When it comes to music, Canada has plenty to celebrate! Today, Canada’s Walk of Fame announces that 13 of the country’s rock royalty from the ‘70s and ‘80s will be added to its distinguished ranks: April Wine, Chilliwack, Glass Tiger, Lee Aaron, Lighthouse, Loverboy, Max Webster, Michel Pagliaro, Platinum Blonde, PRISM, Rough Trade, The Parachute Club, and Trooper.

To commemorate this first-of-its-kind mega induction, Canada’s Walk of Fame presents Canada’s Rock of Fame at Massey Hall on September 28, alongside official partners Anthem Entertainment and Live Nation. This is the first of two induction ceremonies in 2023 as part of the organization’s 25^th anniversary events, followed by the annual induction ceremony and broadcast in December. (See Important Media Note below).

All 13 rock legends will be in attendance during this unforgettable night featuring live performances of the hits that music lovers have enjoyed for decades, special guests, a reunion of Canadian DJ legends, and more. Led by award-winning musical director Lou Pomanti, a who’s who of presenters, performers and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for Canada’s Rock of Fame go on sale Friday, July 14 at 10 a.m. ET at Ticketmaster.com. 

Today’s announcement of iconic Canadian rock bands and musicians join previously announced 2023 Inductees, including a champion of Human Rights and Social Justice, Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella (Humanitarianism), the Canadian youth culture phenomenon,  Degrassi (Arts and Entertainment), Canada’s record-breaking NHL Sensation, Connor McDavid (Sports and Athletics), beloved television superstar and influential commentator, Rick Mercer (Arts and Entertainment), and the oldest living Inductee at 104 years young, Canada’s preeminent neuropsychologist, Dr. Brenda Milner (Science, Technology and Innovation). More Inductees will be announced in the coming months, along with this year’s Allan Slaight Music Impact and National Hero Honourees.

“These trailblazing musicians have had an extraordinary impact on our Canadian Rock landscape. Their longevity, many of whom still tour and sell out venues, is inspiring; and we are proud to welcome them each to Canada’s Walk of Fame,” said Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame.

“Canada’s Rock of Fame at Massey Hall will be a historic and rockin’ night of music celebrating these 13 newly inducted bands and musicians whose successful recording careers and decades-long journey of live performances have set the stage for the Canadian concert industry,” said Jody Shivdasani, Director of Operations, Canada’s Walk of Fame. 

Important Media Note: Canada’s Rock of Fame at Massey Hall on September 28^th is a special one-time music induction celebration for the 25^th anniversary events. It should be noted that this event is separate from the annual Canada’s Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Saturday, December 2, where all of the 2023 Inductees will be honoured. The annual Induction Ceremony will feature memorable performances and tributes from today’s brightest stars and esteemed Alumni from the past 25 years. A special broadcast will air at a later date on CTV.

About Canada’s Rock of Fame Inductees:

April Wine

Hometown: Halifax, NS

Years Active: 1969-1986, 1992 – present

April Wine is a legendary Canadian rock band known for their infectious melodies and timeless hits. With over 10 million albums sold worldwide, their extensive discography includes over 20 studio albums, with classic hits like Bad Side of the Moon, Roller, I Like to Rock, and Just Between You and Me, which was the first video by a Canadian artist to be played on MTV. Their fifth album, “Stand Back,” has gone double platinum in Canada, cementing their status as a national treasure. In 2009, April Wine was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and received the JUNO Lifetime Achievement Award. The following year, they were also inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Chilliwack

Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.

Years Active: 1970-1988, 1997 – present

Award-winning, gold and platinum-selling supergroup Chilliwack produced some of the most enduring Canadian rock songs of the 1970s and ‘80s. Among the band’s Canadian and international hits are Lonesome Mary, Fly at Night, California Girl, My Girl (Gone Gone Gone) and Whatcha Gonna Do. Releasing 12 albums over a 14-year period, Chilliwack’s catchy, easygoing hooks and bright, melodic style were distinguished by the falsetto vocals and tasteful guitar playing of lead singer and songwriter Bill Henderson. In 2019, Chilliwack was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Glass Tiger

Hometown: Newmarket, ON

Years Active: 1983 – present (hiatus 1993-2003)

Grammy Award nominees and five-time JUNO Award winners (13 times nominated), Glass Tiger formed in the early ‘80s out of Newmarket, Ontario and has become one of the most successful bands in Canadian music history with over 5 million albums sold. Their 1986 debut album, “The Thin Red Line’ went multi-platinum in Canada, gold in the U.S. and led to the hit singles Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) and Someday. Throughout their illustrious career, Glass Tiger has shared stages and performances with some of the world’s leading acts, such as Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Bryan Adams, Journey, Julian Lennon and Cheap Trick, to name a few.

