Paramount+ today released a new Trailer from the all-new YA film LOVE IN TAIPEI, based on the New York Times’ best-selling novel Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen, in which a young American woman is sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taipei – inspired by an actual program attended by thousands of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora youth – where she begins a new journey of self-discovery and romance. LOVE IN TAIPEI will premiere Thursday, August 10, 2023 exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada, followed by the UK and Australia on Friday, August 11, 2023. Premiere dates for Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, South Korea and additional territories will be announced at a later date.

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LOVE IN TAIPEI stars Ashley Liao (Physical, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) as Ever Wong, whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive, but wildly different boys who are vying for her attention, while at the same time finding the courage to defy her parents’ high expectations and pursue her true passion: dancing. 

In addition to Ashley Liao, LOVE IN TAIPEI also stars Ross Butler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods, To All The Boys franchise) as Rick Woo, an prominent sports and scholastic prodigy; Nico Hiraga (Booksmart, Moxie) as Xavier Yeh, a free-spirited artist and heir to an international tech empire; Chelsea Zhang (Daybreak, Titans) as Ever’s friend Sophie, whom she meets at Loveboat; and Cindy Cheung (The Sinner, 13 Reasons Why) as Ever’s Aunt Shu.

LOVE IN TAIPEI is directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) and produced by Matt Kaplan for Ace Entertainment. The film, shot on location in Taipei, is based on the bestselling book Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen, who also serves as executive producer, and screenplay by Charlie Oh and Mackenzie Dohr. Christopher Foss, Matthew Janzen, Max Siemers, Aubrey Bendix, Cheng-Chung Chang, and Ross Butler also serve as executive producers. The production was headed by Ace Entertainment, which purchased the film rights to the novel, financed and oversaw production with 1 Productions Film. Lionsgate handled the film’s sale globally to Paramount+. Paramount Global Content Distribution will distribute the film, with additional territories to be announced.

HarperCollins published the book series, which continues the journey with Loveboat Reunion and the upcoming Loveboat Forever.

OMG. This looks so cute. Here’s the new Trailer for STRAYS starring Will Ferrell, Will Forte and Jamie Foxx.

Synopsis:

They’re bad to the bone. Watch the #StraysMovie NSFW trailer now. In Theaters June 9th. They say a dog is a man’s best friend, but what if the man is a total dirtbag? In that case, it might be time for some sweet revenge, doggy style. When Reggie (Will Ferrell), a naïve, relentlessly optimistic Border Terrier, is abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug (Will Forte; The Last Man on Earth, Nebraska), Reggie is certain that his beloved owner would never leave him on purpose. But once Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier named Bug (Oscar® winner Jamie Foxx), a stray who loves his freedom and believes that owners are for suckers, Reggie finally realizes he was in a toxic relationship and begins to see Doug for the heartless sleazeball that he is. Determined to seek revenge, Reggie, Bug and Bug’s pals—Maggie (Isla Fisher; Now You See Me, Wedding Crashers), a smart Australian Shepherd who has been sidelined by her owner’s new puppy, and Hunter (Randall Park; Always Be My Maybe, Aquaman), an anxious Great Dane who’s stressed out by his work as an emotional support animal—together hatch a plan and embark on an epic adventure to help Reggie find his way home … and make Doug pay by biting off the appendage he loves the most. (Hint: It’s not his foot). A subversion of the dog movies we know and love, Strays, directed by Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) and written by Dan Perrault (Players, American Vandal), is a hilarious, R-rated, live-action comedy about the complications of love, the importance of great friendships, and the unexpected virtues of couch humping. Featuring a powerhouse comedic supporting cast—including Grammy winner Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast), Harvey Guillén (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), Emmy nominee Rob Riggle (The Hangover), Brett Gelman (Stranger Things), Jamie Demetriou (The Afterparty), and Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)—Strays is produced by Picturestart founder and CEO Erik Feig (Luckiest Girl Alive, Cha Cha Real Smooth), by Louis Leterrier (director Fast X, The Clash of the Titans), by Dan Perrault (Players, American Vandal) and by Lord Miller partners Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) and Lord Miller President of Film Aditya Sood (The Martian, Cocaine Bear). The film is executive produced by Jessica Switch, Nikki Baida and Julia Hammer.

STRAYS arrives in theatres AUGUST 18, 2023 via Universal Pictures Canada.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster and #1 Canadian podcaster, today shared highlights and programming from CBC Podcasts and CBC Music that will be available to listen to this Summer across arts, culture, music, news and current affairs.

CBC PODCASTS:

All below episodes and series can be found on CBC Listen and everywhere podcasts are available.

