Feel-good pop duo Crash Adams have released their summer single “Sugar Mommy” today via Warner Music Canada/Warner Records. The track arrives alongside a fun video that showcases the band’s personality while highlighting their appreciation of a woman who gets what she wants. Watch the music video below:

Of the new single, Crash Adams say “”Sugar Mommy’ is not just a song, it’s an anthem of female empowerment. There’s something special about a woman in charge. It’s smarter, savvier, sexier, and we’re here for it.”

2023 has been a breakout year for the duo. In the past six months alone, Crash Adams have gained over 5.5 million new followers across Spotify, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The band kicked off Google’s artist performance series to a venue full of fans in New York City in March, before being selected as the featured artist to perform at YouTube’s Toronto Features event in May. Following that, Crash Adams performed at Rolling Stone’s NYC studio live on Twitch. Their single “Give Me A Kiss” was added into regular rotation on SiriusXM Hits 1, currently sitting at #4 on their Weekend Countdown.

Always looking to the future, Crash Adams has been in the studio working with award winning producers such as Justin Tranter (Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez), Captain Cuts (Bebe Rexha, Halsey, The Chainsmokers), Dave Hodges (Avril Lavigne, 5 Seconds of Summer, Kelly Clarkson), and Larzz (Dua Lipa, Halsey, Tate Mcrae, Lovelytheband, Dixie D’amelio). New music will be dropping all summer long.

Listen to and stream “Sugar Mommy” here.

Paramount+ today announced that MIXTAPE, a new documentary exploring how the creation of mixtapes launched hip hop into mainstream culture, will premiere exclusively on the service Tuesday, August 1 in the U.S. and Canada and Wednesday, August 2, 2023 in the U.K., Australia, Latin America and Brazil, with further international markets to follow later in the year.

MIXTAPE is the story of hip hop refusing to take no for an answer. Before radio play, the internet, and social media, there were mixtapes. DJs were tastemakers, trendsetters and creators of the sound that became the biggest musical genre on the planet. The importance of mixtapes goes well beyond the tapes themselves. Mixtapes were a form of currency and a signifier that someone was “in the know” and had their ear to the streets. The culture was too strong to be stopped, and the artists were too talented to be ignored – so they turned the sub-culture into the mainstream, and made hip hop what it is today.

“Hip-Hop is 50 years old and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate its journey and contextualize its evolution than through the story of the mixtape. Every voice in this film played a critical role, especially the DJs who, as KRS-ONE says beautifully in the film, risked everything to ‘bring us the music’,” said Omar Acosta, director of MIXTAPE. Producer Tony Touch added “it’s an honor to be involved in this film and to help tell the real story of the mixtape, its origins, its impact, and its on-going relevance for the culture.”

The documentary features 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, Dante Ross, DJ Bobbito, DJ Clue, DJ Drama, DJ Enuff, DJ Green Lantern, DJ Jazzy Joyce, DJ Kay Slay, DJ Khaled, DJ S&S, DJ Scratch, DJ Stretch Armstrong, DJ Whoo Kid, Doo Wop, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Funkmaster Flex, The Game, Grandmaster Caz, Jadakiss, James Cruz, Jeezy, Kid Capri, Kool DJ Red Alert, KRS-One, Lil Wayne, Mark Ronson, Mike Tyson, N.O.R.E., Ron G, Shaq, Tommy Hilfiger, Tony Touch, Trouble, Tuma Basa and more.

MIXTAPE is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Mercury Studios and Saboteur Media in association with Def Jam Recordings. David Kennedy, Tony Touch, Nick Quested and Daniel Seliger serve as producers with executive producers Paul Rosenberg and Barak Moffit. The film is directed and produced by Omar Acosta (Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives). The Def Tape, the official soundtrack to MIXTAPE, is set for an August release via Def Jam Recordings.

20th Century Studios’ “Quiz Lady,” a hilarious and heartfelt comedy starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh about a dysfunctional family and the game show which just might be the key to their salvation, will premiere November 3, 2023, exclusively on Disney+ in Canada.

In the film, a brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne (Awkwafina), and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister Jenny (Oh), must work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts. When Anne’s beloved dog is kidnapped, they set out on a wild, cross-country trek to get the cash the only way they know how: by turning Anne into a bona-fide gameshow champion. The movie, which also stars Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, and Will Ferrell, is directed by Jessica Yu, written by Jen D’Angelo, and produced by Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Maggie Haskins, Itay Reiss, Jen D’Angelo, Awkwafina, and Sandra Oh, with Alex Brown and Erika Hampson serving as executive producers.

Today, Disney+, Disney Junior and Lucasfilm announced that “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” Season 1 continues with six all-new episodes. The new episodes will debut on Disney+ and Disney Junior beginning August 2, 2023, with more episodes to come later this year. In total, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” Season 1 will be a 25-episode run.

Set during The High Republic era, the animated series follows Jedi Younglings as they study the ways of the Force and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi. The series was recently nominated for a 2023 Television Critics Association Award and was awarded a Common Sense Seal from Common Sense Media, which acknowledges outstanding media that families can enjoy together.

The first seven episodes from the series, which premiered May 4, saw the Younglings train with Master Yoda and Master Zia at the Jedi temple on Tenoo, meet pilot and fast friend Nash Durango, and clash with pirate Taborr Val Dorn. The six new episodes will follow the Younglings as they continue to hone their Force abilities and go on adventures across the galaxy.

“We’ve been thrilled to see a whole new generation fall in love with the Star Wars galaxy through ‘Young Jedi Adventures,’” says James Waugh, series executive producer and senior vice president, franchise content & strategy at Lucasfilm. “We hope to continue delighting younglings, Jedi padawans, and the fans of all ages who have declared themselves #NubsNation, with these new episodes.”

Extensions for “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” include multiple books such as Leveled Readers, Little Golden Books, Colouring & Activity formats, and more, plus an assortment of playsets, figures, apparel, plush, and more from Hasbro, LEGO, Mattel, and more. A selection of items are now available at your favorite major retailers, including ShopDisney.

Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary for Disney+ and Disney Junior, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is showrunner and executive producer; Elliot M. Bour (“Elena of Avalor”) is supervising director and co-producer; Jeannine Hodson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is producer; and Lamont Magee (“Black Lightning”) is consulting producer.