Lee Aaron

Hometown: Brampton, ON

Years Active: 1980 – present

Lee Aaron is one of Canada’s most iconic vocalists, songwriters, producers, and fearless re-inventors. With an impressive 40+ year career spanning 18 albums and multiple hit singles, she has undertaken successful forays into rock, pop, jazz and even opera.

A pioneer of female-fronted rock in Canada, Aaron released her debut album, “The Lee Aaron Project,” in 1982. Her sophomore release, 1984’s “Metal Queen,” established Aaron as a trailblazer for women in the genre, elevating her to icon status with legions of rock fans worldwide. The title track is a genderless anthem of empowerment for all fans. A 10-time JUNO Award nominee, Aaron’s 1989’s “BodyRock” and 1991’s “Some Girls Do,” achieved multi-platinum status and included hit singles like Whatcha Do to My Body, Hands On, and Some Girls Do.

Lighthouse

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Years Active: 1969 – present

Lighthouse’s brand of free-wheeling, jazz-rock-classical fusion took Canada by storm following their debut in May 1969 at Toronto’s Rock Pile. Touring up to 300 days a year across Canada, the US, Europe and Asia, Lighthouse was recognized as one of the best-performing acts of their time. Fifty-five years later, they’re still touring and creating that same high-spirited excitement for fans old and new. Lighthouse has received multiple awards and honours, and their impressive catalogue of 23 albums, several reaching Diamond, Platinum and Gold status, have produced hits such as Sunny Days, One Fine Morning, Pretty Lady, Take it Slow (Out in the Country) and Hats Off (To The Stranger), all of which continue to receive daily radio play and covers.

Loverboy

Hometown: Calgary, AB

Years Active: 1979-1988, 1989, 1991 – present

For more than 40 years, Loverboy has been delighting audiences worldwide with their trademark red leather pants, bandannas, big rock sound and high-energy live shows. Loverboy has sold more than 10 million albums, earning four multi-platinum plaques, a trio of double-platinum releases and a string of rock staples, including Working for the Weekend, Lovin’ Every Minute of It, and Turn Me Loose, still heard on many classic rock radio stations around the world. The multiple JUNO Award winners and Canadian Music Hall of Famers were the first Canadian group to earn Columbia Records’ exclusive Crystal Globe Award, celebrating the sale of over five million albums. Loverboy’s reputation as an incredible live act has always been its calling card as the group continues entertaining fans of all ages.

Max Webster

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Years Active: 1972–1981, 1990, 1995–1996, 2007

Canadian rock band Max Webster was formed in Toronto in 1972. With frontman Kim Mitchell at the helm, the band released seven albums from 1976-1981 — six of which received Gold status certification and one Platinum certification in Canada. Max Webster cranked out a string of Canadian hits that include Hangover, High Class in Borrowed Shoes, Diamonds, Diamonds, Let Go The Line, A Million Vacations and Paradise Skies. From the mid-1970s to the early ‘80s, the band toured heavily, playing up to 250 dates a year and opening for rock music heavyweights such as Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Blondie, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, The Guess Who, Kansas, Ted Nugent, Rainbow, Rush, REO Speedwagon and Styx.

Michel Pagliaro

Hometown: Montreal, QC

Years Active: 1966 – present

Singer-songwriter, producer and guitarist Michel Pagliaro rose to fame in the 1970s with his English and French language rock albums, and bridged the gap between anglophone and francophone Canada. His classics include the French hits Fou de toi, Si tu voulais, Louise, L’espion and J’Entends Frapper, which was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010 and became the bestselling single in Quebec history, and English favourites Lovin’ You Ain’t Easy, Rainshowers, Some Sing, Some Dance and What The Hell I Got. Among his many accolades, Pagliaro received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2008 and was the first artist in Canada to have hit singles and gold records in both English and French. Pagliaro still performs today to crowds of loving fans.

