the Year, Aysanabee joined Alexandra Stréliski and Allison Russell, winner of the 2024 JUNO Award for Music Video of the Year. Country artist Josh Ross took to the stage to put on an exhilarating performance.

The evening’s star-studded roster of presenters included CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Best in Miniature host, Aba Amuquandoh, Two-Spirit nurse practitioner and talented drag artist Anita LandBack, Canadian music legend Jim Cuddy, co-founder and executive director of the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance John R Sylliboy, actor/comedian Jonny Harris from CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries and Still Standing, 2024 Single of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year Presented by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private Radio broadcasters nominee and pop singer/songwriter LU KALA, R&B/dancehall fusion and 2024 Reggae Recording of the Year nominee Omega Mighty, Minister of Canadian Heritage The Honourable Pascale St-Onge and JUNO Award winner and 2024 nominee William Prince. Crash Adams were the 2024 TikTok JUNO Fan Choice Award presenters and CBC Music’s Odario Williams brought this Afterdark groove to the JUNO party as the Broadcast announcer.

Fans can rewatch every performance and memorable moment from the 53rd Annual JUNO Awards broadcast, on CBC Gem, CBCMusic.ca/junos and The JUNO Awards social channels.

The 2024 JUNO Awards Broadcast was produced by Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company in association with CBC and The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS).

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE fires in its debut with $42 million for Sony Pictures. Best opening in the franchise still goes to 2016’s female-led installment with $46 million, but this is close. It gets 47% on the Tomatometer.

DUNE: PART TWO lands in second with $16.9 million, taking its tally domestically to $232 million for Warner Bros.

In third is KUNG FU PANDA 4 with $15.9 million from, total $131 million for Universal Pictures, over three weekends.

IMACCULATE starting Sydney Sweeney, debuts in fourth with $5 million for Neon and Elevation Pictures, earning 73% on the Tomatometer.

In fifth is ARTHUR THE KING with $4.1 million for a two week tally of $14 million for Lionsgate.

Calling across the Whoniverse! Today, Disney Branded Television and BBC jointly announced the premiere date for the next “Doctor Who” installment, the first-ever season to launch on Disney+ and release simultaneously worldwide. Beginning May 10, 2024 on Disney+ in Canada, audiences will return to “The Church on Ruby Road,” which premiered last December, and journey through two all-new episodes. Today we get a brand new Trailer!

Accompanying the news, Disney+ released new key art and a gallery image featuring the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and his companion Ruby Sunday, portrayed by Millie Gibson. A brand-new trailer from Disney+ will debut next Friday, March 22.

This season of “Doctor Who” follows the Doctor and Ruby Sunday through infinite adventures across time and space in the TARDIS. From the Regency era in England to war-torn futures, the duo champion the forces of good while encountering incredible friends and dangerous foes.

Showrunner, executive producer and writer Russell T Davies said: “At last, it’s my great delight to unleash a whole new season of the Doctor and Ruby’s adventures together. Monsters! Chases! Villains! Mysteries! And a terrifying secret that’s been spanning time and space for decades. Don’t miss a second!”

The previously announced guest cast includes Aneurin Barnard, Anita Dobson, Yasmin Finney, Michelle Greenidge, Jonathan Groff, Bonnie Langford, Genesis Lynea, Jemma Redgrave, Lenny Rush, Indira Varma and Angela Wynter.

“Doctor Who” is produced by Bad Wolf, with BBC Studios for Disney Branded Television and BBC. Under the creative vision of Davies, the additional executive producers include Phil Collinson, Joel Collins, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter. The new season features episodes directed by Ben Chessell, Jamie Donoughue, Julie Anne Robinson and Dylan Holmes Williams.

After building buzz to a boiling point with her single “Strangers,” singer, songwriter, producer, creator, and drum‘n’bass disruptor Kenya Grace proudly presents her much-anticipated new project, The After Taste, out now. Listen to the self-written, produced and performed project HERE via Major Recordings/Warner Records.