“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” stars Jamaal Avery, Jr. as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Trey Murphy as Taborr, Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, Nasim Pedrad as Master Zia Zanna, and Piotr Michael as Master Yoda.

Today we get a new clip from PSYCHO-PASS: Providence, coming to theatres in Canada on July 14, 2023 via Sony Pictures Canada.

Synopsis:

January 2118. Chief Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department, Akane Tsunemori, receives a report of an incident on a foreign vessel – the body of Professor Milicia Stronskaya has been discovered. Behind the incident is a group known as the Peacebreakers, a foreign paramilitary organization and a new outside threat who are targeting the professor’s research papers known as the “Stronskaya Document”.

Reunited with Shinya Kogami, a former fugitive from the Criminal Investigation Department, Akane grapples with a case that quickly escalates beyond their expectations. The Stronskaya Papers could reveal a truth that would shake Japan’s government, and even the Sibyl System, to the core.

It is in this untold story that the missing link is revealed.

PSYCHO-PASS franchise: The franchise revolves around The Sibyl System, an authoritarian system that quantifies the human personality. Sibyl’s analysis dictates every aspect of the citizens’ future. In exchange for Sibyl’s rule, the citizens enjoy a peaceful life.

With all manner of mental states and trends being recorded and monitored, the standard by which an individual’s soul is measured is a number that people have come to call the PSYCHO-PASS.

Detectives, wielding guns called Dominators that measure criminal potential, work closely with enforcers who hunt down latent criminals before they can break the law.

The young inspector Akane Tsunemori, a part of the Criminal Investigation Department, and her partner, enforcer Shinya Kogami, wrestle with the question of how a fair and perfect society can be upheld and maintained by a system that could possibly be corrupt.

PSYCHO-PASS was an original anime project for television that began in 2012. Now, after ten years, comes the newest film that will act as the connective tissue between the movie PSYCHO-PASS Sinners of the System Case 3: On the Other Side of Love and Hate and season 3 of the PSYCHO-PASS TV series. The entire story will now finally be told.

New Clip available here:

Catch up on the past PSYCHO-PASS television series and films on Crunchyroll.

English Dub Cast: Kate Oxley (Akane Tsunemori), Robert McCollum (Shinya Kogami), Jessie James (Nobuchika Ginoza), Cherami Leigh (Mika Shimotsuki), Mike McFarland (Teppei Sugo), Z. Charles Bolton (Sho Hinakawa), Lindsay Seidel (Yayoi Kunizuka), Lydia Mackay (Shion Karanomori), Erin Kelly Noble (Frederica Hanashiro), Dallas Reid (Arata Shindo), Eduardo Vildasol (Kei Mikhail), and Stephanie Young (Dominator).

Credits: Directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani. Series Composition by Tow Ubukata. Script by Makoto Fukami and Tow Ubukata. Original Character Design by Akira Amano. Character Design by Naoyuki Onda. Music by Yugo Kanno. Original Story Concept Written by Gen Urobuchi.

Netflix today released the official trailer for The Witcher Season 3: Volume 2. Volume 2 will include episodes 6-8, debuting July 27, 2023.

SHOWRUNNER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Lauren Schmidt Hissrich
DIRECTORS: Stephen Surjik, Gandja Monteiro, Loni Peristere, Bola Ogun
WRITERS: Mike Ostrowski, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Tania Lotia, Haily Hall, Matthew D’Ambrosio, Clare Higgins, Rae Benjamin and Troy Dangerfield.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Steve Gaub, Matt O’Toole, Mike Ostrowski, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Platige Films (Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko), Hivemind Content (Jason Brown and Sean Daniel).
PRODUCERS: Tera Vale Ragan, Veselin Karadjov, Sasha Harris
CAST: Henry Cavill (Geralt of Rivia), Anya Chalotra (Yennefer of Vengerberg), Freya Allan (Princess Cirilla of Cintra), Joey Batey (Jaskier), Myanna Buring (Tissaia), Eamon Farren (Cahir), Mimî M Khayisa (Fringilla), Royce Pierreson (Istredd), Anna Shaffer (Triss Merigold), Mecia Simson (Francesca), Tom Canton (Filavandrel), Mahesh Jadu (Vilgefortz), Graham McTavish (Dijkstra), Cassie Clare (Philippa), Hugh Skinner (Radovid), Wilson Mbomio (Dara), Lars Mikkelsen (Stregobor), Terence Maynard (Artorius), Simon Callow (Codringher), Liz Carr (Fenn), Therica Wilson-Read (Sabrina), Safiyya Ingar (Keira), Rochelle Rose (Margarita), Michalina Olszanska) (Marti), Robbie Amell (Gallatin), Jeremy Crawford (Yarpen), Bart Edwards (Emhyr), Aisha Fabienne Ross (Lydia), Christelle Elwin (Mistle), Meng’er Zhang (Milva)
RELEASE DATE: Vol 2: July 27
EPISODES: 6-8
FILMING LOCATIONS: Longcross Film Studios and various locations in England, Wales, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy & Morocco.

Synopsis:

As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where they hope to uncover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line – or risk losing each other forever.

Just For Laughs is excited to announce a whole new roster of artists who have joined the 41st edition of the festival.

JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARD SHOW – Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 3:00 PM

Hands-down, the funniest celebration with the biggest stars in comedy is the Just for Laughs Award Show! Don’t miss the raucous festivities and sincere camaraderie as friends, mentors, and fellow comics honour the comedy stars who made us laugh the most in 2023.

This year’s recipient:

Comedy Impact Award – Rainn Wilson

Award-winning actor, writer, producer, and NY Times Best-Selling author, Rainn Wilson is known for his diverse comedic and theatrical roles. He gained recognition in HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” which earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award. However, his most iconic role was the unforgettable “Dwight Schrute” on NBC’s Emmy-winning comedy “The Office,” which earned him three Emmy nominations. As an author, Wilson’s most recent NY Times best-selling book dropped last spring titled, “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution”. In the book, he explores the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution to address today’s greatest issues – mental health, racism and sexism, climate change, and economic justice. Wilson’s digital media company, SoulPancake, has over 3.5 million subscribers and explores various topics such as religion, art, science, philosophy, and culture. In 2020, Wilson hosted a six-part docuseries, “An Idiot’s Guide to Climate Change” on YouTube that he created with SoulPancake. In the series, Wilson embarks on a quest to better understand climate change basics and how individuals can help combat its dangerous effects on the planet. Most recently, Wilson hosted a six-part travel docuseries “Rainn Wilson and The Geography of Bliss” in which he travelled around the world to discover how different cultures find happiness. In addition to his artistic endeavours, Wilson co-founded the non-profit organisation “The Lidè Foundation,” providing arts and literacy education to at-risk adolescent girls in Haiti, alongside his wife, author Holiday Reinhorn.