Platinum Blonde

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Years Active: 1980-1990, 2010 – present

Known for meticulously arranged coifs and sturdy new-wave hooks, Platinum Blonde was founded in 1980 by British-born musician, composer and producer Mark Holmes.The band quickly rose up the charts in 1983 with their self-titled EP before releasing their debut album “Standing In The Dark” while on tour with Bryan Adams and Billy Idol. In 1985, they released their sophomore album “Alien Shores,” which received multi-platinum status and delivered generation-transcending hits Situation Critical, Somebody Somewhere and Crying Over You. Their third studio album, “Contact,” exceeded the ten times platinum sales mark and garnered the band a Gemini Award for Best Music Video. Platinum Blonde’s new wave sound defined a decade in Canadian music. In 2010, the band was Inducted into the Music, and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame, and in 2012 released the critically acclaimed album Now & Never. Holmes continues to record and tour, with a new record set for 2024.

PRISM

Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.

Years Active: 1977-1982, 1988 – 2011

PRISM was formed in 1977 by producer Bruce Fairbairn, songwriter Jim Vallance, guitarist Lindsay Mitchell and singer Ron Tabak. The founders very quickly recruited John Hall (keyboards) and Rocket Norton (drums), followed by Al Harlow (bass) who joined in 1978. On the strength of eight albums and 21 singles, including “Spaceship Superstar,” “Armageddon,” and “Night to Remember,” PRISM’s live concerts sold out the country’s arenas, holding attendance records at many venues. PRISM won GROUP OF THE YEAR at the JUNO AWARDS in 1981.

Rough Trade

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Years Active: 1974-1988

Rough Trade was formed in Toronto in 1974 by multi-instrumentalist Kevan Staples and vocalist Carole Pope. Notorious for the openly sexual nature of their songs and the burlesque theatricality of their live performances — which often included bondage and sexual satire — the band was one of the first mainstream musical acts to include explicitly gay and lesbian references. Four-time JUNO Award winners Rough Trade are best known for the risqué, controversial hit single High School Confidential, which was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. Rough Trade The Musical, written by Pope and Kate Rigg and starring Chilina Kennedy, is being workshopped in New York. A documentary on Carole’s life based on her autobiography Anti Diva is in development with theCBC,produced by Michelle Mama and Gay Agenda.

The Parachute Club

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Years Active: 1982-1989

Toronto-based music collective, The Parachute Club was active from 1982-1989. Formed by lead vocalist/guitarist Lorraine Segato and drummer Billy Bryans, the four-time JUNO Award-winning group emerged from the artistic fertile breeding ground of the Queen Street West neighbourhood that exploded throughout the ‘80s. Known for lyrics that embraced feminism, anti-racism and LGBTQ2S+ causes, they were one of the first mainstream acts in Canada to integrate world music influences into their sound, such as reggae and soca. Having performed throughout Canada, the U.S. and Germany, The Parachute Club released several top 40 hits, including At the Feet of the Moon, Love Is Fire, Love & Compassion and Rise Up, which is celebrating 40 years of being an anthem for social justice causes.

Trooper

Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.

Years Active: 1975 – present

Vancouver-based Trooper has churned out platinum albums and crowd-pleasing hits since 1975 with classic radio staples Raise a Little Hell, Boys in the Bright White Sports Car, and We’re Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time). With its blend of upbeat pop and energetic rock, the JUNO Award-winning group has sold millions of records, recorded a couple of dozen hits, and is recognized as one of Canada’s top five-selling bands of all time. Trooper’s ten studio albums have earned multiple gold and platinum awards, and their multi-platinum greatest hits, Hot Shots, continues to be one of the country’s most enduring party soundtracks.

TICKETS: Tickets for Canada’s Rock of Fame go on sale through Ticketmaster.com on Friday, July 14, at 10 a.m. ET. A limited number of tickets will be sold during a general on-sale on Thursday, July 13, between 10 a.m.-10 p.m. ET, while supplies last. AMEX cardholders qualify for Front of the Line ticket access from Wednesday, July 12 at 10 a.m. ET to Thursday, July 13 at 10 p.m. ET. 

Apple TV+ announced today that its new documentary event, “The Super Models,” is set to premiere globally on September 20, 2023. Hailing from Imagine Documentaries and One Story Up and directed by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams and Larissa Bills, the four-part series spotlights the remarkable careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. Unprecedented access to the models takes viewers behind the camera and beyond the catwalk, revealing how they dominated the elite modeling world while illuminating a bond that single-handedly shifted the power dynamic of an entire industry.

“The Super Models” travels back to the 1980s, when four women from different corners of the world united in New York. Already forces in their own right, the gravitas they achieved by coming together transcended the industry itself. Their prestige was so extraordinary that it enabled the four to supersede the brands they showcased, making the names Naomi, Cindy, Linda and Christy as prominent as the designers who styled them. Today, the four supermodels remain on the frontlines of culture through activism, philanthropy and business prowess. As the fashion industry continues to redefine itself – and women’s roles within it – this is the ultimate story of power and how four women came together to claim it, paving the way for those to follow.