Taking the reins as architect of her own world, Kenya tightens up a cohesive vision with an auteur’s attention-to-detail and artisan’s craft. Thematically, The After Taste tells a relatable story of life in the wake of a breakup, inspired by her own relationship trials and tribulations and those of her closest friends. Processing melancholy, joy, confusion, and elation out loud on the dancefloor, it traces a journey of nostalgia for what was, acceptance for what is, and an embrace of what the future could hold. Full tracklist below.

Just last week, Kenya Grace heralded The After Taste with the single “It’s not fair.” Listen HERE. It has already gathered 1 million streams in addition to receiving critical acclaim.

Last year, her breakout smash “Strangers” landed like a hurricane. It tallied nearly 1 billion streams worldwide and went #1 on both sides of the pond. In addition to logging three consecutive weeks at #1 on the UK Top Singles Chart, it soared to #1 at Dance Radio in the United States and #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart. It made history by marking “the first time ever that the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart has been led by a track solely, written, produced and sung by a woman.” It went platinum in three countries and reached gold status in twelve countries, including the U.S. “Strangers” also notably garnered a nomination for “Song of the Year” at the BRIT Awards. Simultaneously, Pandora, Shazam, Zane Lowe, EDM.com, and more christened her an “Artist To Watch.”

Next up, she hits the road across North America, culminating at Coachella with performances on April 13 and April 20. Kenya Grace’s headline tour launches on April 3 in Toronto, ON at Axis Club and visits major markets on both coasts. See below for all upcoming tour dates and grab the last few tickets here.

Savor The After Taste now.

Kenya Grace Tour Dates

April 3 Toronto, ON Axis Club

April 5 Montreal, QC Bar Le Ritz PBD

April 6 Boston, MA Sonia

April 7 New York, NY Elsewhere Hall

April 10 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall

April 13 Indio, CA Coachella

April 16 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

April 20 Indio, CA Coachella

The After Taste Tracklist:

The After Taste (intro)

Strangers

It’s not fair

Stay

Someone Else

My Baby Loves to Dance

Hey, Hi, How are you?

Only In My Mind

The After Taste (outro)

Feel-good pop duo Crash Adams have released their debut EP Crashing Into Your Living Room, Vol. 1 via Warner Records / WMG Canada. The five-song project sees the band realizing their vision to create larger-than-life songs that relay a potent mix of adrenaline, nostalgia, and hard-earned gratitude. Listen to Crashing Into Your Living Room Vol. 1 HERE.

About the new EP, lead singer Rafaele Massarelli says, “We like a little bit of everything in our projects. We like a little bit of party, a little bit of emotion. We like to have something more serious, and maybe something is just completely ridiculous. We always take a piece of each emotion and put it together on our projects.”

Guitarist Vince Sasso adds, “We want to make people feel like they can do whatever they want. If you feel like you want to go to the moon, we want to make you believe you really can.”

The five-track body of work is filled with energy and uncontainable positivity. With no shortage of head-nodding hooks, Crashing Into Your Living Room Vol. 1 also showcases the scope of Crash Adams’ signature style. Among many standouts, horns cry out over sparse piano on the bold ballad “Good & Bad.” Meanwhile, a raw and relatable chorus takes hold, “When I’m looking back on the love we had, I got no regrets. It was good and bad. You’re the best I had.” Then, there’s the fiery “Right Foot First.” Funkified guitar sets the track in motion at full speed as ecstatic high-register vocals resound over a swaggering strut.

Crash Adams have had a monumental start to 2024. The pop hitmakers have captivated fans around the globe while being named one of the top artists on TikTok Canada in 2023. The duo also recently received a Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year and will appear on the 2024 broadcast this Sunday to present the award for TikTok Juno Fan Choice.

