“Dim Sum without Distance” is an artistic exploration that celebrates the transformative effect of cultural exchange and profound connections between Eastern and Western traditions. Through the culinary art of dim sum – which means to ‘touch the heart’ in Chinese – two artists from distant cities form an artistic bond that traverses physical and cultural divides. A collaboration between Canadian dance artist Lauren Runions and internationally renowned Hong Kong artist HUNG Keung, known for his interactive installations that integrate digital new media with classical Chinese themes, Dim Sum Without Distance will be presented at Nuit Blanche from October 5 & 6 at Love Park (96 Queens Quay West).

Dim Sum Without Distance invites audiences into a sensory odyssey where art, culture, and cuisine converge to create a tantalizing feast for the senses. The installation will feature five large-scale LED monitors placed in and around the iconic heart-shaped pond in downtown Toronto. Each screen offers a unique perspective, interweaving the disciplines of traditional Chinese landscape painting, video, dance and performance art with the universal language of food in a visually stunning narrative.

Hung Keung had invited Lauren Runions to embark on a transformative journey to travel to Hong Kong for her first time. There, she immersed herself in the multi-sensory world of dim sum and learned from a master in the culinary craft. These experiences inspired her to create a series of performance pieces incorporating the backdrop of Hong Kong’s beautiful interiors and exterior landscapes. Captured through the innovative lens of Hung, the result is a mesmerizing visual narrative that dim sum is more than a mere sustenance for the body, but nourishment for the soul.

Dim Sum Without Distance will be part of Nuit Blanche Toronto’s free all-night celebration of contemporary art that transforms and animates public spaces into extraordinary art throughout the city. This year’s theme, “Bridging Distance,” is exemplified by the cross-cultural art collaboration between Hung and Runions that defies geographical boundaries and brings together the vibrant cultural connections between Hong Kong and Toronto.

To celebrate Dim Sum Without Distance at Nuit Blanche, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is giving away a Trip for Two to Hong Kong during Arts Month in March. To enter, simply scan the QR Code on the Dim Sum installation screens at Love Park. The lucky winner will receive (2) round-trip flights to Hong Kong aboard Cathay Pacific Airlines, four-night hotel accommodation, and access to various museums and art experiences during Arts Month in Hong Kong.

Dim Sum Without Distance at Nuit Blanche Toronto
October 5 – 6, 2024
Love Park, 96 Queens Quay West

Artwork by HUNG Keung (Hong Kong)
Created by: HK + imhk lab (Hong Kong)
Collaborative with: Lauren Runions (Canada)
Exhibition Curator: Laura Nanni (Canada)

About the Artists

HUNG Keung is an award-winning digital media artist and professor at The Education University of Hong Kong. He blends Chinese philosophy with digital media in innovative practice incorporating interactive performance and experimental art. As founder of the IMHK LAB, he explores how traditional Chinese art intersects with modern technology and contemporary art practices. Among his accolades, Hung has been twice honoured with the Artist of the Year (Media Art) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (ADC), and received the Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Museum of Art for the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial.

Lauren Runions, a Toronto and Halifax-based dance artist, and leader of I/O Movement, a contemporary dance project that combines site-specific choreography with community engagement, exploring movement as a spatial and reciprocal practice. Lauren’s innovative approach uses score-reading and score-writing to expand improvisation and interactions with material, raising awareness with both urban and natural environments. Lauren has installed site-specific work for MOCA (Toronto) and Nuit Blanche 2022.

A new TV spot offers a sneak peek at Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2,” including a new song, “We’re Back,” from the film. The epic animated musical, which opens in theatres on Nov. 27, 2024, reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. A new poster is also available.

The voice cast also features returning stars Rachel House (Gramma Tala), Temuera Morrison (Chief Tui) and Nicole Scherzinger (Sina), as well as Hualālai Chung, David Fane and Rose Matafeo as Moana’s new crew members Moni, Kele and Loto, respectively. Awhimai Fraser voices mysterious new character Matangi; Gerald Ramsey plays Moana’s ancestor, Tautai Vasa; and Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda lends her voice to Moana’s adoring and adorable little sister, Simea.

Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, “Moana 2” features music by Grammy® winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa‘i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina. Jared Bush and Miller are writing the film, which is executive produced by Jennifer Lee, Bush and Johnson. Available press materials can be accessed here: https://dam.gettyimages.com/thewaltdisneystudios/moana2.

Following the success of the Three Dragons Dinner, Hong Shing is proud to announce the second installment of its dinner series with renowned Chef Eva Chin. Beginning on October 5th, YAN DINING ROOM will invite diners to explore an innovative, boundary-pushing interpretation of Chinese cuisine that blends history with modern culinary techniques.

Chef Eva Chin, celebrated for her creative takes on traditional Chinese flavors, will present an evolving, seasonal tasting menu that reflects the forward-thinking approach of Yan, a new collaboration between Chef Chin and restaurateur Colin Li. This dining series will also mark Chef Eva Chin’s new role as Culinary Director for Hong Shing Group. In this capacity, she aims to continue elevating the dining experience at both Hong Shing and Yan, while fostering the education of the next generation of chefs eager to learn about Chinese cuisine.

Each dinner at Yan highlights the development and growth of Chinese cuisine through the eyes, tastes, and life experiences of Colin and Eva. Their joint venture seeks to push Chinese cuisine forward by sharing their vision and culinary creations. The first installment of YAN DINING ROOM will start on October 5th and operate four nights per week in Hong Shing’s private dining room. Seating is limited to 26 guests per evening, ensuring an intimate and refined dining experience.

“Yan is all about connecting with Chinese history while pushing the boundaries of culinary exploration,” explains Chin. “This experience is an opportunity to showcase what neo-Chinese dining can offer – sophisticated, exciting, and deeply rooted in heritage.”

The tasting menu, featuring 8-10 courses, will change monthly, allowing repeat guests to experience new flavours with each visit. Special themed dinners and guest chefs will also make appearances throughout the series, promising an ever-evolving dining experience. Add-ons such as baijiu pairings will also be available, providing an authentic and immersive dining experience.

Yan Dining Room Details
Location: Hong Shing Private Dining Room
Days Available: Thursday to Sunday
Seating: 26 people max per night, one seating at 6:30 pm
Cost: $88 per person + gratuity, with optional wine or baijiu pairings for $50 per person
Reservations: Available via Tock, linked here

With Yan, Chef Chin and Colin Li aim to pioneer a new wave of Chinese cuisine in Toronto. Their mission is to bring refined, neo-Chinese dining to the forefront of the city’s culinary landscape. Each dish will be carefully crafted using a blend of classic techniques and innovative ideas, creating a unique culinary experience that speaks to the future of Chinese food.

For more information and updates on this exciting series, follow @YanDiningRoom on Instagram or visit the Hong Shing website for reservation details.

Evergreen is gearing up for the ultimate culinary festival this Sunday! A one-day-only event filled with culinary delights, music, and family-friendly activities, the Tastes of Home Festival at Evergreen Brick Works will celebrate Toronto’s rich cultural diversity through some of the city’s most diverse food purveyors.

When: Sunday, September 29, 2024 from 1:00PM to 6:00PM

Who:

Tastes of Home will feature culturally diverse vendors from across the GTA: Ficoa, Daddy Brown’s, Tyger Tyger Baked Bao, Shop The Carbon Bar, Flour Power Mana’ish Flatbreads, We Barbecue, We Burger, So Daam, TC Tibetan MoMo, NUTTEA, Reggies Inc., Eats Manila, Jamie’s Cracked Corn, The Queen Gypsy INC., Fashion Chef Catering Ltd., Square One Haitian Foods, Salvadorian Grill, WuBaEats, Hey!Mom Onigiri and Brickworks Cider.