THIS IS THAT (10 episodes) – New episodes released Mondays

Following more than a decade of success, including nine seasons on CBC Radio, a national bestseller, live tour, and more than 60 million views on their YouTube series, THIS IS THAT is breathing new life into the series by unearthing their most popular stories for a podcast audience. Hosted by veteran comedians Peter Oldring and Pat Kelly, THIS IS THAT uses the same audio techniques as others do for journalism: phone interviews, narrative documentary, archival news clips, witnesses on location, found footage and so on, but on this podcast, everything is fabricated. This is a completely fake in-depth look at the issues, culture and personalities shaping our world today.

STUFF THE BRITISH STOLE: SEASON THREE (6 episodes) – New episodes released Tuesdays

Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff. Today the loot sits in museums, galleries, private collections and burial sites with polite plaques, but their history is often messier than the plaques admit. In each episode, award-winning journalist Marc Fennell, takes audiences on a wild, evocative, sometimes funny, often tragic adventure of how these stolen treasures got to where they live today. These objects will ultimately help audiences view the modern world — and themselves — today, in a different light.

IDEAS – David Suzuki’s Survival Guide: A Retrospective (10 episodes) – New episodes released Tuesdays

In 1989, David Suzuki hosted a radio series called It’s A Matter of Survival, which addressed the climate crisis head-on. The original series struck a nerve across the country. CBC received more than 14,000 letters from listeners wanting to know what they could do to help curb climate change. Now, Canada is experiencing the worst forest fires in recorded history, and in the next 10 to 15 years, the planet’s temperature is expected to increase by 1.5 C compared to pre-industrial levels. Throughout the summer, IDEAS is featuring episodes from Suzuki’s radio archive, including the 1989 series, his 1999 series The Naked Ape, and his 2010 series The Bottom Line.

10 MINUTES TO SAVE THE PLANET (10 episodes) – All episodes available now

Our brains aren’t wired to save the world, but if you’re ready to make changes that actually stick, 10 MINUTES TO SAVE THE PLANET will show you the way. Co-hosts meteorologist and climate reporter Johanna Wagstaffe and beatboxing broadcaster Rohit Joseph work through the UN’s 10 actions for a healthy planet, but in a way that won’t shame, blame or bore audiences. Think of each episode as a bite-sized guide to fight climate change, rooted in behavioural therapy.

CBC MARKETPLACE (8 episodes) – All episodes available now

Asha Tomlinson and David Common are investigative journalists that want to help people avoid clever scams, unsafe products and sketchy services. Their award-winning TV show, CBC MARKETPLACE, has been Canada’s top investigative consumer watchdog for over 50 years — and now, it’s making its podcast debut. Audiences will be brought inside eight of the series’ most action-packed investigations, uncovering the truth about popular products and services, and pushing hard for accountability.

THE HEART: DAD (4 episodes) – All episodes available now

Produced by CBC Podcasts, Radiotopia and Mermaid Palace, THE HEART is a multi-award winning audio art project about hard truths, big feelings and deep magic. In this all-new season titled “DAD,” creator Kaitlin Prest explores her relationship with her father, looking back at their journey from childhood, to the dark years of adolescence, and finally as adults. The four-part series features archival audio, original music performed by classical guitarist Greg Prest (Kaitlin’s dad), and the gripping narrative style characterized by this long standing podcast.

CBC MUSIC:

AFTERDARK SUNDAY – Broadcasts Sundays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC Music and CBC Listen

The late-night AFTERDARK journey now continues on Sunday Nights. Picking up from weekday evening editions of AFTERDARK helmed by Odario Williams, the art-pop hits and avant-garde music show has expanded to Sunday evenings with Vancouver-based host Tariq.

THE TEN – Broadcasts Sundays at 6 p.m. (6:30 NT) on CBC Music and CBC Listen

Each Sunday evening until September 17, host Damhnait Doyle is taking listeners through a one-hour deep dive into one of the 10 Polaris Short List nominated albums in the lead-up to the 2023 Polaris Prize winner announcement, complete with interviews, insights and a full album listening session.

MANIFESTO PRESENTS: THE BLOCK PARTY – Broadcasts Friday, August 11 at 6:15 p.m. local time (7:15 AT, 7:45 NT) on CBC Music and CBC Listen

A collaboration between Manifesto Community Projects and CBC Music’s The Block, MANIFESTO PRESENTS: THE BLOCK PARTY is a celebration of 50 years of hip hop and the genres that it inspired. With musical performances live from Toronto’s RBC Echo Beach, tune in to the celebration of art, culture and 50 years of hip hop music from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

CBC shows including Q WITH TOM POWER, BECAUSE NEWS, THE BLOCK, COMMOTION WITH ELAMIN ABDELMAHMOUD, FRONT BURNER, SICKBOY and more are available to listen to live or on demand on CBC Listen or wherever audiences get their podcasts.