Joining the Awards festivities:

Rachid Badouri – who will present to Ronny Chieng

Neal Brennan – who will present to Bert Kreischer

Carolyn Taylor – who will present to Mae Martin

Ramy Youssef – who will present to Quinta Brunson

Hosted by the Master of Award Shows,

Comedian, James Davis

SURROUNDED – Tuesday, July 25, 2023 – Thursday, July 26, 2023 | Studio Hydro-Quebec | 7:30 PM & 10:00 PM

Join us at Surrounded, an electrifying comedy show where the audience is the material. Today’s best comedians take the stage with nothing more than the mic and their wit, turning everyday interactions into memorable punchlines. In the intimate venue, anyone surrounding the comedian is fair game. It’s all about the unexpected! With no script or pre-planned jokes, we guarantee a night of hilarious improvisation, one-of-a-kind moments, and uproarious laughter. Because each show is 100% crowd work, all six shows will be completely different! Get ready to be “Surrounded” by today’s best comedic talent and have a chance to become a part of the action!

Star-studded lineup includes Mae Martin, Marlon Wayans, Jess Hilarious, Sam Morril, Fortune Feimster, Chris Redd, Jay Pharoah, Sasheer Zamata, Brad Williams, Steph Tolev, Che Durena, Hannah Berner, Preacher Lawson, Joel Kim Booster, Brian Simpson, Rosebud Baker, Nate Jackson, Felipe Esparza, Dan Soder, and Annie Lederman, with more names to be announced on the website shortly!

COMEDYPRO SPECIAL EVENT

AIRPLANE! Live All-Star Cast Read directed by David Zucker – Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 4:00 PM

JFL celebrates the 43rd anniversary of the ground-breaking and legendary comedy film, AIRPLANE! with a raucously fun live staged reading of select scenes from the original script, by an All-Star cast of comedians including: Jack Whitehall, Sasheer Zamata, Craig Robinson, Brad Williams, Joel Kim Booster, Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan and more surprise guests. Led by Writer-Director David Zucker the reading will be followed by an “In Conversation” revealing candid insights and true stories from his upcoming book, “Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! “

Rainn Wilson Keynote Address – Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 11:30 AM

Rainn Wilson delivers the American Keynote Address at this year’s ComedyPRO.

Canadian Pie: Steph Tolev Keynote Address – Wednesday, July 26 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 2:00 PM

Comedian Steph Tolev delivers the Canadian Keynote Address at this year’s ComedyPRO.

State of the Industry Address with Jessica Kirson – Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 4:45 PM

Jessica Kirson is being hailed as an overnight success…even though that night has been 24 years in the making. And now the next milestone, Jessica Kirson is taking the reins of one of most anticipated and (for some) dreaded Just For Laughs traditions, the annual State of The Industry Address. Previously delivered for 20+ years by Andy Kindler (and once by his hologram) the State of the Industry has always been a comic’s comic event. Come this year to hear a new perspective—some roasting, a sear, and some low simmer pot stirring from one of the industry’s funniest members.

Building Your Comedy Audience Up Close and Vertical, presented by TikTok – Saturday, July 29 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 2:30 PM

This timely panel brings together popular comedy creators Hannah Berner (@hannah_berner), Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn_official), and Zarna Garg (@zarnagarg) who’s dedicated and engaged followers on the platform have empowered them to find new paths to success. Join moderator Darcy Michael (@thedarcymichael) and TikTok’s Head of Entertainment, North America, Catherine Halaby, as they delve into the role of entertainment platforms in the future of the comedy industry, successful social strategies, the connection between on-platform community and IRL audiences, and how the platform will continue to shift comedy culture.

Panel Features:

Darcy Michael (Moderator)

Hannah Berner

Jonathan Van Ness

Zarna Garg

Catherine Halaby (TikTok Head of Entertainment, North America)

Hulu presents The Out of this World cast of Solar Opposites – Saturday, July 29 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 2:00 PM

Join stars Thomas Middleditch and Sean Giambrone as they crash land at JFL for a fun and insightful trip through the world of “Solar Opposites.” In anticipation of its season 4 launch they’ll share sneak peeks clips, discuss their characters’ otherworldly chemistry, and reveal if we really are all just bricks in “the Wall.” Season 4 of Solar Opposites premieres Aug. 14 on Hulu.

Panel Features:

Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley)

Sean Giambrone (The Goldbergs)

NEW SOLO SHOWS ADDED

Marlon Wayans – Thursday, July 27, 2023 | Le Studio TD | 9:30 PM

Marlon Wayans is an actor, producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $736-million in domestic box office and $1-billion in global box office. As a stand-up comedian, he is selling out nationwide and adding shows every weekend. His newest stand-up special, God Loves Me, premiered on HBO Max in March 2023. Wayans can most recently be seen on the big screen in Ben Affleck’s Nike drama AIR for Amazon Studios. Wayans is commonly recognized for his role as Marcus Copeland in Columbia Pictures’ 2004 hit comedy White Chicks. He also starred in the horror comedy spoof films Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2.

Mae Martin & Friends – Thursday, July 27 & Friday, July 28, 2023 | Théâtre Sainte-Catherine | 11:59 PM

Award winning comedian, actor, writer, and producer, Mae Martin is seeing their star rise to fame at record speed. Their hit Netflix series, Feel Good is a scripted, semi-autobiographical comedy drama series, which they also created and co-wrote continues to collect international awards and nominations, making it one of the most trending series on the platform. They are also an accomplished author of Can Everyone Please Calm Down?: A Guide to 21st Century Sexuality, published in May 2019 by Hachette imprint Wren and Rook. Their standup specials have garnered rave reviews. First, Netflix’s Dope, which focuses on addiction; and most recently, Netflix’s SAP that continues to rake in high praise from critics and fans. The festival is honoured to have them return this year to accept the JFL Award for “Rising Comedy Star of the Year”.

