#FIRSTLOOK: “SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS”

Paramount+ debuted a first look and official title for the highly anticipated espionage thriller SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS (previously titled “Lioness”). From Academy Award® nominee Taylor Sheridan, the original series stars series lead and executive producer Zoe Saldaña, Academy Award winner and executive producer Nicole Kidman, Canadian Laysla De Oliveira, and Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman. SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios exclusively for Paramount+.

SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS is based on a real-life program and follows Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira), a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine recruited to join the Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Saldaña will play Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives.

SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS will also star series regulars Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Stephanie Nur and Hannah Love Lanier with Emmy Award® Nominee Michael Kelly in a recurring role. The series is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Malone and John Hillcoat.

The series is the latest addition to Sheridan’s growing slate on Paramount+, which includes 1923, 1883, MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN, and TULSA KING as well as the upcoming series LAWMEN: BASS REEVES and LAND MAN.

For more information about Paramount+ and SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlusCA and @SpecialOpsLioness on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and @SpecOpsLioness on Twitter.

#INSIDEOUTTO: 2023 INSIDE OUT TORONTO 2SLGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING ACCOUNCEMENT

The 33rd annual Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, which proudly champions innovative 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers from across the globe, has revealed its full film lineup. Showcasing 107 films from 30 countries, including 33 feature films, and 7 world premieres. The festival will take place both in-person and virtually from May 25th to June 4th, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. The announcement was made today by Inside Out’s Co-Head & Executive Director, Elie Chivi, and Co-Head & Artistic Director, Andrew Murphy.

The festival’s opening night film this year will be the Canadian Premiere of acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs’ French romantic drama PASSAGES, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance to rave reviews. The drama about three people caught in a love triangle marked by passion, jealousy, and narcissism stars Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adele Exarchopoulos. Closing the festival will be the World Premiere of a fantastical summer romance with a big musical heart, GLITTER & DOOM by Tom Gustafson, which is a love story told through the song lyrics by the Indigo Girls and features Alex Diaz, Missy Pyle, Tig Notaro, Alan Cammish and Lea DeLaria, along with the Indigo Girls themselves.

This year’s RE:Focus Gala selection is the Sundance Next Audience Award and Berlin Panorama Audience Award winner, KOKOMO CITY by Grammy-nominated artist, D. Smith. Through laughter and conversation, D. Smith captures an unapologetic and unfiltered look into the lives of four Black transgender sex workers. The documentary also features a unique and exhilarating soundtrack that matches the film’s striking black and white visuals.

Inside Out’s Centerpiece Gala will host the World Premiere of Canadian documentary, SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei. The documentary is a moving exploration of more than four decades of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation, which continues to support the needs of the 2SLGTBQ+ communities.

Highlights from the Special Presentations lineup include the Canadian premieres of Ally Pankiw’s I USED TO BE FUNNY and Georgia Oakley’s BLUE JEAN. Fresh from its SXSW Grand Jury Nomination, I USED TO BE FUNNY features Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY), Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Dani Kind, and Ennis Esmer. The Canadian writer-director’s debut feature is about an au pair and aspiring stand-up comic, struggling with PTSD, who must decide if she wants to join the search for a missing teen she used to nanny. BLUE JEAN is a story about a gym teacher living a double life in Thatcher’s England. It comes to Inside Out after winning Venice’s Giornate Degli Autori’s People’s Choice, Best Lead Performance for star Rosy McEwen at the British Independent Film Awards, as well as multiple BAFTA nominations, including Outstanding Debut for Oakley.

Other notable festival titles include the World Premieres of Loveleen Kaur’s music documentary LEILANI’S FORTUNE, which follows queer, immigrant Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry; and Ian Gabriel’s RUNS IN THE FAMILY, a heartfelt dramedy about a father-son road trip across South Africa. Inside Out will also host the Canadian premiere of MUTT, which played at the Berlin and Sundance festivals earlier this year to critical acclaim, and focuses on a trans character as they adjust into their new life and identity.

Additional festival highlights include the Canadian premieres of 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren. The Berlin Guild Film Prize winner is the story of a young child and her path to discover her identity alongside her mother and the women in her family; and ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, the Teddy Award winner by Nigeria’s Babtunde Apalowo about a delivery driver in Lagos whose quiet life is disrupted by a friendly, easy-going photographer.

Inside Out will also host a special 20th Anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s SCHOOL OF ROCK, starring Jack Black, with cast member Rivkah Reyes in attendance (who also has a film they wrote, GIANNA, playing at the festival).

“We are thrilled to welcome audiences to the 33rd annual Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. We are incredibly grateful to our members, donors, sponsors and stakeholders as well as our queer filmmaking family, for their continued loyalty and support, and without whom, this festival would not be possible,” said Elie Chivi, Co-Head and Executive Director.

“2023 is the year of Inside Out! Further solidifying our place in the spring pre-pride calendar, the Inside Out family has been hard at work to unveil today the best and most crucial cinematic voices from the 2SLGBTQ+ community.” said Andrew Murphy, Co-Head and Artistic Director. “Built around the heart of our cinematic experiences, we continue to strive to build experiences of connection, industry and professional development, and at the end of the night, a dance floor, because joy comes in many forms,” commented Andrew Murphy, Co-Head & Artistic Director.