“The Super Models” is produced for Apple TV+ by Imagine Documentaries and One Story Up, with executive producers Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Barbara Kopple, Roger Ross Williams and Geoff Martz, along with Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington Burns.

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favourite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 370 wins and 1,484 award nominations and counting, including Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

Today we get a first glimpse of the Trailer for WONKA starring Timothée Chalamet.

Synopsis:

Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.

From Paul King, writer/director of the “Paddington” films, David Heyman, producer of “Harry Potter,” “Gravity,” “Fantastic Beasts” and “Paddington,” and producers Alexandra Derbyshire (the “Paddington” films, “Jurassic World: Dominion”) and Luke Kelly (“Roald Dahl’s The Witches”), comes an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humor. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

Starring alongside Chalamet are Calah Lane (“The Day Shall Come”), Emmy and Peabody Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (“The Prom,” “Schmigadoon”), Paterson Joseph (“Vigil,” “Noughts + Crosses”), Matt Lucas (“Paddington,” “Little Britain”), Mathew Baynton (“The Wrong Mans,” “Ghosts”), Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water,” the “Paddington” films, “Spencer”), Rowan Atkinson (the “Johnny English” and “Mr. Bean” films, “Love Actually”), Jim Carter (“Downton Abbey”), with Oscar winner Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”). The film also stars Natasha Rothwell (“White Lotus,” “Insecure”), Rich Fulcher (“Marriage Story,” “Disenchantment”), Rakhee Thakrar (“Sex Education,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral”), Tom Davis (“Paddington 2,” “King Gary”) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (“Paddington 2,” “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Mary Poppins Returns”).

Simon Farnaby (“Paddington 2”) & Paul King wrote the screenplay, based on a story by King and characters created by Roald Dahl. Michael Siegel, Cate Adams, Rosie Alison and Tim Wellspring are serving as executive producers. King’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Chung-Hoon Chung (“Last Night in Soho,” “Ah-ga-ssi”); Oscar-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley (“Tenet,” “Dunkirk”); editor Mark Everson (the “Paddington” films); Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (the “Paddington” films, “Topsy-Turvy”); and composer Joby Talbot (the “Sing” films). Neil Hannon of the band The Divine Comedy is writing original songs for the film.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, in Association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Heyday Films Production, a Paul King Confection, “Wonka,” set to open in theatres and in IMAX internationally beginning in December 2023 and in North America on December 15, 2023; it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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

INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR takes the top spot at the Box Office in its opening with $26 million from 3,188 theatres for Sony Pictures and it was a tight finish. This fifth installment in the Horror franchise starring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, gets 36% on the Tomatometer. Best opening in the Series still goes to 2013’s INSIDIOUS: THE NEXT CHAPTER with $40 million.

Second spot likely will go to last week’s champ INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, coming in with $24 million from 4,600 theatres for 20th Century Studios. This takes it to $120 million in its second weekend.

Third is Angel Studios’ SOUND OF FREEDOM starring Jim Caveziel and Mira Sorvino, with $9 million from 2,850 theatres, a total $36 million thus far.

Fourth is Disney & Pixar’s ELEMENTAL with $8.4 million for Disney, bringing its total to $107 million domestically.

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE takes fifth with $7.5 million for Sony Pictures, a run of $357 million.

After its premiere at TIFF ’22, Luis De Filippis’ debut feature SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT has patiently waited in the wings for its moment. In late June, it was announced that Actress/Model Julia Fox would come aboard as Executive Producer of the Film which centers on 20-something aspiring trans Writer Ren (Carmen Madonia) and her younger sister Siena (Paige Evans), reluctantly joining their parents on a family vacation. The Drama already has swept awards on the Festival Circuit, including the Shawn Mendes Change Maker Award at TIFF.

Toronto is so incredibly lucky to have Fox in-town appearing two nights at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Friday night was a screening of the Film, moderated by Fox with De Filippis and the Film’s Principal Cast. Saturday night is an extended one-hour conversation following the Film with Fox and De Filippis.