ALOK – Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Salle Ludger-Duvernay – Monument-National | 7:00 PM

ALOK (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed author, poet, comedian, and public speaker. As a mixed-media artist their work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the human condition. They are the author of Femme in Public (2017), Beyond the Gender Binary (2020), and Your Wound/My Garden (2021) and the creator of #DeGenderFashion: an initiative to degender fashion and beauty industries. Over the past decade, they have toured in more than 40 countries, most recently selling out their runs at the Soho Theatre in London, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the Kennedy Performing Arts Center. On television, they can next be seen in the critically acclaimed series SORT OF opposite Bilal Baig. They have also appeared on Hulu’s Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne, ABC’s PRIDE: To Be Seen – A Soul of A Nation, Netflix’s Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness and The Trans List.

Trey Kennedy: Grow Up – Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Club Soda | 9:30 PM

Trey Kennedy never expected to enter the entertainment industry. While attending college at Oklahoma State University, Kennedy found fame on the mobile app Vine, amassing more than 2.5 million followers. He was a top creator on the app for more than three years and, through this experience, discovered a passion for entertainment. He has now continued his social media success on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok where he has a combined 12+ million followers. He currently has a podcast titled Correct Opinions and just concluded a sold-out comedy tour selling out cities across the United States. Trey’s self-produced comedy special Are You For Real? can now be streamed on YouTube. He hopes to continue creating fun and relatable content in order to deliver some joy where it’s needed and help people find some common ground through comedy.

Alingon Mitra – Tuesday, July 25, 2023 | Le Studio TD | 9:30 PM

Alingon Mitra is a stand-up comedian and comedy writer living in New York. He has written for

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and was also staffed on TruTV’s Adam

Ruins Everything. He has performed stand-up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CONAN, Late Night with Craig Ferguson, and Adam Devine’s House Party. After becoming a semi-finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Mitra won the coveted “Comic Comeback” award to appear in the season finale. He was selected for the prestigious honour of being named a “New Face” at Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal in 2015. He graduated from Harvard, where he was a writer for the illustrious Harvard Lampoon.

Noel Miller – Friday, July 28, 2023 | MTELUS | 7:00 PM

Noel Miller’s biting one-liners and topical social commentary has made him a force to be reckoned with in the comedy world. Between directing, touring, podcasting, music and streaming, Noel’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. In addition to starring in popular YouTube series That’s Cringe, and comedy duo + podcast Tiny Meat Gang with fellow comedian Cody Ko, Noel has created successful series on his own including his format around hit British Reality show, Love Island. His broad reach has landed him deals with companies such as SeatGeek and Old Spice, as well as solo comedy gigs across the country. Miller has also found success as a filmmaker, being the creative mind behind Tiny Meat Gang’s hit music videos including Walk Man, which has garnered over 19 million views, and their recent releases, Broke Bitch, Daddy and Sofia, which have collectively gathered 20M+ views. Outside of music, he recently released his first short film, Suki, a dark comedy about a relationship between a detective and a serial killer. Additionally, he has recently leaned into streaming, resulting in a rapidly growing Twitch following.

Ali Macofsky – Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Théâtre Sainte-Catherine | 8:30 PM

Ali Macofsky is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer who began her comedy career at the age of 7 when she would join Ryan Seacrest on KIIS FM every weekday morning and prank call listeners as her character “Lil Ally” and has continued to pursue comedy ever since. Shortly after high school, Ali quickly established herself in the L.A. comedy scene where she became the first regular to perform on over 100 episodes of the Comedy Store’s weekly Kill Tony podcast. Soon after, she started to open for huge names in the comedy world like Russell Peters and Joe Rogan. In 2022, Macofsky was named a “New Face of Comedy” at the Just for Laughs Comedy festival in Montreal. Ali’s stand up has been featured on Just For Laughs digital receiving over 3 million views and her stand up has been seen on TikTok over 10 million times. She has a popular series on her Instagram where she talks to strangers online and she hosts a weekly podcast called Resting Bitch.

New OFF JFL performances have been added featuring,

Sydnee Washington, Robby Hoffman, Dulcé Sloan, Debra DiGiovanni,

Josie Long, Nimesh Patel, and a special live podcast to commemorate

The Comedy Store’s 25th Anniversary!

Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL would like to thank its sponsors without whom this edition would not have been possible: Beneva and Chevrolet. We would also like to acknowledge the exceptional help and support of our public partners:

Government of Canada through Canada Economic Development and Canadian Heritage, the Gouvernement du Québec through the ministère du Tourisme, the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine and the SODEC, as well as the City of Montréal, Tourisme Montréal and Montréal centre-ville.

TICKET DETAILS:

Tickets are available at www.hahaha.com

Looking for the best way to experience Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL? Get a JFLMTL Pass!

Passes available include: the JFL 2-Show Pass for $115.00 + tax, 3-Show Pass for $155.00 + tax and 5-Show Pass for $235.00 + tax. Each pass includes up to 12 free tickets from July 14 to July 29, 2023 (some restrictions apply).

Apple TV+ makes history with a record 54 Emmy Award nominations across 13 hit Apple Original titles, catapulting to the third most Emmy-nominated network in just over three years since its global launch. Apple Originals land major category nominations including Outstanding Comedy series for this year’s most Emmy-nominated comedy “Ted Lasso”; Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” which also leads as this year’s most Emmy-nominated documentary; Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special for late night breakout “The Problem with Jon Stewart”; and Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series for “Carpool Karaoke: The Series.” Nominations for the 75th Emmy Awards were announced today by the Television Academy and the winners are set to be unveiled at a ceremony on September 18, 2023.

“These brilliantly original stories have made us laugh, given us a greater sense of empathy and a fresh understanding of our world through many different genres of storytelling,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “We are in awe of the unique talents of the casts and crews that have brought these fantastic programs to audiences across the globe and we thank the Television Academy for these honours.”

“We are incredibly grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing this wide array of Apple Original programming,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with these gifted artists and we couldn’t be happier to see them acknowledged for their exceptional work today. We send our warmest congratulations to all of the nominees.”