“This year’s program offers an eclectic and captivating lineup of films, showcasing the rich and multifaceted experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ communities globally and right here in our own backyard. From the bold and innovative works of local talent Luis De Filippis, VT Nayani, and Ally Pankiw to the world premieres and festival favorites from 30 countries, we are excited for our audience to join us and explore the complex and joyful nuances of queer life,” added Jenna Dufton, Director of Festival Programming.

Inside Out, in addition to being a major resource for 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers and showcasing their work through the flagship festival, is one the world’s leading 2SLGBTQ+ film organizations, having founded the world’s only 2SLGBTQ+ Feature Finance Forum. The selected participants and mentors for the 8th edition International Financing Forum, will be announced in the coming weeks. Finance Forum success stories screening in this year’s festival are BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND (Trevor Anderson), BLUE JEAN (Georgia Oakley), GLITTER & DOOM (Tom Gustafson), GOLDEN DELICIOUS (Jason Karman), MUTT (Vuk Lungulov-Klotz), and SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT (Luis De Filippis).

The programming team is led by Director of Festival Programming Jenna Dufton, and is comprised of Lucia Linares (Programming Coordinator), and programmers Ferdosa Abdi, Rasheed Bailey, Ashley Bodika, Katherine Connell, Jacob Crepeault, Ferrin Evans, Ahlam Hassan, Claire Jarvis, Allia McLeod, Emma Pitters-Fisher, Nik Redman, and Scott Smart.

All in-person screenings at the festival will take place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto, and all industry events, including the opening and closing night parties, as well as the activities for the LGBTQ International Financing Forum, will take place at Artscape Sandbox. Many films will also be available virtually and available in Ontario.

Individual tickets for screenings (in person and digital), ticket packages, and all-access passes are on sale as of today at insideout.ca.

The full 2023 festival selections include:

OPENING GALA

PASSAGES, directed by Ira Sachs (France/Narrative)
The latest work by acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs starring Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogowski and Adele Excharpouplo, is a tale about two men who wonder if their crumbling marriage can survive when one of them has an affair with a woman.

CLOSING GALA

GLITTER & DOOM, director by Tom Gustafson (USA/Narrative)
When carefree Glitter and aspiring musician Doom meet it is love at first sight but they have only 29 days to discover if their love will last. Told through song lyrics by the Indigo Girls, the romance features some of their greatest hits, including the iconic anthem “Closer to Fine.” The film stars Alex Diaz, Alan Cammish, Lea DeLaria, Missi Pyle, Tig Notaro, and the Indigo Girls themselves.

RE:FOCUS GALA

KOKOMO CITY, directed by D. Smith (USA/Documentary)
Through conversation and laughter, Grammy nominated artist D. Smith presents a vibrant portrait of four black transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia who reflect on belonging and identity within the Black community and beyond.

CENTREPIECE GALA

SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei (Canada/Documentary)
A moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

I USED TO BE FUNNY, directed by Ally Pankiw (Canada/Narrative)
An au pair and aspiring stand-up comedian, struggling with PTSD, must decide to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny as she tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage.

BLUE JEAN, directed by Georgia Oakley (UK/Narrative)
Jean, a gym teacher, struggling to live her life openly under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government faces a crisis with the arrival of a new student that challenges Jean to her core.

PREMIERES

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS), directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain / Narrative)
An eight-year-old child struggles with identity, her birth name feels very wrong, and her nickname Cocó doesn’t feel quite right either. During a summer among the beehives, she explores her name and identity alongside her mother and the women of her family.

OPPONENT (MOTSTANDAREN), directed by Milad Alami (Sweden/Narrative)
Iman and his family were forced to flee Iran and end up in northern Sweden. To protect his family he joins a local wrestling club. However, one sparring partner in particular ignites old feelings and Iman must choose between his own desires and the safety of his family.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY, directed by Ian Gabriel (South Africa/Narrative)
Former scam artist Varun and his trans drag performer son, River, embark on a road trip across South Africa. As River worries about missing Her Majesty’s Drag Competition and the opportunity to win the prize money to pay for his top surgery, secrets bubble to the surface and the duo’s relationship will be tested like never before.

SISI & I (SIS & ICH), directed by Frauke Finsterwalder (Germany, Switzerland, Austria/ Narrative)
Countess Irma finds Empress Sisi in Greece, away from the etiquette of the court. They live in freedom, but no matter how much Irma and Sisi resist, in the end they are left with only one fatal path that will bind them together forever.

ICONS

COMMITMENT TO LIFE, directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (USA / Documentary)
Hollywood played a critical role in the battle against HIV/AIDS as doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists came together to change the path of the epidemic and how the world saw it.

HUMMINGBIRDS, directed by Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefania ‘Beba” Contreras (USA/ Documentary)
Filmmakers and activists Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras are coming of age in Laredo, Texas. Stuck in an immigration process with the threat of deportation for their families, they boldly refuse to be scared into submission and spend their days planning protest actions while expressing themselves with music, poetry, and art, creating magic in everyday moments.

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?, directed by Ella Glendining (UK/Documentary)
Filmmaker Ella Glendining was born with a very rare disability. Using intimate video diary entries, conversations with similarly bodied people and doctors treating her condition, Ella explored what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.

IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL, directed by Alexandria Bambach (USA/Documentary)
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school as queer friends who never expected to make it big. Against all odds, they broke through in the 1980s, maintaining musical careers on their own terms with an unwavering commitment to progressive politics and queer rights.

LEILANI’S FORTUNE, directed by Loveleen Kaur (Canada/Documentary)
An intimate journey with queer, immigrant, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet, as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry. After a decade of making music she is now receiving critical acclaim and nominations, finally getting the validation and support she needs to embark on the creation of the album of her prophecies.

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

A QUEER’S GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL LIVING, directed by Ari Conrad Birch and Michal Heuston (Canada/Documentary)
The lives of four queer folks from various religions meet at the intersection of faith and queerness – Summeiya, the genderfluid founder of Queer Muslim Network Toronto, Juliana, a bisexual teacher and former Baptist Christian, Vaibhav, a gay Hindu dancer, and Ari, a trans Coptic Orthodox drag artist.

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, directed by Trevor Anderson (Canada/Narrative)
Robin’s arrival at a small-town Alberta middle-school causes a stir because the students aren’t sure of Robin’s gender. When Robin becomes friends with Trevor, the school bully, their friendship is put to the test when they are both attracted to Izzy.

BLOOM ROOM, directed by Tristen Sutherland, Yasmijn Nicolle, Christian Anderson, Sochima Nwakaeze, Ajahnis Charley (Canada/Series)
This six-episode series follows a group of Black millennials in an online community who love plants. As the group becomes entangled in each other’s lives, they find purpose in caretaking for their plants and their budding relationships.

GOLDEN DELICIOUS, directed by Jason Karman (Canada/Narrative)
Everyone wants something from high school senior Jake. But it’s not until Aleks, an openly gay teen with a love for basketball, moves in across the street that Jake begins to struggle with his own desires. To get closer to Aleks, Jake devotes himself to making the basketball team – only to realize it’s not basketball he really wants.

SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT, directed by Luis de Filippis (Canada, Switzerland/Narrative)
Ren reluctantly accompanies her very Italian family on a beach resort holiday. As Ren navigates a resort not suited to her trans identity and coped with her parents’ loving yet overbearing nature, she tries to balance the yearning for independence and the need to rely even more on her family’s support.

THIS PLACE, directed by V.T. Nayani (Canada/Narrative)
Kawenniióhstha leaves her community of Kahnawà:ke for Toronto and to find her Iranian father, who she has never met. Malai is a Tamil woman dealing with her father’s terminal illness and trying to decide what her future should look like. The women meet by chance but form an intense attraction and bond as they navigate complex issues of identity and family.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

A PLACE OF OUR OWN (EK JAGAH APNI), directed by Ektara Collective (India/Narrative)
Trans women Laila and Roshni are looking for housing after they are evicted from their rental. As their search continues, it transcends physical spaces and biological bonds, and as new friendships blossom, help arrives from unexpected places.

ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, directed by Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria/Narrative)
Bambino is a delivery driver in Lagos, living a quiet life but when he meets Bawa, a friendly and easygoing photographer, something clicks. But in a country where homosexuality is illegal and taboo, Bambino doesn’t know what to do with their connection; judging by the life choices of his friend Ifeyinwa, the options seem limited.

ALMAMULA, directed by Juan Sebastian Torales (France, Argentina, Italy/Narrative)
After being gay bashed by local boys, Nino’s family moves to their country home. Nino is forced to attend confirmation class and is warned not to enter a nearby forest or risk being captured by the Almamula, a mythic creature that takes away those who commit carnal sins. But he is pulled to explore the forest and find out if the Almamula is real.

BIG BOYS, directed by Corey Sherman (USA/Narrative)
Jamie’s dream camping trip is ruined before it even begins when he finds out that his beloved cousin is bringing her new boyfriend. Jamie’s initial jealousy of the competent and confident Dan quickly turns into a friendship as the weekend progresses, and Jamie comes to terms with who he is.

MUTT, directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (USA/Narrative
Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña’s past are thrust back into his life after he lost since transitioning – his relationships with his father, his younger half-sister, and his ex-boyfriend – all while tackling the day-to-day challenges of living life in-between.

NARROW PATH TO HAPPINESS, directed by Kata Olah (Hungary, USA/Narrative)
A young Romani couple living in a remote village in Hungary have a very big dream: to make a musical based on their lives so they go to Budapest where they can live more openly. But, they must return to their village for one final reckoning, hoping to finally find the inspiration to write their own happy ending.

NORWEGIAN DREAMS, directed by Levi Igor Devold (Norway, Poland, Germany/Narrative)
Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. He begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. When a strike breaks out, his loyalty to his fellow workers is tested.

QUEENDOM, directed by Agniia Galdanova (USA/Documentary)
Gena, an artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public, which becomes a new form of art and activism and puts her life in danger.

SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING: SCHOOL OF ROCK, directed by Richard Linklater (USA/Narrative)
Fired from his band, down and out rockstar Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is desperate for work and takes a job as a substitute music teacher at an uptight private school where his attitude and hijinks have a powerful effect on his students.
Special guest, Rivkah Reyes (Katie), will be in attendance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mike White and Richard Linklater’s classic comedy.