So thrilled to catch-up with Fox after meeting her in L.A. during Awards Season for her breakout role UNCUT GEMS. The New Yorker attended a dinner with Cast, Crew and influencers at new Financial District Hotspot DAPHNE. She wore an eye-catching ensemble, sporting her daring signature style and was so sweet to stop for a couple Snaps. Adore her, and am waiting for her next power play, but this is huge that she came to town to support this important Film from Elevation Pictures. It is playing right now exclusively at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Some Snaps. What an Ensemble! Check-out the Bible Bag made from actual re-purposed bibles, by Aylah Gallardo!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Elevation Pictures/The Image Direct)

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chsnce to win passes to an Advance Screening of Christopher Nolan‘s long-awaited OPPENHEIMER. We also are giving away T-Shirts from the Film now too! *Note: sizing requests are not guaranteed.

Screenings take place as follows on Wednesday, July 19, 2023:

Toronto: Cineplex Varsity
Montreal (EN): Cinema Banque Scotia
Vancouver: The Park Theatre

Synopsis:

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX^®-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. 

The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Oscar^® winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. 

Academy Award^® nominee Florence Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller, Michael Angarano plays Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.

Oppenheimer also stars Oscar^® winner Rami Malek and reunites Nolan with eight-time Oscar^® nominated actor, writer and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh. 

The cast includes Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), Dylan Arnold (Halloween franchise), David Krumholtz (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises). 

The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan. 

Oppenheimer is filmed in a combination of IMAX^® 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography including, for the first time ever, sections in IMAX^® black and white analogue photography. 

Nolan’s films, including Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy, have earned more than $5 billion at the global box office and have been awarded 11 Oscars and 36 nominations, including two Best Picture nominations. 

Genre: Epic Thriller

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh

Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Produced by: Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. In the comments there, indicate for us your City. Re-Tweet the below for an extra chance. And guess what? We’re now on Threads! You can enter there too! Be sure to follow!

Universal Pictures Canada release OPPENHEIMER July 21, 2023.

Rules and regulations here.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

TALK TO ME, the new film from Directors Danny and Michael Philippou, will have its Canadian Premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival. It is a pulse-pounding, virtual twist on possession horror unlike anything you’ve ever seen!

The film will open in theatres across Canada on July 28, 2023 via VVS Films.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

Christina Saliba of Misfit Films is thrilled to announce that the psychological thriller short, White Noise, directed by Tamara Scherbak (Is Your Teen a Homosexual?, Only Sky & Water, Dedashka) will have its world premiere at the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival in the Les Fantastiques Week-ends du Cinéma Québécois programme on July 23rd, 2023 at 8:00 pm at the Cinema du Musée.

White Noise, starring Bahia Watson (The Handmaid’s Tale, Star Trek: Discovery), Ryan Hollyman (X-Men: Apocalypse, The Strain), and Guifre Bantjes-Rafols (Coroner, Private Eyes), is based on a screenplay by Scherbak and Christina Saliba.

White Noise is produced by Christina Saliba (A Score to Settle, Bandit), associate produced by Cynthia Amsden, (2020 CAFTCAD Awards) and executive produced by Anne-Marie Gélinas (SLAXX). It was shot in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and it will be broadcast on Bell Media’s CRAVE in Winter, 2024.

White Noise follows Ava, who suffers from an extreme hyper-sensitivity to sound. When this reaches new terrifying heights, her doctor enrolls her in an experimental trial involving an anechoic chamber: the world’s quietest room.

“I’m so excited that White Noise will be having its world premiere at Fantasia! Being from Montreal, Fantasia was the film festival that captured my heart even before I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker, so it’s really special to be able to screen here. Fantasia is the perfect place to launch White Noise as both the programmers and the audience are so engaged in every screening and the adoration for genre films is palpable. It really feels like a community of film lovers,” says writer/director Tamara Scherbak. “I can’t wait to share White Noise with the world so everyone can see the incredible performance of our lead, Bahia Watson, who was absolutely phenomenal in the role of Ava, which was such a physically and emotionally demanding role. Sylvain Bellmare’s sound design and Hans Laitres’ sound mix really turned sound into a character of its own. The entire crew did a stunning job bringing the world of White Noise to life, from the evocative cinematography of Roland Cody Laroque, the miracle work of Christina Vincelli’s production design and the rhythmic editing of Craig Scorgie, just to name a few. Filmmaking is truly a team and collaborative effort, and this really shines through with White Noise.”