What:

A vibrant marketplace featuring the above food purveyors offering a diverse array of dishes! From Mexican to Jamaican to Korean dishes, Tastes of Home will be a true reflection of Toronto’s food scene

Rice World: Interactive workshops and playful activities for the whole family, centered around rice. Rice World is a space for young festival-goers to explore diverse cultures as they explore how different cultures cook with rice. Children will get a passport upon entry and will get stamps for completing activities!

Live music: DJ Sonic Griot will be on from 1:00PM to 3:00PM and DJ Me Time will be on from 3:00PM to 6:00PM.

Food and Wine Pairing Made Simple: A ticketed tasting seminar, this class will have guests head on a journey through the world of unique cuisines and the art of pairing with the perfect wines! Beverly Crandon, a CMS-certified sommelier, founder of the Spice Food & Wine Group and The Social’s wine expert will lead the session.

Digestion walks: To help guests digest after eating at the festival and to enjoy Evergreen’s vast nature, trained guides will lead strolls around the site to interested festival-goers at 1:00PM and 3:00PM.

Where: Site wide at Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4W 3X8)

How: Entry to Tastes of Home is free. Tickets for the food and wine pairing class (add-on) can be purchased HERE.

Evergreen would like to thank San Pellegrino, Experience Brampton and Noble Estates Wine & Spirits for their generous support.

One of this Fall’s hottest tickets most certainly is Sabrina Carpenter‘s sold-out SHORT N’ SWEET Tour. The 25-year-old Actress/Singer-Songwriter has seen a huge profile boost this year with three consecutive smash hits, “Espresso”, “Taste” and “Please Please Please” all reaching the Top Three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the latter giving Carpenter her first #1 on the chart. Above this, her sixth studio album, which her tour is named after, not only has gotten critical acclaim, it also has spent three consecutive weeks atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart. Things simply can get better for her!

Toronto was so lucky to be the second stop on Carpenter‘s tour, which kicked-off on September 23, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio, The setlist has her performing 19 tracks, including one surprise cover which is determined by playing Spin-the-Bottle on-stage. Toronto fittingly got to hear her sing Canadian Shania Twain‘s “That Don’t Impress Me Much”. Carpenter shows her attention to detail, donning a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey in the show’s encore, “Espresso“.

During her visit, Carpenter was spotted at Cactus Club and also buying her own record at Kops!

Some snaps from the night at Scotiabank Arena:

Highlights:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Today we get a Canadian Trailer #2 for RED ONE, in theatres November 15, 2024 via Warner Bros. Pictures Canada. This stars Dwayne Johnson, Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons and Chris Evans. Starpower!

Synopsis:

Starring Dwayne Johnson, “Red One” is a must-see action-comedy event that delivers a fresh twist on Christmas for the holiday season. Directed by Jake Kasdan, who has previously teamed with Johnson on the blockbuster “Jumanji” movies, this multigenerational global spectacle features such megawatt stars as Chris Evans teaming up in a high stakes adventure packed with adrenaline and attitude.

After Santa Claus – Code Name: RED ONE – is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

The film also stars Lucy Liu (the “Charlie’s Angels” franchise), Kiernan Shipka (“Twisters”), Bonnie Hunt (“Cheaper By the Dozen”), Kristofer Hivju (“Game of Thrones”), Nick Kroll (“Big Mouth”), Wesley Kimmel (“The Mandalorian”), and Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”).

Kasdan directs from a screenplay by Chris Morgan (the “Fast & Furious” franchise), story by Hiram Garcia (the “Jumanji” and “Fast & Furious” franchises). The film is produced by Garcia, Johnson, Dany Garcia, Morgan, Kasdan and Melvin Mar. The executive producers are Barry Waldman and Ainsley Davies.

The director’s creative team includes director of photography Dan Mindel (“Twisters,” the “Star Wars” films), production designer Bill Brzeski (the “Aquaman,” “Jumanji” and “Fast & Furious” films), editors Mark Helfrich, Steve Edwards and Tara Timpone (the “Jumanji” films), Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen (“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Stuart Little”) and costume designer Michael Crow (“Star Trek: Picard,” “Hawkeye”). Casting is by Jeanne McCarthy and Nicole Abellera Hallman. The music is by Henry Jackman (“Jumanji: The Next Level”).

