Helen du Toit, Festival & Artistic Director for Blue Mountain Film Festival (BMFF) today announced six compelling sessions for the festival’s Creative Forum, June 1 and 2, 2023. Over two days, the Forum will break down the art of comedy and creative financing, as well as offer in-depth conversations with acclaimed Canadian creators. All sessions will feature industry-leading panelists and focus on maximizing creative potential across genres and platforms. There will be multiple opportunities to network with senior filmmakers and key decision makers through the sessions and intimate sidebar events – all set against the natural backdrop of the Niagara Escarpment.

“This year’s Creative Forum captures the reach and prestige of Canadian creative talent” said Helen du Toit, Festival & Artistic Director. “We are delighted to host some of the great successes of our industry as they share essential insights about their craft. These sessions are perfect opportunities for industry insiders and film enthusiasts to share knowledge and engage in meaningful conversations.”

Beloved comedic actors Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience, Avatar: The Last Airbender), and Meredith MacNeill (Baroness Von Sketch Show, Pretty Hard Cases) join the Forum to break down the art of comedy in Crack Me Up: The Art of the Belly Laugh.

In Case Study: Navalny. Behind-the-scenes on the way to the Oscars, Academy-Award winning director Daniel Roher in conversation with Barry Hertz, Deputy Arts Editor and Film Editor at The Globe and Mail, will share how his documentary Nalvany came to life and how life changed on the heels of its stunning success.

In Quintessentially Canadian: The Making of Blackberry, director Matt Johnson and key crew join film journalist Jason Gorber (That Shelf, CBC), to discuss their acclaimed new feature Blackberry, and how they transformed a tragic national loss into an at turns hilarious, chaotic, and ultimately wild cinematic ride for the masses.

Creative Financing will feature top producers Dan Bekerman (The Witch, Falling), Paula Devonshire (Indian Horse), and Paul Barkin (Night Raiders) discussing their bold and creative approach to international film financing.

In Forum’s Next Gen Creators Predict the Future, some of Canada’s most talented voices including director Chandler Levack (I Like Movies) share their vision for the future of cinema.

Last festival beloved writer-director Patricia Rozema led Forum attendees on a magical hike Into the Forest and up the mountain, stopping periodically to share great behind the scenes stories and insider tips. This year a special guest will lead Filmmaker Hike and reveal their top tips and tricks gleaned from a distinguished career in cinema.

With Location Tips, Tour & Cider Sampling, top location manager John Rakich and Blue Mountain production liaison Marni Moreau will take guests on a special 90 min tour through the Blue Mountain region and reveal a staggering array of locations including chalet mansions, a century old countryside church, a converted barn straight out of The Dukes of Hazzard, private beach on South Georgian Bay, Clarksburg with Hindle’s, and more culminating with refreshing local cider samples at Spy Cider House.

BMFF’s Creative Forum will run during the first two of the festival, taking place June 1-4. Passes and special hotel rates for the Creative Forum are available for purchase. Individuals interested in attending are encouraged to book accommodations at Blue Mountain Resort early. Passes are available at Bluemtnfilmfest.ca.

The Pendance Film Festival kicks-off in Toronto May 12-14, 2023 in an in-person format! The Festival is now in its sixth edition and takes place at the Imagine Cinema Carlton, located at 20 Carlton St.  After two years of virtual screenings, they are very excited to welcome back live audiences to our temporary home in the heart of downtown. Pendance’s sixth edition will feature 20 film selections from 2023, and 8 films from our 2022 lineup which are being given a live screening for the first time.

The opening night selection “Northern Lights” – a collection of seven shorts – is completely sold-out based on a strong line-up selections this year, but for Mother’s Day they are recommending Geman film “Everybody Wants to be Loved”.

The Festival also features its re-vamped Pendance Library, giving the public a chance to screen films online for free! The library adds one film new per week, supporting films that screened at the Festival.

Check-out their Feature Films this year here on their website!

(Photo/video credit: Pendance Film Festival)

Canadian country music fans are one step closer to learning who will be the next big country music star as SiriusXM Canada and the Canadian Country Music Association ® (CCMA) reveal the three finalists in the 2023 SiriusXM Top of the Country competition. The announcement follows the voting phase where a panel of industry experts and the Canadian public narrowed down the contenders, who will now participate in priceless mentorship opportunities and performances at some of Canada’s most notable country music events. With a grand prize of $25,000 and the coveted title of SiriusXM Top of the Country Champion on the line, the competition is about to get even more fierce.

The three finalists are:

· Hailey Benedict – St. Albert, Alberta

· Noah Derksen – Winnipeg, Manitoba

· Teigen Gayse – Kelowna, B.C.

“Every year we are blown away by the talent discovered in the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition, and this year’s semi-finalists have raised the bar even higher,” says Michelle Mearns, Vice President of Programming and Operations at SiriusXM Canada. “The team at SiriusXM is excited to announce this year’s finalists and although we’re looking forward to seeing who will be crowned the winner, the best part of the competition is being able to champion Canadian talent and propel careers in the country music industry. We’re wishing our finalists the best of luck!”