“White Noise is a very personal story, as it is based on a condition I have had since I was a child called misophonia (a hyper-sensitivity to certain everyday sounds),” says producer Christina Saliba. “It is an affliction that devastated my relationships and caused extreme social isolation. What is equally destructive is the medical system’s dismissiveness and neglect to the plight of those that suffer with it. White Noise is a story about the horrors of invisible illness, medical gaslighting, and reclaiming one’s power in unconventional ways, told through the lens of genre. Having our world premiere at the Fantasia is beyond exciting as not only is Montreal our hometown, but Fantasia audiences are some of the best in the world. Not only are they die-hard fans of genre films but they appreciate the deeper meanings told behind the horror. We hope White Noise haunts audiences long after its initial viewing, yet resensitizes them to the very real challenges of silent sufferers.”

Cinematography by Roland Cody Larocque (Oversight, I Want to Be Like You), production design by Christina Vincelli (Nadia, Butterfly, LARPs), costume design by Marie-Elyse McGuire (The Changeling, Handmaid’s Tale), sound design by Sylvain Bellemare (Arrival, Incendies), and editing by Craig Scorgie (In Flames, Women Talking).

White Noise is produced with the financial participation of the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the Harold Greenberg Fund, and the Canadian Film Centre in association with Bell Media’s Crave.

ABOUT TAMARA SCHERBAK
Tamara Scherbak has written and directed a body of work across the genres of fiction, documentary and experimental cinema that have travelled to film festivals around the globe.Notable works include Dedashka (2009), winner of Best Director at the Montreal Festiv’elles Film Festival for women filmmakers, Only Sky & Water (2011), which screened in competition at the Hot Docs Film Festival and Is Your Teen a Homosexual? (2018), one of nine scripts selected for development at the 2015 Berlinale Talents Short Form Station. That short fiction film has screened at over 30 film festivals such as NewFest, Rendez-vous Québec Cinema and the Kyiv International Short Film Festival. Tamara has also directed work for the National Film Board of Canada, and Vice Quebec including the 4-part web series For The Better. She is an alumna of multiple prestigious talent labs of the Toronto, Berlin and Reykjavik International Film Festivals as well as the Netflix-Banff Diversity of Voices Initiative.

ABOUT CHRISTINA SALIBA
Christina Saliba started off her career as a wildlife biologist working with marmots, prairie dogs, and rehabilitating seal pups. She then fell into the world of film and started writing pitches for a documentary film production company looking to venture into wildlife docs. She worked her way up the ladder as a production coordinator on shorts, features, and commercials. In 2017, she joined Goldrush Entertainment as a development executive, discovering new intellectual property, creating pitch materials, and providing support in pre- to post-production. Through Goldrush Entertainment she was an Associate Producer on A Score to Settle (Nicolas Cage) and Most Wanted (Josh Hartnett).

In 2021, Saliba graduated from the Norman Jewison’s Film Program Producers’ Lab at the Canadian Film Centre and won the Whistler Film Festival’s Power Pitch Competition for her psychological horror film, White Noise. In 2022, she also graduated from the Whistler Film Festival’s Producers’ Lab, the Women in Film and TV – Vancouver’s Genre Lab, and the Blood in the Snow Film Festival’s Horror Development Lab. She’s been a recipient of funding from the art councils, the Harold Greenberg Fund’s shorts-to-features program, SODEC, the Canadian Film Centre, and Telefilm Canada.

Ivan D. Ossa of Kine Ukiyo Ma and Malachi Ellis of Malachi Ellis Productions are pleased to announce that their short film, the slice-of-Gen Z-life drama, Express, has finished post-production and is ready to begin the festival circuit. Express is written and directed by Ossa (In Other News, It’s You) and stars Joshua Obra (Scarborough), Martin Marticorena, Rebecca Ablack (Luckiest Girl Alive, Ginny & Georgia, The Good Karma Hospital) and Isaiah Peck (Sneakerella, Brother, The Next Step).

Express is produced by Malachi Ellis (Streams Flow From a River, Fish Boy, Diaspora, I Live Here), co-produced by Lauren Saarimaki (Streams Flow From a River, Queen Tut, Only Light Will Touch Us) and executive produced by Ivan D. Ossa.

Tarik (Joshua Obra) is the poster boy for the Gen Z work ethic. When he is coerced out of his success-oriented schedule to celebrate what seems to be a lifetime achievement, he is confronted by one of life’s ironies.