THE VENUS EFFECT (VENUSEFFEKTEN), directed by Anna Emma Haudal (Denmark/Narrative)
Responsible and level-headed Liv believes she has her whole life figured out but cracks begin to show in her stable and simple life the arrival of eccentric artist Andrea. As the two women grow closer Liv’s life is thrown off course and she must contend with a breakup, a divorce, and an identity crisis that jeopardizes her shot at a happy life with the woman she loves.

WOLF AND DOG (LOBO E CAO), directed by Claudia Varejao (Portugal, France/Narrative)
Friends Ana and Luis were born on the island of São Miguel. Both have been expected to fit into the lives that have been laid out for them. But watching Luis push back against his father’s expectations, Ana begins to question the world around her.

SHORTS PROGRAM

The full shorts lineup can be found here.

#FIRSTLOOK: 2023 FUTURE OF FILM SHOWCASE

Future of Film Showcase (FOFS), Canada’s most sought-after festival for emerging Canadian filmmakers, turns 10! To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the festival welcomes 2023 Canadian Screen Award winner Lamar Johnson (Brother, The Last of Us) as this year’s keynote speaker and announces the official film selections and industry programming. Tickets to the four-day festival — taking place May 18 – 21, 2023 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre (259 Richmond St. W), Startwell Studios (230 Niagara St.), and virtually across Canada — are on sale now at fofs.ca. 

This year’s FOFS feature film selection is the Toronto premiere of Geneviève Albert’s critically acclaimed debut feature film NOÉMIE SAYS YES. Written and directed by Albert, the story follows 15-year-old Noémie who befriends a group of delinquents and falls in love with a pimp. After some convincing, she finds herself thrust into life as an escort. The film received 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominations for Best First Feature Film, as well as Performance in a Leading Role for Kelly Depeault. Preceding the feature is the Toronto premiere of short film RESTE directed by Quebecois filmmaker Ginger La Pecheur, following the story of a young girl left alone in an apartment, bringing to light what can be the daily life of a child with candor and bitterness. Both films will screen on Sunday, May 21st at the Scotiabank Theatre. 

The official shorts programming features an exciting lineup from emerging Canadian talent including: 

• Marilyn Cooke’s award-winning and incisive NO GHOST IN THE MORGUE (TIFF ‘22), a 2023 Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Live Action Short Drama; 
• the Toronto festival premieres of LATE SUMMER, a whimsical romance in the vein of Canadian legend Guy Maddin, from Winnipeg filmmaker Ryan Steel, and Toronto filmmaker Suzannah Moore’s insular drama QUICHE, presenting a quite gaze over a suspicious neighbor and a private new mother;
• the Ontario premieres of Montreal filmmaker Charles Marois’ HORIZONS, an experimental short that deconstructs the landscape in a way that makes us lose our sense of reality and continuity, and Toronto filmmaker Richard Reeves’ INTERSEXTION, an experimental animation in which two abstract energies fall in love, unite as one, then disappear into a vanishing point. 
• EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT (SXSW ‘22), an intimate portrait of anguish during the beginning of the COVID Pandemic, directed by Montreal’s Farhad Pakdel;
• I THOUGHT THE WORLD OF YOU (TIFF ‘22, VIFF ‘22), an elegiac, sensuous fictionalization of a real life Canadian musician’s myth, from Vancouver based filmmaker Kurt Walker;
• Katie Matthew and Jess Shane’s Guantanamo Bay-set aural documentary SIGNAL AND NOISE, a stirring investigation into colonial effects through senses not often considered; 
• BLUE GARDEN (Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival ‘22), a hybrid documentary-animation about a Japanese-Canadian fisherman during the WW2 internment, by Vancouver’s Natalie Murao; and
• the experimental drama AT EACH NIGHT from Montreal’s Marie-Josée Tremblay.

“Film’s immersive experience has the power to excite, inspire, transform and transport audiences, and the conversation that follows our screenings offers a window into the motivations and processes of leading professionals,” said Eric Bizzarri, Co-Founder and CEO, Future of Film Showcase. “We’re looking forward to celebrating 10 years of the Future of Film Showcase with audiences in person and virtually across Canada, and connecting aspiring talent with industry veterans and rising stars like Lamar Johnson. This year’s program is not to be missed!” 

FOFS also presents seven awards to featured filmmakers: Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Picture Editing, Best Director, Best Screenplay and People’s Choice. Award winners are selected by the FOFS 2023 Jury: Jason Anderson (TIFF), Brad Deane (Producer, So Much Tenderness), Samah Ali (Hot Docs, DOC NYC), Miryam Charles (Director, Cette Maison), Anthony Q Farrell (writer and producer; The Office), and Simone Holland (Content Creator, Wieden + Kennedy). The People’s Choice Award is determined by audience vote. The award-winning films will stream free across Canada on CBC Gem beginning May 23, 2023.

In addition, FOFS presents industry programming that offers valuable development opportunities through workshops, panel discussions and one-on-one mentorship, directed towards fostering the future of emerging Canadian filmmakers. 