Global phenomenon “Ted Lasso” becomes the most-nominated comedy for the third consecutive year with 21 in total, expanding its nominations for its acclaimed third season. The series also lands nine total acting nominations, becoming only the fifth comedy in history to receive Emmy Award nominations for all of its original series regulars, joining “All in the Family,” “Golden Girls,” “Schitt’s Creek” and “Will & Grace.” Emmy Award-winning stars Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham are recognized with back-to-back nominations for season three. Stars Phil Dunster and Juno Temple, and guest stars Sam Richardson, Sarah Niles, Harriet Walter and Becky Ann Baker also land acting nominations.

Apple Original documentary “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” leads this year’s documentary films and docuseries with a total of seven Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Special.

For the first year, Apple TV+ breaks through in late night programming as “The Problem with Jon Stewart” is recognized with nominations for Outstanding Talk Series, Directing for a Variety Series, and Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series.

Apple Originals “Shrinking,” “Bad Sisters,” “Black Bird,” “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” “Prehistoric Planet,” “Five Days at Memorial” and “Hello Tomorrow!” are recognized with first-time Emmy Award nominations. In addition, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” scores with its sixth consecutive series nomination, following its fifth win in a row.

Apple TV+ series stars earn 15 acting category nominations, including nine top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in the third season of “Ted Lasso,” and first-time nominations for “Shrinking” stars Jason Segel and Jessica Williams, and “Black Bird” stars Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser. Sharon Horgan lands her first acting nomination in the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category for her celebrated performance in hit “Bad Sisters.”

In 2022, “Ted Lasso” joined the ranks of comedy legends with its win for Outstanding Comedy Series for its first and second seasons, becoming only the eighth series in the genre in 74 years of Emmy history to do so. The second season of “Ted Lasso” also became the most Emmy-winning comedy for the second year in a row with four total wins, including Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Jason Sudeikis), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Brett Goldstein), and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (MJ Delaney).

In total, Apple scores 54 Emmy Award nominations including:

“Ted Lasso” season three (21)
● Outstanding Comedy Series
● Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Jason Sudeikis
● Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Phil Dunster
● Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Brett Goldstein
● Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Juno Temple
● Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Hannah Waddingham
● Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Sam Richardson
● Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Becky Ann Baker
● Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Sarah Niles
● Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Harriet Walter
● Directing for a Comedy Series – Declan Lowney
● Casting for a Comedy Series
● Writing in a Comedy Series
● Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Series – A.J. Catoline, ACE + Alex Szabo
● Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Series – Melissa McCoy + Francesca Castro
● Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary (One Hour or More)
● Contemporary Hairstyling
● Original Music and Lyrics – “Fought & Lost”
● Original Music and Lyrics – “A Beautiful Game”
● Music Supervision
● Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (7)
● Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
● Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
● Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program
● Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program
● Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special
● Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program
● Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program

“Bad Sisters” (4)
● Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Sharon Horgan
● Directing in a Drama Series – Dearbhla Walsh
● Writing in a Drama Series
● Casting for a Drama Series

“Black Bird” (4)
● Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Taron Egerton
● Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Paul Walter Hauser
● Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Ray Liotta
● Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

“Schmigadoon!” season two (3)
● Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
● Choreography for a Scripted Program
● Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)

“The Problem with Jon Stewart” season two (3)
● Outstanding Talk Series
● Directing for a Variety Series
● Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series

“Shrinking” (2)
● Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Jason Segel
● Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Jessica Williams

“Five Days at Memorial” (1)
● Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode

“Prehistoric Planet” season two (1)
● Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” (1)
● Writing for a Nonfiction Program

“For All Mankind” season three experience (1)
● Emerging Media Program

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” season five (1)
● Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series

“Hello Tomorrow!” (1)
● Main Title Design

Outstanding Commercial (4)
● Apple – The Greatest – Accessibility
● Call Me with Timothee Chalamet – Apple TV+
● Quiet the Noise – AirPods
● R.I.P. Leon – Apple
—
“Bad Sisters”
In “Bad Sisters,” the tight-knit Garvey sisters have always looked out for each other. When their brother-in-law winds up dead, his life insurers launch an investigation to prove malicious intent — and set their sights on the sisters, all of whom had ample reason to kill him. The “Bad Sisters” ensemble cast is led by Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson as the Garvey sisters. Claes Bang, Brian Gleeson, Daryl McCormack, Assaad Bouab and newcomer Saise Quinn round out the ensemble cast.

The series is executive produced and written by Horgan with Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, who adapted it from the Belgian version of the series “Clan,” which was created by Malin-Sarah Gozin. Horgan, Faye Dorn and Clelia Mountford executive produce for Merman; and Gozin, Bert Hamelinck and Michael Sagol executive produce for Caviar. In addition to Horgan, Baer and Finkel, the series is written by Karen Cogan, Ailbhe Keogan, Daniel Cullen, Perrie Balthazar and Paul Howard. Dearbhla Walsh, Josephine Bornebusch and Rebecca Gatward serve as directors. Walsh also serves as executive producer. “Bad Sisters” is produced by Merman Television and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios.

“Black Bird”
Inspired by actual events, when high school football hero and decorated policeman’s son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, he is given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through. But is this suspected killer telling the truth? Or is it just another tale from a serial liar? This dramatic and captivating story subverts the crime genre by enlisting the help of the very people put behind bars to solve its mysteries.

“Black Bird” is developed, written and executive produced by Dennis Lehane. The first three episodes are directed by Academy Award nominee Michaël R. Roskam, who also serves as executive producer. Lehane, Egerton and Roskam executive produce alongside Richard Plepler through his EDEN Productions; Bradley Thomas, Dan Friedkin and Ryan Friedkin executive produce through Imperative Entertainment; Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert executive produce through EMJAG Productions; and Kary Antholis also executive produces, along with the book’s author Keene. Jim McKay and Joe Chappelle also direct. The limited series is produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series”
This season, the stars — sharing a car, singing along to their personal playlists and embarking on new adventures — include Kevin Bacon, Michael Bacon, Ciara, Brian Cox, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Alan Cumming, Duran Duran, Nikki Glaser, Method Man, Sandra Oh, Chris Redd, Amber Ruffin, Wilco, Russell Wilson, the cast of “For All Mankind” and more.