About Crash Adams:

Crash Adams want their music to make your life better. Rafaele Massarelli and Vince Sasso are childhood friends who grew up in Toronto and now make cinematic, larger-than-life songs that relay a potent, affective mix of adrenaline, nostalgia, and hard-earned gratitude. On their new EP, Crashing Into Your Living Room Vol. 1 – featuring their breakthrough hit “Give Me a Kiss” – Crash Adams recount perfect nights out, transcendent first kisses, and the kinds of whirlwind trips with your friends that make your head rush for days after. They’ve collaborated with award-winning songwriters and producers such as Justin Tranter (Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez), Dave Hodges (Avril Lavigne, 5 Seconds of Summer, Kelly Clarkson) and The Futuristics (Justin Bieber, The Chainsmokers, Machine Gun Kelly), and across the internet, the pop hitmakers have captivated fans around the globe while being named one of the top artists on TikTok Canada in 2022 and 2023. Always putting the music first, they most recently earned a Juno Nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year, making it clear that Crashing Into Your Living Room Vol. 1 is only the beginning for this unstoppable duo.

EP Tracklist:

1. Good Side
2. Somewhere In Vegas
3. Good & Bad
4. Right Foot First
5. Give Me A Kiss

Link here.

(Photo credit: Warner Music Canada)

Following its global Box Office success, ANYONE BUT YOU arrives for you to enjoy at home! Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada x Mr. Will want to give you a chance to win a copy on Blu-ray!

SYNOPSIS:

The edgy comedy Anyone But You follows law student Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell), a Golden Sachs employee who appear to be the perfect couple on the outside. After an amazing first date, something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold – until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So naturally, they do what any two mature adults would: pretend to be a couple.

Featuring the revitalized, phenomenon hit single “UNWRITTEN” by Natasha Bedingfield!

EXTRAS:

He Said She Said Featurette

Everyone Down Under

Outtakes & Bloopers

Deleted Scenes

ASMR Pickup Lines

Aussie Snacks

CAST AND CREW

Directed by: Will Gluck

Produced by: Will Gluck, Joe Roth, and Jeff Kirschenbaum

Story by: Ilana Wolpert

Screenplay by: Ilana Wolpert and Will Gluck

Executive Producers: Alyssa Altman, Jacqueline Monetta, Catherine Bishop, Natalie Sellers, Charlie Corwin, Sidney Kimmel, Mark O’Connor, Sydney Sweeney, Jonathan Davino

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet and Rachel Griffiths

SPECS

Run Time: Approx 103 minutes

Rating: 14A

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL.ON FACEBOOK. “Like” this post on our IG account and tag a friend in the comments to enter there!

Rules and regulations here.

ANYONE BUT YOU is now in stores and available digitally.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada)

After making a splash at Toronto Comicon this weekend, DAVEY & JONESIE’S LOCKER arrives tomorrow on Prime Video Canada!

SYNOPSIS:

The original series follows Davey and Jonesie, two lovably eccentric best friends who have always felt out of step with their peers and the banal backdrop of their high school existence. So, when they discover their locker is actually a portal to the multiverse, they’re more than ready to escape their teenage prison of mediocrity in favor of new horizons. But the joke is on them when they only end up in bizarre, alternate versions of their high school, surrounded by offbeat versions of their classmates. Fortunately, these audacious and creative besties are ready to make the most of this vacation from reality by leaving their mark on every universe they visit…even if it means choosing interdimensional chaos while they’re at it. Worth it for the vibes.

CAST: The series stars Veronika Slowikowska, Jaelynn Thora Brooks, Dan Beirne, Emily Piggford, Nikko Angelo Hinayo, Erika Swayze, Sydney Topliffe, Kevin Osea, Alexa Yaphe, Parker Lauzon, Evany Rosen and James Hartnett.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video Canada)

Super Channel is pleased to announce the Canadian premiere of the highly anticipated documentary Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story on Sat, Apr 6, 2024 at 9 p.m. ET. The documentary from Executive Producers Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, and Canadian documentarian Brett Harvey, follows the untold story of legendary bodybuilder Phil Heath, a seven-time Mr. Olympia champion, as he battles back from injury in his quest to become the greatest of all. Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story will also be available On Demand, Mon, Apr 1, 2024.

See the Trailer here.

The documentary is produced by Edmonton’s Adam Scorgie and Shane Fennessey from Score G Productions, in collaboration with Phil Heath, Dany Garcia, and Dwayne Johnson for Seven Bucks Entertainment. Writer, director and editor is Brett Harvey.

(Photo/video credit: Super Channel)