Industry Programming Highlights for the FOFS’ 10^th Anniversary include:

Thursday, May 18

• The Future of Equity in Film Panel, Co-Presented by Fae Pictures: In conversation with Christopher Yip (Showrunner, Streams Flow from a River), Yazmeen Kanji (Founder, Films With a Cause), and Thomas Antony Olajide (Learn to Swim) and moderated by Aashna Thakkar (Manager of Programming, Regent Park Film Festival), the panel centers on the importance of equity within the film industry and explores initiatives that can help improve it. 

Friday, May 19

• One-on-One Virtual Coffees Sessions, Presented by the DGC Ontario: Participants can register for a 15-minute one-on-one conversation with an industry professional in their area of interest to network and receive valuable insight, advice, and mentorship. Sessions are available for directing, producing, cinematography, art department, picture editing, sound editing and more. The meetings are not pitch sessions. A variety of diverse industry professionals will participate, including Tom Hastings (Paramount+ Canada), Melanie Hadley (Executive Director, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada), Carolyn Wu (Bell Media), Abdul Malik (Fae Pictures), Claire Peace McConnell (VVS Films), Jenn Kuzmyk (Banff World Media Festival), Paige Murray (CBC) and others. 

• In The Casting Room BIPOC Workshop, Presented by ACTRA Toronto:  BIPOC actors have the opportunity to meet with and audition for leading casting directors Millie Tom (Casting, Degrassi: The Next Generation), Larissa Mair (Casting, Run the Burbs, The Hardy Boys), Sergio Alvarado (The Brunch Store Casting) and Linds Christopher (Casting, Family Feud Canada). Actors will receive feedback and critique and have the ability to foster a relationship with their assigned casting directors. 

• In The Casting Room Panel, Presented by ACTRA Toronto: Toronto’s leading casting directors will discuss how actors can create greater impact with their self-tape and auditions. Following the open panel discussion, Janet Rose Nguyen will moderate a Q&A session with Millie Tom, Larissa Mair, Sergio Alvarado and Linds Christopher. This panel will be ASL interpreted and a recording will be posted to FOFS’ digital channels with closed captioning. 

Saturday, May 20

• How To Get Funded Panel,  Presented by Canada Media Fund: Access to funding is fundamental to a film’s success. Join some of Canada’s leading funding organizations for an intimate discussion about what they look for when selecting projects, including the different funding opportunities that exist within their space. Participating in the panel are Peter Kingstone (Toronto Arts Council), Ayesha Husain (Telefilm Canada), Zachary Goldkind (Director of Programming, FOFS), and moderator Eman Pathan (Chief Financial Officer, FOFS). This event will be ASL Interpreted and a recording of this panel will be posted to FOFS’ digital channels with closed captioning.
  
• Art Department Panel: New this year, FOFS presents an informative discussion featuring various departments within the art department, such as production design, set decoration, props and more. Learn about various roles, day-to-day duties and pathways to working within the art department, moderated by Frances Santiago (Creative Director, FOFS) and featuring Flora Yin (Production Designer, OLG x Raptors, Foot Locker, Little Caesars), Chelsea Attong (Production Designer, The Bay, McDonald’s, Junos 2022), Michelle Braham (Property Master, No Time to Die) and Dialla Kawar (Production Designer, Soft, Learn to Swim)

Sunday, May 21

• Closing Keynote Conversation with Lamar Johnson: This in-conversation discussion will explore Johnson’s journey as an actor; his body of work, and touch on how to pursue a career in the industry for young creatives hoping to follow their passions within film.

• Web & TV Pilot Workshop, Presented by Canada Media Fund and Fae Pictures: The workshop begins with a special screening of the pilot episodes of CTV’s Shelved, a new workplace comedy from creator Anthony Q Farrell (The Office, Run the Burbs); Fakes, a new digital series by David Turko; as well as digital series virgins! from Aden Abebe. Farrell, Abebe, and Jasmin Mozaffari (Firecrackers) will lead a discussion following the screenings. 

For more information, visit fofs.ca. Future of Film Showcase can be found on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @FutureFilmShow and #FOFS2023.  

#FIRSTLOOK: “JEWISH MATCHMAKING”

It was a total earth-shattering moment when I realized there actually is a JEWISH MATCHMAKING series coming soon to Netflix. You all know how much I love INDIAN MATCHMAKING, but is this branch of the Series a worthy successor of it’s predecessor?

We had the opportunty to preview a few episodes of JEWISH MATCHMAKING, which centers on professional Matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom, as she tries to help single Jewish men and women find love from the US to Israel. Aleeza is refreshing in that she goes by the philosophy that she doesn’t care so much that it has to be her making the match, so much as that her clients actually find love somehow. Even if it means on their own.

Along the way, we meet some singles here and more often than not they want something physical. Ori is coming off a long-term relationship but is uncompromising about wanting his partner to have good looks more than anything. And even at that he’s rather picky to boot and lacks self-awareness even though he has a good group of friends who aren’t afraid to keep him in-check.

Harmonie is in her 40s and has a big, bubbly personality. She also wants someone whom she is physically attracted to, but Aleeza makes her go outside her comfort zone, dating someone who could ground her, but is she ready for that?

Dani is particular about her partner’s eyebrows, almost to the point it is an obsession. Not only does the man she date have to be really handsome, but also possess amazing eyebrows. But of course, they can’t be better than hers!