“We live in a world where your occupation is so intertwined with your identity that after you give your name, the next question asked is, “What do you do?”. When asked what you’ve been up to, most people instinctively talk about work. With social media shoving hustle culture and people’s life highlights down our throats, It’s no wonder my generation has become obsessed with the idea of early material success. “To live your life, you must first build it.” Sadly, I’m also a victim of this mentality. I have this innate feeling that tells me we’re put on this earth to experience connections, but I can’t seem to shake off my aspirations. I’m the type to turn down a night out because I told myself I have to finish a project. I struggle with balancing living my life and building a better one. I know I’m not the only one. I told myself that I’m working hard now to rest later, but since when is your time on earth promised? How do I know today isn’t my last? Isn’t life itself the whole point? Why am I sacrificing experiencing my life for the sake of a future that isn’t Guaranteed? These questions gave birth to this script,” said Ivan D. Ossa.

Cinematography by Brandon Kenney (In Other News, It’s You), production design and costume design by Rebecca Fadoju (In Other News, It’s You, Kashif) and editing by Jadon J.B. Williams

Express was produced with the participation of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the National Film Board of Canada – Filmmaker Assistance Program and the OYA Black Arts Coalition

ABOUT IVAN D. OSSA
Ivan D. Ossa is an award-winning director, writer and actor based in Toronto, Ontario. Adapting his father’s love for motion pictures, it wasn’t long before Ivan decided to learn about filmmaking. Post academics, Ivan became the protégé of prolific music video director Julien Christian Lutz PKA Director X. He most recently worked as a showrunner assistant on Director X’s new TV drama Robyn Hood. Ivan’s written, directed, and executive-produced short films that have received recognition from various domestic and international film festivals; In Other News (Standout Producer In A Short Film Award at the 2021 Reelworld Film Festival, Best Student Director (Male) at the Independent Shorts Silver Awards), It’s You (Award of Excellence at the One-Reeler Short Film Competition, Best Romantic Short at the Independent Shorts Bronze Awards).Throughout his career, Ivan aims to continue writing and depicting humanity. He wants to make thought-provoking films that encourage empathy, brings about peace and instills hopefulness and love in viewers. He is a storyteller who has been lucky enough to find film as a medium to achieve these artistic, professional and personal goals.

ABOUT MALACHI ELLIS
Malachi Ellis is a Black Gay Producer based in Toronto. He is an alumnus of TMU’s Media Production & OYA Media Group’s Emerging Filmmakers. Post academics, Malachi has focused on telling diverse and authentic stories that challenge the status quo and amplify BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. His producing skills have led him to work at some of the largest Canadian production companies, such as eOne and Bell Media. As an independent producer, he has worked with some of Canada’s most talented emerging writers/directors. His most recent producing credits include I Live Here (Aspen Shortsfest, CBC Gem), Diaspora (TIFF, Palm Springs International ShortFest), and FISH BOY (BFI Flare, Frameline47). Malachi is currently a participant in both the Reelworld Producers’ Program and the Canadian Film Centre’s Norman Jewison Film Program: Producers’ Lab. In 2021, Malachi participated in Kidscreen’s The Next Wave: Diverse Voices program and was named one of Playback Magazine’s 10 to Watch.

ABOUT LAUREN SAARIMAKI
Lauren Saarimaki (she/they) is a producer, actress and mental health advocate. She is an alumna of TMU’s Creative Industries program. She has contributed to film sets in roles such as production manager, location manager and production coordinator. However, her focus is producing. She co-produced Streams Flow From A River (dir. Christopher Yip). The series had its international premiere at 2023 Cannesseries. She also co-produced the feature film Queen Tut (dir. Reem Morsi). She held the role of Executive Director at the Future of Film Showcase in 2018. In 2023, she was the festival coordinator for the Get Reel Mental Health Film Festival. She currently works at Fae Pictures as Director of Operations. She hopes to continue to build a career in film and mental health advocacy by focusing her work in the not- for-profit sector and explore the relationship between art and healing

The Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) – Always Honest, Not Always Pretty – celebrates its 21st edition July 26 to July 30 at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West, (Toronto, Canada). Tickets, $20; all-access pass, $120.

FeFF 2023 proudly presents documentary, feature, experimental, animated, and short films directed by women and female-identifying filmmakers. It showcases films from across North America, Germany, Iran, Spain, France, Colombia, China, Ireland, the UK, South Africa, Malaysia, Mexico, Turkey, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Latvia, and more. And it presents a lineup of award-winning screenwriters whose work will be read live at the Script Reading series, which is free and open to the public.

FeFF will continue its long-standing tradition of celebrating CANADIAN INDIGENOUS FEMALE FILMMAKERS on Wednesday July 26 at 5PM with the Toronto premiere of THE NATURE OF HEALING, by debut Mohawk director Faith Leone Howe. The spoken truth of seven courageous Elders, all survivors of the Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario, Canada’s first and longest-running Indian residential school. From victims to survivors to activists, their story is one of resistance, resilience, and a healing path. Proceeds from this screening will be donated to the Mohawk Village Memorial Park, located on five acres adjacent to the Mohawk Institute, in commemoration of all the children taken and institutionalized over the course of more than 160 years.