Amazon MGM Studios Present a Seven Bucks Productions, Chris Morgan Productions, Detective Agency production, A Film By Jake Kasdan, “Red One.” Distributed internationally by Warner Bros. Pictures, only in theatres and IMAX beginning 13 November 2024.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Canada)

Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc., a global multi-platform media company, announced today it has reached an agreement to purchase successful Canadian independent broadcaster Hollywood Suite, the owner and operator of four linear TV channels and an accompanying On Demand offering showcasing the best films – uncut and commercial-free – from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. Launched in 2011, Hollywood Suite is the largest pure-play movie service in Canada, available to over 10 million homes from coast to coast to coast via Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Amazon Prime Video, Cogeco, Eastlink, and Freedom Mobile, among others.

Hollywood Suite has become a household favourite for subscribers in Canada satisfying both traditional lean back linear viewers and on-demand focused digital viewers. Satisfying these two unique audience experiences is a shared strategy for both Hollywood Suite and Anthem. Combined with Game TV, Game+, Fight Network and AXS TV, Anthem will deliver greater scale and investment to the Canadian system, to the benefit of viewers, content producers, and distributors.

Hollywood Suite joins Anthem’s already-impressive portfolio of cinematic offerings: film distribution house Gravitas Ventures, and the popular U.S. film cable channel HDNET MOVIES, home to a diverse range of blockbuster epics and vintage favorites and quickly becoming the fastest-growing network on US television. The acquisition highlights Anthem’s commitment to acquiring premium content and diversifying its portfolio with culturally relevant entertainment across traditional and digital channels serving the film super fans and supporting independent producers.

Hollywood Suite President & Co-Founder David Kines will continue to manage the business. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

“Anthem is focused on providing fresh and unique content offerings catering to a wide and diverse network of passionate fanbases, and the acquisition of Hollywood Suite helps us further that strategy in a major way,” said Leonard Asper, founder and CEO of Anthem. “They have a proven track record of success and have enjoyed incredible growth throughout the years, with a strong commitment to providing true movie lovers with wide-ranging offerings from some of cinema’s most consequential eras. We are proud to have them onboard, and we look forward to working closely with David and the Hollywood Suite team to help them reach even greater heights.”

“With a passion and commitment to movies as deep as ours, Anthem is the perfect partner for Hollywood Suite,” said David Kines. “Leonard and his team have demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to supporting cinema and independent platforms like us, giving viewers and subscribers the absolute best in film-focused content.”

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all of our employees over the last 13 years whose commitment and hard work are responsible for the level of success we have achieved, said Jeff Sackman, Co-chair of the Board of Directors and Co-founder, Hollywood Suite. “I would also like to acknowledge the unwavering support of our shareholders who endorsed our vision from the beginning.Together we look forward to supporting Anthem as they take the company into an exciting new era.”

A skillfully curated, classic movie offering, Hollywood Suite is comprised of the HS70s channel, highlighting the decade’s most essential classics; the HS80s channel, packed with beloved retro standouts; the nostalgia-fueled HS90s channel; and modern masterpieces from 2000 to today on the HS00s channel. The service also carries select exclusive series such as “Slasher,” “Wreck,” “Blumhouse’s Compendium Of Horror,” and “Mr. Bates VS The Post Office”, as well as original in-house produced series “A Year In Film,” and “Cinema A To Z”.