JEWISH MATCHMAKING draws its audience in with quirks in its singles, which while not apparent to them, are plain to see for the audience. Though the Series doesn’t quite have the same charm and mysticism that INDIAN MATCHMAKING possesses, it is entertaining enough even though the singles we meet here don’t quite have the same humility we saw with Sima Aunty‘s crew.

The Show makes an intersting point of how the various divides and how religious – or “Flexodox” – these singles are, can dictate the dynamic of the relationship. Case in point – Fay and Shaya, a couple whose chemistry is absolutely off-the-charts when we meet them. So while some pairings appear somewhat successful, one partner being more religious, can sway the fate of their chemistry even when everything’s there on paper.

JEWISH MATCHMAKING arrives May 3, 2023 on Netflix.

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “FAST X”

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see FAST X, the latest in the celebrated Fast and Furious franchise.

Advance screening will be held Monday, May 15, 2023 in:

Toronto: Cineplex Queensway at 7 pm
Montreal: Cinema Starcite at 7 pm
Vancouver: SilverCity Riverport at 7 pm

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City in the comments there. Re-Tweet this Tweet below for an extra chance.

We've got your chance to see #FastX in select cities!https://t.co/64FbgHy0gb pic.twitter.com/UOpmefmf2k

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) May 3, 2023

Rules and regulations here.

Please do not respond to third party messages asking you to input your credit card or banking information.

Universal Pictures Canada release FAST X May 19, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: MUBI CELEBRATES CANNES WITH UPCOMING EXCLUSIVES

To celebrate the upcoming 2023 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, MUBI, the film distributor, production company and global streaming service, presents a special series throughout May focusing on twelve critically acclaimed films from the past 20 years of the festival.

Included in the focus are two MUBI exclusives: Maksym Nakonechnyi’s harrowing drama Butterfly Vision (2022) and Kira Kovalenko’s poignant and daring Unclenching the Fists (2021) which won the Un Certain Regard Award at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Further films in the focus include Yorgos Lanthimos’ unsettling drama The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), Karim Aïnouz’s Un Certain Regard winner The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmão, Jessica Hausner’s sci-fi thriller Little Joe (2019), the Taviani’s brothers Palme d’Or winner Padre Padrone (1977) and Radu Jude’s gripping drama The Potemkinists (2022).

The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmão (Karim Aïnouz, 2019) – May 16

Rio de Janeiro, 1950. Euridice and Guida are two inseparable sisters. Each has a dream: becoming a renowned pianist, or finding true love. Because of their father they are forced to live without one another. Separated, they take control of their destiny, while never giving up hope of being reunited.

Butterfly Vision (Maksym Nakonechnyi, 2022) – May 17 | MUBI EXCLUSIVE

After spending months as a prisoner in Donbas, Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance expert Lilia returns home to her family. But the trauma of captivity continues to torment her in dreamlike ways. Something growing deep within Lilia will not allow her to forget, yet she will fight to liberate herself.

The Lunchbox (Ritesh Batra, 2013) – May 18

A mistaken delivery in Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. They build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2017) – May 19

Steven, an eminent cardiothoracic surgeon, is married to Anna, an ophthalmologist. They live a healthy family life with their two children.
 Their lives take a darker turn when Martin, a fatherless youth who Steven has covertly taken under his wing, insinuates himself further into the family’s life.

The Blackout (Abel Ferrara, 1997) – May 20

Dumped by his girlfriend (Béatrice Dalle) because of his excesses with alcohol and drugs, Matty (Matthew Modine), a Hollywood actor sick and tired of his life, spends a wild night with his friend Mickey (Dennis Hopper), remembering absolutely nothing the next day. Then nightmares start.

Woman at War (Benedikt Erlingsson, 2018) – May 21

Fifty-year-old Halla seemingly leads a quiet existence. However, she is actually a radical eco-activist who has declared a one-woman-war on the local aluminum industry. In the midst of her environmental crusade, Halla receives the surprising news that her application to adopt a child was approved.

The Skin (Liliana Cavani, 1981) – May 22

The wartime experiences of Curzio Malaparte, who served as the American Commanding General’s Italian liaison during the American liberation of Naples.

Hyenas (Djibril Diop Mambéty, 1992) – May 23

Dramaan Drameh is a respected, convivial shopkeeper in the tiny village of Colobane. But a forgotten act of cruelty committed thirty years in his past comes back to haunt him when the young girl he impregnated and abandoned returns seeking revenge.

Padre padrone (Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani, 1977) – May 24

The true story of the life of Gavino Ledda, the son of a Sardinian shepherd, and how he managed to escape his harsh, almost barbaric existence by slowly educating himself, despite violent opposition from his brutal father.

The Potemkinists (Radu Jude, 2022) – May 25 | MUBI EXCLUSIVE

In 1905, the sailors on the battleship Potemkin are given political asylum in Romania – an act of defiance against Russia. In 2021, a sculptor wants to create an artwork inspired by the event.

Unclenching the Fists (Kira Kovalenko, 2021) – May 26 | MUBI EXCLUSIVE

Ada is stuck. Living in a dead-end industrial town in the North Ossetia section of Russia, she is caught in the tight grip of the men in her life. But when her older brother returns home and her domineering father suddenly falls ill, Ada finally sees a possible path to independence.