Today, Disney+ unveiled a new Trailer for the third season of “Only Murders In The Building.” The Emmy®-nominated series premieres on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 with two episodes, only on Disney+ in Canada. Just last week we saw new character posters from this star-studded Cast!

From the minds of Steve Martin, Dan Fogelman and John Hoffman comes a comedic murder-mystery series for the ages. “Only Murders In The Building” follows three strangers who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living amongst them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it’s too late.

Season three finds Charles, Oliver and Mabel (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) investigating a murder behind the scenes of a Broadway show. Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) is a Hollywood action star whose Broadway debut is cut short by his untimely death. Aided by co-star Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), our trio embarks on their toughest case yet, all while director Oliver desperately attempts to put his show back together. Curtains up!

“Only Murders In The Building” hails from co-creators and writers Steve Martin and John Hoffman (“Grace & Frankie,” “Looking”). Martin and Hoffman executive produce along with Martin Short, Selena Gomez, “This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal. The series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.

Robust parental controls ensure that Disney+ remains a suitable viewing experience for everyone in the family. Subscribers can set access limits on mature content and create PIN-protected profiles alongside the already existing Kids Profiles to give parents and guardians peace of mind.

The Toronto International Film Festival® is delighted to announce the 2023 selection for the TIFF Docs programme presented by A&E IndieFilms, featuring 22 titles from 12 countries around the world. The 2023 TIFF Docs lineup brings premieres that showcase a wide variety of documentary filmmaking: personal, political, observational, essayistic, historical, biographical, and indescribable. Audiences will encounter unforgettable figures such as mountain climber Lhakpa Sherpa, Japan’s reality TV star Nasubi, Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, Indigenous activist Layla Staats, historian Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, and Canadian icon Mr. Dressup.

“We believe documentaries have a unique power to illuminate untold stories, challenge perspectives, and inspire meaningful change,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “We are committed to celebrating the artistry and impact of documentary filmmaking, and it’s an absolute privilege to provide a platform for these remarkable storytellers. As someone with a background in documentary production myself, I know firsthand the dedication and passion that goes into crafting these narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide. We invite all documentary filmmakers to join us at TIFF as we continue to champion their vital contributions to the world of cinema.”

“This year’s slate of TIFF Docs titles is guaranteed to start conversations,” said TIFF Docs programmer Thom Powers. “Audiences can expect big emotions that run the gamut over extraordinary accomplishments, quests for justice, and poignant personal journeys. Many of these attention-getting titles will be coming to the Festival looking for buyers.”

TIFF Docs programme presented by A&E IndieFilms will open with the World Premiere of Copa 71 from Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine, which serves to restore the lost legacy of a 1971 international women’s soccer tournament that had record setting crowds in Mexico City but was largely erased from sports history. World Premieres from global veteran doc makers include Raoul Peck’s Silver Dollar Road, which chronicles how a Black family fights over several decades to save their North Carolina property from land grabbing developers; Anand Patwardhan’s The World is Family, which traces his parents’ personal history and their links to the leaders of India’s independence movement; Karim Amer’s Defiant, which gains extraordinary access to Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his colleagues as they wage a war against disinformation; Lucy Walker’s Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa, which profiles a single mother working as a dishwasher at a Connecticut Whole Foods who has another life as record-breaking mountain climber; and Roger Ross Williams’ Stamped From the Beginning, based on the best-selling book by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, which examines the history of anti-Black racism in the U.S.

World Premieres from mid-career auteurs and rising stars include Clair Titley’s The Contestant, which tells the jaw-dropping story of a Japanese reality TV show participant, Nasubi, who spent months naked in solitary confinement, trying to win sweepstake prizes for his survival; Robert McCallum’s Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, about the beloved Canadian entertainer and television star who won the hearts of children across the country; Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ Sorry/Not Sorry, which focuses on women who accused Louis C.K. of sexual harassment and the consequences to their careers; Chris Wilcha’s Flipside, a new doc from the award-winning director of the This American Life TV series about his comical attempt to save a New Jersey record store and confront a mid-life crisis; Boil Alert from Stevie Salas and James Burns, a Canadian doc following activist Layla Staats’ dual journey to explore Indigenous people’s relationship to water and her own identity as a Mohawk woman; Homecoming by Suvi West and Anssi Kömi, in which the Indigenous Sámi people fight to get back their stolen ancestral heritage; Jen Markowitz’s Summer Qamp, chronicling a dynamic session of a LGBTQIA2S+ summer camp nestled around the Canadian Rockies; and Kasia Smutniak’s Walls, a personal journey that plays like a thriller in which Smutniak documents the refugee flow in the “red zone” of the Belarusian-Polish border while evading arrest.