The finalists have a busy summer ahead, starting with a trip to Nashville this June where they will perform at CMA Fest and make new, valuable industry connections. This will be followed by stage performances at Montreal’s Lasso country music festival in August and then they will head to Hamilton, ON for CCMA’s Country Music Week.

The competition culminates in a thrilling finale at County Music Week in September, broadcast live on SiriusXM’s Top of the Country Radio (Ch. 171), which plays the best new and established Canadian country artists and is available to subscribers across North America in their car and on the SXM App. Following an epic yet-to-be-announced headlining act, the three finalists will give performances of a lifetime, hoping to be named Canada’s best new country artist, and to win the $25,000 grand prize. The two runners-up will be awarded $10,000 each and all winners will attend a SOCAN songwriting camp in Nashville.

“The incredible talent of this year’s finalists is a testament to the strength and vibrancy of the Canadian country music scene,” says Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “It is an honour for us to spotlight and elevate Canadian country music artists in partnership with SiriusXM, and watch their craft evolve during the final stage of the competition.”

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

We love her in Succession, but Sarah Snook has plenty more tricks up her sleeve in RUN RABBIT RUN, coming soon to Netflix.

Logline:

Sarah Snook plays a single mother frightened by her young daughter’s inexplicable memories of a past identity.

RUN RABBIT RUN arrives June 28, 2023 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

A new three-part Docu-Series is coming to Netflix about fascinating icon Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Synopsis:

This three part documentary series chronicles never before seen footage & stories of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s journey from rural Austria to the highest echelons of the American dream. In the series, there’s unprecedented access to the most candid interviews from Schwarzenegger, his friends, foes, co-stars and observers. We see many talk about his days pumping iron to his triumphs in Hollywood, all the way to his time governing the state of California. The joys and the turbulence of his family life are unveiled in a tale that matches his larger-than-life persona.

ARNOLD arrives June 7, 2023 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Telefilm Canada is supporting 25 film festivals, under the new Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program (first round of decisions), for a funding total of $1.7 million.

These funding decisions were made as part of the promotion program modernization, which began in 2021 in collaboration with the industry, to allocate funding more efficiently and transparently. As announced in September, the promotion program has been segmented by the type of activity into different funding programs to better meet different needs and to meet clear criteria. For the Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program, internal representatives evaluated the applications with the input of external advisors to ensure fair and equitable evaluations. Further funding decisions will be announced later this year.

Telefilm’s Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program provides financial support to long-established medium to large-scale Canadian film festivals that help promote Canadian films and talent and stimulate demand for our multiscreen content. As a partner of choice, Telefilm is committed to advancing the development of the industry and reaching audiences where they are. Through this Program, Telefilm supports film festivals across the country and remains committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion to foster and support an industry that is representative of all communities in Canada.

List of all Medium to Large-Scale film festivals supported by Telefilm (starting between October 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024):

2024 Available Light Film Festival
Carrousel international du film de Rimouski 2024
2023 Devour! The Food Film Fest
Festival de films francophones CINEMANIA 2023
Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue 2023
Festival du film de l’Outaouais 2024
Festival du nouveau cinéma 2023
Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie 2023
Festival international du film pour enfants de Montréal 2024
Festival International du Film sur l’Art 2024
Festival REGARD 2024
2023 Forest City Film Festival
2024 Halifax Black Film Festival
2023 image+nation. festival film LGBT2SQ+ Montréal
2023 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
2024 Kingston Canadian Film Festival
Les Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma 2024
2023 Reelworld Film Festival
Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal 2023
2023 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival
2024 Toronto Black Film Festival
2023 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
2023 Vancouver Asian Film Festival
2024 Victoria Film Festival
2023 Whistler Film Festival

WHO: Award-winning global superstar Ed Sheeran

WHAT: Sheeran’s intimate performance at the Eventim Apollo in London will be available to stream on Apple Music in over 165 countries

WHERE: apple.co/AMLEdSheeran

WHEN: The performance debuts on Wednesday, May 10 at 12:00pm PST / 3:00pm EST / 8:00p UK and will become available to stream on demand on both Apple Music and Apple TV+ beginning at 1 p.m. PST.

WHY: In the intimate live performance, Sheeran showcases his acclaimed new album, – (pronounced “subtract”), in full for the first time alongside a 12-piece band that includes Aaron Dessner of The National.

Ed Sheeran’s performance officially kicks off Season Two of Apple Music Live – the live performance series that gives the biggest stars in music a stage to connect with audiences around the world. The star-studded inaugural season of Apple Music Live kicked off in May 2022 with an exclusive livestream of Harry Styles’s One Night Only in New York performance to celebrate the release of his acclaimed album Harry’s House. Additional standouts included Billie Eilish’s Live at the O2 performance, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Film; Alicia Keys’s first-ever Holiday Masquerade Ball; and riveting performances from chart-topping artists Lil Durk, Mary J. Blige, Luke Combs, and Wizkid. Explore the full lineup of past performances in the Apple Music Live archive.