Little Joe (Jessica Hausner, 2019) – May 27

Single mother Alice is a dedicated plant breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new species. She has engineered a special crimson flower: if kept at the ideal temperature and spoken to regularly, it makes its owner happy. Against company policy, Alice takes one home for her teenage son, Joe.

#FIRSTLOOK: SPELLING BEE OF CANADA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION

The Spelling Bee of Canada will host its National Championship Competition on Sunday, May 28, 2023 at the Sheraton Parkway in Richmond Hill, ON. Following a series of regional chapter spelling bee competitions across the country, 60 finalists (20 per age category) have made it through to the next round and are set to compete at the championship this month. The full list of regional finalists is below.

“Spelling Bee of Canada is proud to be celebrating 36 incredible years!” says Julie Spence, Founder of Spelling Bee of Canada. “We are thankful for the passion and focus of our volunteers and the participants as we continue to strive together on this educational endeavour. In this wonderful world of words, we not only expand our vocabulary; we expand our understanding, and our ability to communicate effectively with others. After a challenging couple of years, we at Spelling Bee of Canada are excited that we are returning to our normal schedule.”

Spelling Bee of Canada’s 36th Annual Championship will take place in-person on Sunday, May 28th at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites in Richmond Hill. The event will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem and on the SBOC YouTube channel.

“The Spelling Bee of Canada has changed many lives over the past 36 years – many past participants are shining stars in their fields. Some are doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, and some have even created their own start-up companies.” says Nagina Parmar, President of the Spelling Bee of Canada. “Watching participants grow up makes us very proud, and we hope to continue doing this for many more years to come.”

Spelling Bee of Canada organizes a variety of competitions and programming aimed at children between 6-14 years of age. The participants are placed into one of three categories: Primary age 6 to 8, Junior age 9 to 11 or, Intermediate age 12 to 14, to vie for cash, trophies and prizes.

Press Materials
Full list of Regional Winners. Let’s cheer them on as it took a lot to get to this stage!

Ajax / Pickering & Whitby / Oshawa, ON

Aratrika Roy (Age 8) – Primary

Adit Khandelwal (Age 11) – Junior

Ananya Parthasarathy (Age 12) – Intermediate

Brampton, ON

Gurnyamat Randhawa (Age 7) – Primary

Sofia Khan (Age 11) – Junior

Anomioghene Medu (Age 12) – Intermediate

British Columbia

Kai Chiang (Age 8) – Primary

Alston Li (Age 9) – Junior

Parnavdeep Singh Kundi (Age 12) – Intermediate

Burlington / Milton / Hamilton, ON

Kiash Das (Age 7) – Primary

Temisan Johnson (Age 11) – Junior

Jaral Nathan C. Lasquite (Age 14) – Intermediate

Calgary, AB

Aarya Kasbekar (Age 8) – Primary

Jonathan Mandel (Age 11) – Junior

Devam Desai (Age 12) – Intermediate

Central North York / North York East, ON

Arshan Shahriar (Age 8) – Primary

Eve Sandomierski (Age 10) – Junior

Olive Reilly (Age 12) – Intermediate

Edmonton, AB

Evan Valentin Ulashchuk (Age 7) – Primary

Owen Horney (Age 10) – Junior

Chifulumnanya Dike-Nwalusi (Age 13) – Intermediate

Etobicoke / North York West, ON

Charlotte Lee (Age 8) – Primary

Shlok Shah (Age 11) – Junior

Ethan Lin (Age 13) – Intermediate

Kitchener / Waterloo, ON

Advi Rishi (Age 8) – Primary

Aariz Anees (Age 10) – Junior

Jordan Lloyd (Age 14) – Intermediate

Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council Education Authority (KTCEA), AB

Lanna Okemow (Age 7) – Primary

Emerson Yellowknee (Age 11) – Junior

Leonard Oar (Age 13) – Intermediate

Maple / Markham / Richmond Hill, ON

William Gao (Age 8) – Primary

Kavya Senthil (Age 11) – Junior

Iniyan Manimaran (Age 14) – Intermediate

Mississauga, ON

Dakshita Jegan Saranya (Age 8) – Primary

Karina Swaminath (Age 10) – Junior

Ananthaa Madhavan (Age 13) – Intermediate

Niagara Falls, ON

Ryan George (Age 8) – Primary

Aleeza Masood (Age 11) – Junior

Kino Symonds (Age 12) – Intermediate

Nova Scotia, NS

Paarsh Rathi (Age 6) – Primary

Zaara Kagzi (Age 11) – Junior

Ali Khan (Age 14) – Intermediate

Ottawa / Carleton, ON

Aarick Hiremath (Age 8) – Primary

Yogi Joshi (Age 11) – Junior

Daivya Thaker (Age 13) – Intermediate

Quebec, QC

Vaidika Khandelwal (Age 7) – Primary

Ethan Nicholas David (Age 10) – Junior

Ariv Narula (Age 13) – Intermediate

Saskatchewan First Nations, SK

Amarys Mitsuing (Age 8) – Primary

Kelry Campbell (Age 10) – Junior

McKenna Fineblanket (Age 14) – Intermediate

Scarborough North / South, ON

Shivam Datta (Age 7) – Primary

Srinika Dogiparthy (Age 9) – Junior

Justin Miranda-Radbord (Age 13) – Intermediate

Winnipeg, MB

Sophia Babalola (Age 8) – Primary

Atharv Singh (Age 10) – Junior

Musab Iqbal (Age 12) – Intermediate

Wood Buffalo, AB

Ayaan Ahmad (Age 8) – Primary

Navindu Pathirana (Age 9) – Junior

Hiba Ali (Age 12) – Intermediate

#FIRSTLOOK: OFFICIAL CANADIAN TRAILER FOR “DUNE: PART TWO”