The OPENING GALA FEATURE STELLA, directed by Jessica Fox (UK), follows at 8PM, making its Canadian premiere. Set in 1937, Scotland. Stella, a 20-year-old German Jewish student, finds work on a large country estate owned by the fascist Earl of Rig. With war looming and desperate to find her missing parents, Stella is quickly accepted as one of the family and must hide her true identity to survive. While there she falls in love, with life-changing consequences. Based on the folktale of Cinderella, championing the struggle for identity, home, and love, Stella is the tale of a refugee.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS:

EVERY DAY, directed by Tara Alexandra Brown and Vin Chandra (USA). When Maddie takes a job as a tutor to a wealthy family, she meets Laurel, the family’s nanny. The two become instant friends, much to the consternation of her long-time friends and roommates. When Maddie’s trauma is triggered, she’s forced to decide who she really trusts.

MY HOME UNKNOWN, directed by and starring Yaz Canli (USA). After Mina (Yaz Canli), a gifted artist experiencing homelessness, loses the last thing she loves – her dog, Burrito – she is forced to battle through the downward spiralling journey of a mental health crisis to find “home.” Lost between fragments of her Muslim past and the harsh realities of her present – from substance abuse and the loss of faith to abusive voices in her head – Mina must find a way to reconcile with deep grief and accept the kindness of others so she can start life anew. A raw and unflinching story of mental illness, life on the streets, and the courage it takes to find a way home.

MONTRÉAL GIRLS, directed by Patricia Chica (CAN). A Middle-Eastern medical school student, new to Montreal, puts his relationship with his father at risk when he forfeits his education after being forever changed by two young women who help him see his destiny.

GREY MATTER, directed by Arabella Burfitt-Dons (UK). When a family’s matriarch gets diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she must move into the family home, and Chloe is forced to become a stay-at-home teenager overnight.

BEYOND THE LIGHT BARRIER, directed by Uga Carlini (South Africa/Ukraine). Based on the true story of South African meteorologist Elizabeth Klarer, who spent her days convincing the world that her alien lover from an advanced human race existed and held the solutions to all our problems here on Earth. Science or fiction? Definitely one of the greatest science-fiction love stories of all time.

FeFF’S INTERNATIONAL SHORTS and DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMS are aptly titled: Excavating Truths; Violence Against Women; The Personal Is Political; With Cause; Intergenerational Familial Response; Sexual Rights and Liberty; Rights, Women, and Sports; and Love, Sex, and Identity.

LATE-NIGHT THRILLS & CHILLS: FRIDAY, JULY 28 and SATURDAY, JULY 29. Friday features an eclectic variety of 13 horror, thriller, and suspense shorts that will keep you on the edge of your seat. On Saturday at 9:45PM, check out erotic thriller SPOONFUL OF SUGAR, directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan. A disturbed babysitter who experiences a sexual awakening while using LSD to alternatively treat a seemingly “sick” child from a family with dark secrets of their own.

The CLOSING GALA on SUNDAY, JULY 30, at 8PM is MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH MARRIAGE, a bold and brilliant animated feminist feature written and directed by Signe Baumane. Hungry for love and acceptance, Zelma feels incomplete. Hounded by a Greek chorus, she sets out on a 23-year quest for perfect love and a lasting marriage, unaware that her own biology is the force to be reckoned with. Signe Baumane is a Latvia-born, Brooklyn-based independent filmmaker, artist, writer, and animator.

FeFF was founded in 2001 by filmmaker Leslie-Ann Coles in response to the need for representation of women and female-identifying filmmakers and that need is just as strong today. The Female Eye is an accredited festival with the Academy of Canadian Cinema &
Television and is a Telefilm Canada Talent to Watch Partner. In April, it was voted one of MovieMaker magazine’s 2023 “Top Fifty Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” for the 11th consecutive year!

FeFF thanks its sponsors – Ontario Arts Council, Telefilm Canada, IATSE 873, ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society, Rolling Pictures, CIUT 89.5 FM, and ACTRA Toronto – and WIFT Toronto and Women In the Director’s Chair for their support.

For more information: https://www.TheFemaleEyeFilmFestival.com
https://www.instagram.com/femaleeye