“Carpool Karaoke: The Series” is produced for Apple by CBS Studios and Fulwell 73 Productions with executive producers James Corden, Eric Pankowski and Ben Winston.

“Five Days at Memorial”
From Academy Award winner John Ridley and Emmy Award winner Carlton Cuse, who both also serve as directors, and starring an award-winning ensemble cast that includes Vera Farmiga, Cornelius Smith Jr. and Emmy Award winner Cherry Jones, “Five Days at Memorial” chronicles the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a local hospital. When the floodwaters rose, power failed, and heat soared, exhausted caregivers at a New Orleans hospital were forced to make decisions that would follow them for years to come.

In addition to Farmiga, Smith Jr. and Jones, the limited series stars Robert Pine, Julie Ann Emery, Adepero Oduye, Molly Hager, Michael Gaston and W. Earl Brown.

“Five Days at Memorial” is executive produced and written by Cuse and Ridley, the series is directed by Cuse, Ridley and Wendey Stanzler. The series hails from ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios.

“For All Mankind”
The propulsive third season of the alternate reality series, takes viewers to a new decade, moving into the early ’90s with a high-octane race to a new planetary frontier: Mars. The Red Planet becomes the new front in the Space Race not only for the US and the Soviet Union, but also an unexpected new entrant with a lot to prove and even more at stake. Our characters find themselves going head-to-head as their ambitions for Mars come into conflict and their loyalties are tested, creating a pressure cooker that builds to a climactic conclusion.

“For All Mankind” is created by Emmy Award winner Moore, and Emmy Award nominees Nedivi and Wolpert. Nedivi and Wolpert serve as showrunners, and executive produce alongside Moore and Davis of Tall Ship Productions, as well as David Weddle, Bradley Thompson and Nichole Beattie. “For All Mankind” is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

“Hello Tomorrow!”
“Hello Tomorrow!” is an inspiring dramedy starring and executive produced by Emmy and Critics Choice Award winner Billy Crudup. Set in a retro-future world, “Hello Tomorrow!” centers on a group of traveling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Crudup stars as Jack, a salesman of great talent and ambition, whose unshakeable faith in a brighter tomorrow inspires his coworkers, revitalizes his desperate customers, but threatens to leave him dangerously lost in the very dream that sustains him. The ensemble cast starring alongside Crudup includes Haneefah Wood, Alison Pill, Nicholas Podany, Dewshane Williams, Emmy Award winner Hank Azaria, Matthew Maher and Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver.

Co-created by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen, “Hello Tomorrow!” is produced by MRC Television. Stephen Falk, Jonathan Entwistle, Bhalla and Jansen serve as executive producers alongside Crudup. Blake Griffin, Ryan Kalil and Noah Weinstein serve as executive producers for Mortal Media.

“Prehistoric Planet”
The series, from executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton and BBC Studios Natural History Unit (“Planet Earth”), and narrated by Sir David Attenborough with an original score by Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve from Bleeding Fingers Music, transports viewers back millions of years in the past to discover our world — and the dinosaurs that roamed it — all in extraordinary detail. Viewers explore five new habitats, including the active volcanoes of India, the marshlands of Madagascar, the deep oceans near North America and so much more. Throughout this season, the series and its creators take you up close into dinosaurs’ habitats to experience the dangers, the adventures and even the camaraderie between species unlike any we’ve seen before.

“Prehistoric Planet” combines award-winning wildlife filmmaking, the latest paleontology learnings and state-of-the-art technology to unveil the spectacular habitats and inhabitants of ancient Earth for a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. The series is produced by the world-renowned team at BBC Studios Natural History Unit with support from the photorealistic visual effects of MPC applied to concept art created by Jellyfish Pictures. The theme is by Hans Zimmer and Andrew Christie for Bleeding Fingers Music, with an original score by Zimmer, Anže Rozman and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music.

“The Problem with Jon Stewart”
Acclaimed host, writer, producer, director and advocate Jon Stewart, recipient of the 2022 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, leads with compassion and humor as he takes a deep dive into some of the most important issues of our time. Using comedy and common sense, the series features tough, topical and culture-moving conversations from the perspectives of stakeholders, experts and individuals confronting these issues.

The Writers Guild Award-nominated series “The Problem With Jon Stewart” is hosted and executive produced by Stewart through his Busboy Productions. The series is executive produced by showrunner Brinda Adhikari, alongside Stewart’s longtime manager James Dixon, Chris McShane and Richard Plepler through his Eden Productions, which has an exclusive overall production deal with Apple. Lorrie Baranek and Reza Riazi are supervising producers and Kris Acimovic is head writer.

“Schmigadoon!”
Having found true love in the town of Schmigadoon, season two of “Schmigadoon!” finds Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) in Schmicago, the reimagined world of ’60s and ’70s musicals. The second season of Apple’s broadly acclaimed comedy includes new original musical numbers from co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Cinco Paul, as well as returning stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose, Martin Short, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski and Aaron Tveit with Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page joined the cast for season two.

“Schmigadoon!” hails from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. “Schmigadoon!” is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul serves as showrunner and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Lorne Michaels and Andrew Singer serve as executive producers, Micah Frank serves as co-executive producer, and star Cecily Strong and Caroline Maroney serve as producers.

“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me”
“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” is a documentary feature about singer, songwriter, actress, producer, entrepreneur and activist Selena Gomez, “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,” directed and produced by Alek Keshishian.

After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light. This film marks the second project for Apple with producers Lighthouse Management + Media and Interscope Films following their collaboration on the Emmy Award-nominated documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry.”

“Shrinking”
Starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in one of his first television roles, “Shrinking” follows grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own. In addition to Segel and Ford (Paul), the series stars Jessica Williams (Gaby), Christa Miller (Liz), Lukita Maxwell (Alice), Michael Urie (Brian) and Luke Tennie (Sean).

Co-created by Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” executive producer Bill Lawrence, Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” star, writer and co-executive producer Brett Goldstein, and Segel, “Shrinking” is produced by Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence and Goldstein are under overall deals, and Lawrence’s Doozer Productions. Lawrence, Segel, Goldstein, Neil Goldman, James Ponsoldt, Randall Winston, Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer serve as executive producers.

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie”
“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” starring Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, is directed by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim. The film, which incorporates documentary, archival and scripted elements, recounts Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease. With a mix of adventure and romance, comedy and drama, watching the film feels like … well, like a Michael J. Fox movie.