Today we get a brand-new Canadian Trailer for DUNE: PART TWO, arriving in theatres this November.

The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.”

The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka,” “Call Me by Your Name”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Malcolm & Marie,” “Euphoria”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Avengers: End Game,” “Milk”), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis,” “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (“Black Widow,” “Little Women”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Thor: Love and Thunder”), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter,” “Hairspray”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Léa Seydoux (the “James Bond” franchise and “Crimes of the Future”), with Stellan Skarsgård (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”).

“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Herbert’s novel. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Josh Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.

Villeneuve is again collaborating with his “Dune” creatives: Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser; Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette; Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker; Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West. Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is again on hand to create the score.

“Dune: Part Two” was filmed on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan and Italy. The film is slated for a November 3, 2023 worldwide release from Warner Bros. Pictures.

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

#SPOTTED: 2023 MET GALA: MR. WILL & BEANIE IN NEW YORK

It’s literally been eight years since I’ve been back to New York for Met Gala festivities and the last time I visited the City was right before the Pandemic hit. Flying on the whole, was somewhat of a big deal for me as I’d been a little hesitatant about travelling for some time. Finally, I was ready and something I’d always wanted to do with my last dog Billy was travel with him. I’d always thought so much effort had to go into it that I’d have him boarded. After he had passed, I always told myself the next dog I get, he or she would be flying with me. And really, after looking into it thoroughly, it’s actually rather doable. You get clearance from your vet, ensure your dog’s shots are up to date, get a proper airline-approved carrier for your dog and make the necessary arrangements with your hotel and airline, provided your dog meets the specifications.

Using BOOKING.COM, I was able to find an accommodation that only was charming, central and within my price range, I found one that was pet-friendly and taking measures to being more sustainable in their business practices. A couple stipulations – the hotel will charge more for bringing along a pet. And when you book your plane ticket, not only is there an extra charge to bring along your pet as a carry-on, you will have to pay an additional charge to check your luggage since your pet will occupy that one carry-on allotment you are granted.

The Met Gala is the height of Hollywood glamour. But set in the concrete heaven that is New York City. It is a collision of the world’s most notable women and men with fashion and this year the Gala was celebrating the life and work of Karl Lagerfeld. And though scoring an invite to the Gala is tall ask, you still can partake in the fun scoping-out hotels and afterparties where these A-Listers are staying and headed.

At Lagerfeld’s core was a man who loved beautiful things immensely and adored more than anything, his beloved pet Choupette. And there’s plenty in that I identify with. This trip is a celebration of this. To you, Karl!

Though it rained the total duration of my trip, with the good weather showing its face on the first Monday in May, beanie and I still made the best of it. New Yorkers are a resilient breed and the perpetual downpour doesn’t phase them. Food Delivery apps were a huge help as originally I planned to visit several restaurants, but the weather forced me to alter course. I still was able to enjoy some selections in my hotel room. Still, I was able to visit a good number of spots I had on my list and am happy about that.

Here’s a reel of some of the excitement of Met Gala night! So much amazing fashion!

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Such a joy seeing beanie bringing happiness to others and I love having her with me and wouldn’t want it any other way. You would never believe this but seeing the likes of Paris Hilton, Emily Ratajkowski, Olivia Wilde and Lizzo fawn over her were memories that will last with a lifetime.

Food and stars are my thing and let me share with you some of my favourite discoveries.

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A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong)

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A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong)

Some of my favourite star sightings in my visit:

Some other amazing New York memories:

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This whole trip, while not at all restful, did give me the escape I needed to recharge. I do tell myself on occasion that I’m getting older and should slow it down a bit, but I’ll tell you when that time comes. Already thinking about the next visit and creating more memories with my beloved sidekick!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN “80 FOR BRADY” ON BLU-RAY

Paramount Home Entertainment x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a copy of 80 FOR BRADY on Blu-ray!

Synopsis:

Academy Award® nominee Lily Tomlin, and winners Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field star in this hilarious and heartfelt comedy, inspired by a true story of friendship and adventure. Four lifelong friends set out on an unforgettable journey to see their hero Tom Brady play in the Super Bowl LVI and witness one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, discovering that it’s never too late to live life to the fullest.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet for an extra chance.

Enter for a chance to #win a copy of #80forBrady on Blu-ray!https://t.co/VPw753nD0D pic.twitter.com/rSZ5KjZ2MS

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) May 2, 2023

Rules and regulations here.

Available on Blu-ray + Digital & DVD on May 2, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Home Entertainment)