Ahead of his Apple Music Live performance, during an interview with Matt Wilkinson to preview the set, Sheeran shared: “I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be a really beautiful night. I think it’ll probably be one of the best shows I’ve ever played for so many reasons.” The full interview is available to watch HERE.

Sheeran is one of the top performing artists of all time on Apple Music, with more than 9.5 billion plays globally and 240 million Shazam tags. His smash 2017 single “Shape of You” is the most streamed song of all time on Apple Music, with more than 930 million plays worldwide. More than 45 of Sheeran’s songs have reached No. 1 on the Daily Top 100. His new album, -, became the most pre-added album on Apple Music of all time, with lead single “Eyes Closed” reaching the Daily Top 100 in 87 countries — his 21st song to reach the top 25 on Apple Music’s Daily Top 100: Global chart.

This summer, something’s going down in the up! Good Omens Season Two will premiere July 28, 2023 on Prime Video. After the global success and enthusiastic response to the first season, co-creator Neil Gaiman is satisfying fans’ hunger for more on-screen adventures of the beloved unholy duo with an entirely original story. The ineffable Season Two premiere date was revealed on the 33rd anniversary of the publishing of the original novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Gaiman, which was the basis for the first season of the television series. As a special celebration for fans, Gaiman collaborated with superfans Hilly & Hannah Hindi of the The Hillywood Show to reveal the date in a fan-funded video, “Good Omens Parody,” which can be viewed HERE.

The six-episode season will be released exclusively on Prime Video on July 28, 2023 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Fans can catch up on the first season of Good Omens streaming now on Prime Video, part of the savings, convenience, and entertainment that Prime members enjoy in a single membership.

Season Two of Good Omens explores storylines that go beyond the original source material to illuminate the uncanny friendship between Aziraphale, a fussy angel and rare book dealer, and the fast-living demon Crowley. Having been on Earth since The Beginning, and with the Apocalypse thwarted, Aziraphale and Crowley are getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho when an unexpected messenger presents a surprising mystery.

Good Omens Season Two stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant as angel Aziraphale and demon Crowley, respectively. Also reprising their roles are Jon Hamm as archangel Gabriel, Doon Mackichan as archangel Michael, and Gloria Obianyo as archangel Uriel. Returning this season in new roles are Miranda Richardson as demon Shax, Maggie Service as Maggie, and Nina Sosanya as Nina, with new faces joining the misfits in Heaven and Hell: Liz Carr as angel Saraqael, Quelin Sepulveda as angel Muriel, and Shelley Conn as demon Beelzebub.

Neil Gaiman continues as executive producer and co-showrunner along with executive producer Douglas Mackinnon, who also returned to direct all six episodes. Rob Wilkins of Narrativia, representing Terry Pratchett’s estate, John Finnemore, and BBC Studios Productions’ head of comedy Josh Cole also executive produce, with Finnemore serving as co-writer alongside Gaiman. Good Omens is based on the well-loved and internationally best-selling novel by Pratchett and Gaiman. The new season is produced by Amazon Studios, BBC Studios Productions, The Blank Corporation, and Narrativia.

Paramount Pictures today announced a special Early Access Fan Event screening to celebrate the theatrical release of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts opening nationwide exclusively in theatres. The Early Access Premiere will include one special showing on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 7PM local time at participating theatres across the country, in advance of the movie’s national release on Friday, June 9, 2023.

Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth. Directed by Steven Caple Jr. the film stars Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Tobe Nwigwe, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Colman Domingo, Cristo Fernández and Tongayi Chirisa.

Says Paramount Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Chris Aronson, “We’re thrilled to give fans an early opportunity to roll-out and catch this latest, spectacular installment of the Transformers franchise on the big screen in advance of its exclusive theatrical debut on June 9th.”

Tickets for the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Early Access + general Transformers: Rise of the Beasts tickets are on sale today. To purchase tickets for the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Early Access Fan Event Screening and for participating theatre listings in your area, go to transformersmovie.com/seeitfirst. General tickets are also on sale at transformersmovie.com. Tickets for all shows are also on sale at exhibitors’ websites & mobile apps, and at participating theatre box offices nationwide.

Ticket holders seeing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts at this advance Early Access Fan Screening will also see special bonus content curated for this event, plus will receive limited-edition collectibles including an exclusive collector’s print of Optimus Prime and Maximals Patch, given away at their local theatre on the date of the event and while supplies last.

Visionary Wes Anderson is back with yet another feast for the senses in ASTEROID CITY. Today, we get a new Poster!

Details:

Director: Wes Anderson
Screenwriters: Wes Anderson / Story by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Producers: Wes Anderson, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson
Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Jeff Goldblum
Story: ASTEROID CITY takes place in a fictional American desert town circa 1955. Synopsis:
The itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.