“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie” is produced by Concordia Studio. Guggenheim, Annetta Marion, Will Cohen and Jonathan King serve as producers, with Laurene Powell Jobs, Jonathan Silberberg, Nicole Stott and Fox’s longtime producing partner Nelle Fortenberry executive producing. The project marks the second partnership for Apple and Concordia Studio following the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Boys State.”

“Ted Lasso”
Jason Sudeikis is Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team — despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination — and biscuits. The widely acclaimed series also stars Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster, and Nick Mohammed.

In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold also serves as an executive producer, with Liza Katzer as co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, and is based on the preexisting format and characters from NBC Sports.

All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) has announced the complete lineup for its 35th anniversary. From August 10-20, audiences can catch 92 films from 27 countries, with 24 features, 68 shorts, 10 World Premieres, 10 North American/International Premieres and 31 Canadian Premieres among the selections. In addition to in-person and BC province-wide digital screenings, the Festival will feature performances by 2SLGBTQIA+ local artists, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers, industry workshops, and encore screenings of the festival favourites on August 20.

This year, VQFF’s lineup exclusively showcases films by 2SLGBTQIA+ storytellers. “Our programming team used authentic and positive representation as our north star,” said Charlie Hidalgo, Artistic Director, Out On Screen. “The media we consume shapes the cultural narrative about our communities and profoundly influences our emotional, political, and social landscapes. We embraced stories celebrating our freedom, joy and expansiveness, and are proud to present an empowering lineup that is a testament to the extraordinary visions of 2SLGBTQIA+ creators.”

VQFF is pleased to announce its continued partnership with Lead Partner RBC Royal Bank. “At RBC, we are proud supporters of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and are thrilled to sponsor the Vancouver Queer Film Festival once again,” says Martin Thibodeau, Regional President, British Columbia, RBC Royal Bank. “Through spotlighting stories that celebrate and champion diverse voices, we have seen and felt the impact it has within our local communities.” With the support of RBC Royal Bank, this year VQFF is launching the Narrative Change Award, with a $5,000 CAD cash prize that will honour a storyteller who uses the power of cultural strategy to overturn outdated narratives, inspire change and expand the audience’s perception of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities in their work.

Embracing the essence of solidarity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, in a festival first, VQFF’s Opening Presentation: Stronger Together will feature six remarkable short films celebrating the community’s rich and multifaceted experiences. Comprised of five Canadian Premieres and the winner of Sundance’s 2023 Best Short Film Award, the program includes director Doug Tompos’ DOTTING THE “I” (USA), which sees a modern-day Cyrano and a mid-life cynic embark on a profound exploration of lost love; Sundance Best Short Film Award winner THRIVING: A DISSOCIATED REVERIE (Canada), a comedy inspired by the lived experience of Black, non-binary, disabled artist and former sex worker Kitoko Mai; and Grace Godvin’s AC UNIT (USA), in which a Jewish queer man attempts to help their stylish trans femme friend install an air conditioner.

The Opening Presentation also includes director Twiggy Pucci Garçon’s documentary short MNM (USA), which follows two chosen siblings making their runway ballroom debut; Joanne Mony Park’s GROCERY LIST (USA) sees issues big and small surface when a queer couple just wants to go grocery shopping; and director Abel Rubinstein’s MARS (United Kingdom), a frank, fearless, and funny love song to trans youth created by award-winning music artist, Yungblud. Following the films, the Vancouver Playhouse will host the first party of the festival with DJs, performers, a dance floor and more – which will be FREE to attend with tickets to the Opening Presentation screening.

VQFF is thrilled to announce that this year’s Closing Presentation will be the British Columbia Premiere of director Ian Gabriel’s RUNS IN THE FAMILY (South Africa). A love letter to trans and drag communities, it follows a father, Varun, and his son River, a trans drag performer, as they attempt a road trip across South Africa to break River’s estranged mother out of rehab. The film is a real-life family collaboration by Ian Gabriel and his son Gabe, who wrote and stars in the film. The Closing Night Party will be hosted at the Vancouver Playhouse post-screening, FREE to those with tickets to the Closing Presentation.

“We are honoured and thrilled to have been invited to close VQFF this year. RUNS IN THE FAMILY is, first and foremost, a gift of hope, love, family support, and self-celebration for the queers, so closing a proudly queer festival far across the globe from where this story originates means the world to us. It proves that our family, our community, our reach is expansive, and we hope for our quirky, heartfelt father-trans son drag road trip story to wrap its arms around everyone who sees any part of themselves in it,” says Gabe Gabriel, writer/star, RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

The 2023 Centrepiece Presentation will be the Canadian Premiere of director Sharon “Rocky” Roggio’s astonishing documentary 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE (USA), which won the 2022 Audience Award at DOC NYC and quickly became the most-viewed film in the festival’s history. With new revelations that cast significant doubt on any biblical basis for queer and trans prejudice, Roggio’s fascinating film traces the origins of the Christian anti-gay movement back to 1946, when a dangerous mistranslation resulted in the first appearance of the word “homosexual” in the Bible.

Notable titles in the features lineup include the British Columbia Premieres of the crowd-pleasing BIG BOYS (USA), director Corey Sherman’s witty and warm-hearted coming-of-age tale; director Trevor Anderson’s joy-filled BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND (Canada) that follows a nonbinary newcomer at school who forms an unexpected friendship with the school bully; director Olivier Peyon’s beautiful film LIE WITH ME (ARRÊTE AVEC TES MENSONGES) (France) that captures central themes of love and enduring heartache, IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL (USA), director Alexandria Bombach’s documentary on pioneering queer icons and tireless political activists, the Indigo Girls, and Cláudia Varejão’s stunning WOLF AND DOG (LOBO E CÃO) (Portugal/France) which skillfully converts intolerance into a nurturing sense of community spirit.