Hollywood Suite is also a major champion of Canadian cinema, airing iconic films like “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz”, “Black Christmas”, and “Nobody Waved Goodbye” in stunning digital remasters. The network also passionately supports emerging Canadian talent with new films and series such as “The Burning Season”, “Potluck Ladies”, “Sweet Summer Love”, and “Poly is the New Monogamy”.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Toronto, Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, and Cleveland. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading television, streaming, digital, social music and entertainment brand; HDNET MOVIES, which features theatrically released films and documentaries; Gravitas Ventures, a global film distribution company; Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel with broadcast distribution across 10+ countries and available globally through multiple OTT platforms; TNA Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, a North American sports channel featuring emerging and popular sports content; and GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series. For more information, visit www.anthemse.com.

About Hollywood Suite

Hollywood Suite owns and operates four exclusive HD channels featuring the iconic movies that defined the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s, plus essential Hollywood classics from the Golden Age, always uncut and commercial-free. With hundreds of movies every month on four HD channels and Hollywood Suite On Demand, Hollywood Suite provides unparalleled value to consumers. Hollywood Suite is available to over 10 million households across Canada, exclusively through Canadian television service providers, Amazon Prime Video Channels, and Freedom Mobile. Visit hollywoodsuite.ca for more information.

A REAL PAIN, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Only in theaters this fall. #ARealPain Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, Daniel Oreskes

Searchlight Pictures release November 1, 2024.

(Photo/video credit: Searchlight Pictures)

Today, Prime Video unveils the official trailer and first-look images for the highly anticipated crime thriller series CROSS, starring Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross. On November 14, 2024 all eight episodes will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. From Paramount Television Studios and Skydance Television, CROSS is a complex, twisted, pulse-pounding thriller created by showrunner and executive producer Ben Watkins, based upon the characters from James Patterson’s best-selling Alex Cross book series. In advance of its first-season debut, the series was renewed for a second season at Prime Video’s inaugural Upfront presentation.

Alex Cross is a detective and forensic psychologist, uniquely capable of digging into the psyches of killers and their victims, in order to identify—and ultimately capture—the murderers. Hodge stars in the series and also serves as a producer. CROSS also stars Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd, Jennifer Wigmore, Eloise Mumford, and Ryan Eggold.

Watkins serves as showrunner and executive producer via his Blue Monday Productions banner. Sam Ernst, Jim Dunn, and Craig Siebels also executive produce, with James Patterson, Bill Robinson, and Patrick Santa executive producing for James Patterson Entertainment. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost are executive producing for Skydance Television.

CROSS is produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Paramount Television Studios and Skydance Television.

About Paramount Television Studios

Paramount Television Studios (PTVS) is a leading content studio, developing and producing a wide range of cutting-edge and entertaining television programs across all media platforms for distribution worldwide. Current programming from PTVS includes THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES on The Roku Channel, which broke viewership records for the streamer, TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN starring John Krasinski for Prime Video and the wildly popular Prime Video action series REACHER, which is now in production on its third season. Next up from PTVS is a new thriller for Prime Video, CROSS, along with three series for Apple TV+: Taika Waititi’s TIME BANDITS, BEFORE, starring Billy Crystal, and MURDERBOT, starring Alexander Skarsgård. Paramount Television Studios is a subsidiary of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA; PARAA), a global content company with premiere television, film, and digital entertainment brands.

Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy is back in Tim Mielants’ SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE and today we get a new Trailer for this Cineplex Pictures release, coming to theatres November 8, 2024.

Directed by: Tim Mielants
Written by: Enda Walsh
Based upon the Book by: Claire Keegan
Produced by: Alan Moloney, Cillian Murphy, Catherine Magee, Matt Damon, Drew Vinton
Executive Producers: Ben Affleck, Michael Joe, Kevin Halloran, Niamh Fagan
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, and Emily Watson
Synopsis: Oscar® winner Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as devoted father Bill Furlong in this film based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Claire Keegan. While working as a coal merchant to support his family, he discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent — and uncovers truths of his own — forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church.

About Cineplex Pictures
Cineplex Pictures, a division of Cineplex, is a distributor of a wide range of genre films. Recent titles include Borderlands, The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Queen of My Dreams, The Boy and the Heron, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, SAW X, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and John Wick: Chapter 4.