Other festival feature highlights include the British Columbia Premiere of Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren’s striking debut 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (Spain), set throughout one pivotal summer, as an eight-year-old transgender girl explores her identity alongside the women of her family in the Basque Country; the International Premieres of THE MATTACHINE FAMILY (USA), director Andrew Vallentine’s look at the complexities of queer parenthood starring Nico Tortorella, Juan Pablo Di Pace and Emily Hampshire; THREE HEADED BEAST (USA), directed by Fernando Andrés and Tyler Rugh, a rare window into the life of a bisexual couple in an open relationship as they navigate how to include a third; and the Canadian Premiere of CLASHING DIFFERENCES (Germany), directed by Merle Grimme, a punchy, darkly funny, and caustically subversive film that looks candidly at issues including tokenism and colourism.

The intergenerational film project Troublemakers returns to the big screen for its seventh year. Reel Youth, Out On Screen and LOVE Intersections will present five new films by youth filmmakers documenting the lives of local lesbian, gay, queer, trans and nonbinary community members who inspire through art and advocacy. Preceding Troublemakers, the award-winning Out In Schools program, will present an abridged version of their Beyond Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) presentation. Exploring the importance and impact of positive 2SLGBTQIA+ representation, the presentation will showcase two new films in the Out In Schools film catalogue.

Curated Shorts Programs will include a melody of episodic pilots in Fresh Starts; a return of the homegrown talent showcase The Coast is Queer; a spine-tingling journey of seductive and thrilling tales in Midnight Foreplay; and Slay 4 Me, which explores the ballroom and drag communities, featuring live performances and a talk on queer performance practices following the films. The full list of Shorts Programs can be found here.

The 2023 Festival programme was curated by VQFF Artistic Director Charlie Hidalgo; Festival Programmers Sarah-Tai Black and Rico Johnson-Sinclair; 2023 VQFF Programming Disruptor Fellowship recipients Eva Grant, Jasmine “Audder” Monton, and Romi Kim, made possible through the generous support of Telefilm Canada, Warner Bros Discovery Access Canada and The British Columbia Arts Council; and Guest Programmer Simone Ling.

For ticketing details, including sliding scale pricing beginning at just $5, the complete Festival lineup, screening dates and times, please visit www.queerfilmfestival.ca.

Festival images and the full Festival programme can be downloaded here.

The VQFF would also like to thank its generous partners for their support, including lead partner RBC Royal Bank, premiere partners Canada Media Fund, Rogers, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and Telefilm Canada, signature partner Twin Sails Brewing, screening partners UBCP/ACTRA, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, Herschel Supply Company and the Canadian Media Producers Association, festival funders Canada Council For the Arts, Government of Canada, City of Vancouver, Creative BC, The Province of British Columbia and British Columbia Arts Council, cultural partner SFU Woodward’s, exclusive technical partner 24 Frames Digital Films, transportation partner Modo, exclusive media partner CBC Vancouver, advertising partner Western Media Group and festival supporters bed, Vancouver Civic Theatres, MT+Co, IATSE Local 891, Gayvan.com, James Goodman, Black Screen Office and ACFC West, Local 2020 Unifor.

About Out On Screen

Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and advances queer lives through film, education, and dialogue. The Vancouver Queer Film Festival creates a dynamic platform for queer cinema that reflects a diversity of experiences while connecting and strengthening our communities. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate queer cinema into school classrooms to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be among the leaders in Canada working to create an equitable society where sexual and gender diversity are embraced. www.outonscreen.com

Disney+ is set to debut a stunning new restoration of Walt Disney’s 1950 animated classic, “Cinderella,” on August 25 during World Princess Week, as part of its centennial salute to Walt Disney Animation Studios and the ongoing Disney100 celebration. This all-new restoration of this beloved film represents the first time that the film will be available to stream in 4K, and it is the culmination of a multi-year effort involving the Walt Disney Studios Restoration and Preservation team, working closely with key players from Walt Disney Animation Studios. The result is a version of the film that is restored to its original grandeur, authentic to the artistic ambitions of the Studio’s creative team, and which looks and sounds better than ever. The restored film had its festival premiere earlier this year at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it had won a Golden Bear Award 52 years earlier in its international debut.

Commenting on the announcement, Kevin Schaeffer, director of Restoration for Walt Disney Studios, said, ““Working with our restoration team along with internal technical experts, outside vendors (like Mike Underwood at Picture Shop Hollywood) and advisors from Walt Disney Animation Studios, we were able to make this 1950 classic look and sound better than ever. We began the process by pulling the original nitrate negative from the Library of Congress, and scanning the successive exposure colour records in 4K. We then did a cleaning pass to remove dirt and as many artifacts as possible. The current available restoration tools allowed us to produce a sharper and higher quality image than previous efforts. To make sure we didn’t lose any of the detail or artistic choices of the filmmakers, we turned to Disney Animation legends and authorities, including Michael Giaimo and Eric Goldberg.”

The input from seasoned Disney artists and animation experts Giaimo and Goldberg proved to be a winning combination. Working with Dorothy McKim (special projects and 2D animation producer for Walt Disney Animation Studios), and Bob Bagley (digital imaging manager for Disney Animation), the team was able to restore and preserve the rich colours, contrast, and accuracy of the original cels and artwork.

Giaimo, production designer on the upcoming 2023 Disney animated feature, “Wish,” as well as the two “Frozen” films and “Pocahontas,” noted, “It was an honor to work on this restoration with Eric, and to really celebrate the original intent and classic Disney aesthetic of those great artists who worked with Walt, notably the great Mary Blair, and to get that right level of depth and saturation.

Goldberg, one of the all-time animation greats and veteran Disney directing animator, director and mentor to new generations of artists, added, “Working with Mike to restore this film was really a labor of love. We both really love the film, and felt strongly that we had to preserve it. Viewers watching this restoration will see more clarity, but they will also see more subtlety. They’ll see differences in colour from shot to shot, and discover how one colour works with another. Mike and I knew what the film was supposed to look like, and it took a lot just getting back to Cinderella having dusty blonde hair and a silver dress. I’m proud that the Studio felt it was important to get this restoration right, and trusted a handful of us to do that.”

Originally released in 1950, “Cinderella” was hailed for its stylish and experimental look, sophisticated and expressive animation, and delightful storytelling. It was a major hit at the time of its initial release, earned three Oscar® nominations, and rescued the Studio from a dire financial situation brought on the challenges of the war years. The film was directed by Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske and Clyde Geronimi. The voice cast features Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, and Verna Felton. The songs are by Mack David, Jerry Livingston and Al Hoffman.