International and North American Premieres from legendary filmmakers include Frederick Wiseman’s Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros, in which the 93-year-old director embeds inside a French restaurant that’s held three Michelin stars for more than 50 years, and Errol Morris’ The Pigeon Tunnel, a masterful portrait of the spy novelist David Cornwell ― a.k.a. John Le Carré ― for what was the author’s final interview.

Rounding out TIFF Docs 2023 with North American Premieres are Lina Soualem’s Bye Bye Tiberias, in which the director profiles her mother ― Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass (Succession) ― exploring her choice to leave her native village 30 years ago in pursuit of her dream of acting; Andrés Peyrot’s God is a Woman, which follows the Kuna Indigenous community in Panama as they seek to gain access to a French documentary made about them 40 years ago; Maciek Hamela’s In the Rearview, an exceptionally intimate film following a Polish vehicle as it traverses the roads of Ukraine to help its passengers flee amidst the Russian invasion; Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother of All Lies, winner of two awards at Cannes in which ― on a handmade set recreating her Casablanca neighbourhood ― a young Moroccan filmmaker enlists family and friends to help solve key mysteries of her childhood; Margreth Olin’s Songs of Earth, which follows the filmmaker’s octogenarian father on walks through Norway’s landscapes of mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls for an immersion into nature with stunning cinematography; and Pierre-Henri Gibert’s Viva Varda!, which profiles the pioneering filmmaker Agnès Varda with fresh perspectives that complement her autobiographical work.

These TIFF Docs titles join a number of documentaries already announced for TIFF 2023 as part of the Gala and Special Presentations programmes, including Leigh Brooks’ Hate to Love: Nickelback, Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters, Alex Gibney’s In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, and Chelsea McMullan’s Swan Song.

2023 TIFF Docs programme:

Boil Alert Stevie Salas, James Burns | Canada/USA
World Premiere

Bye Bye Tiberias Lina Soualem | France/Belgium/Qatar/Palestine
North American Premiere
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TIFF DOCS OPENING NIGHT FILM
Copa 71 Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine | United Kingdom
World Premiere
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Defiant Karim Amer | Ukraine/United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere
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Flipside Chris Wilcha | USA
World Premiere
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God is a Woman Andrés Peyrot | France/Switzerland/Panama
North American Premiere
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Homecoming Suvi West, Anssi Kömi | Finland/Norway
World Premiere

In the Rearview Maciek Hamela | Poland/France/Ukraine
North American Premiere
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Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros Frederick Wiseman | France/USA
North American Premiere
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Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa Lucy Walker | USA
World Premiere
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Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe Robert McCallum | Canada
World Premiere

Silver Dollar Road Raoul Peck | USA
World Premiere

Songs of Earth Margreth Olin | Norway
North American Premiere
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Sorry/Not Sorry Caroline Suh, Cara Mones | USA
World Premiere
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Stamped From the Beginning Roger Ross Williams | USA
World Premiere

Summer Qamp Jen Markowitz | Canada
World Premiere
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The Contestant Clair Titley | United Kingdom
World Premiere
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The Mother of All Lies Asmae El Moudir | Morocco/Egypt/Saudi Arabia/Qatar
North American Premiere
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The Pigeon Tunnel Errol Morris | United Kingdom/USA/Hungary
International Premiere

The World is Family Anand Patwardhan | India
World Premiere
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Viva Varda! Pierre-Henri Gibert | France
North American Premiere
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Walls Kasia Smutniak | Italy
World Premiere
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Social Media:
Twitter: @TIFF_NET & @TIFF_Industry
Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd: @tiff_net
Facebook.com/TIFF

TIFF prefers Visa.

The Toronto International Film Festival takes place September 7–17, 2023.

TIFF will respect SAG-AFTRA protocols regarding the participation of its members at the festival.
For more information, contact Alejandra Sosa, Director, Communications at masosa@tiff.net

Today, to celebrate ONE PIECE Day, Netflix released the official trailer for the highly-anticipated live-action series ONE PIECE, accompanied by new images and a personally penned letter from Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the global phenomenon.

ONE PIECE, a legendary high-seas adventure starring Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji, sets sail August 31, 2023 only on Netflix.

Oda-Sensei shared his thoughts on the live action adaptation, production, changes from the manga, and the cast and crew (the full PDF version of the letter is below and HERE for download). Highlights include:

“I’ll say this. There were no compromises on this show!” この作品に一切の妥協はありません!!
“There was so much that went into it–all of the efforts by the actors, the building of the world and the costumes, presenting things in a way that can only be done in live action, the dialogue–and the entire process of so many people putting their heads together was a festivity in and of itself.” 世界観の構築、役者さん達の試み、衣装、実写ならではの魅せ方、会話、色んな人達が悩んだ全ての工程がお祭りです。
“The producers and the crew are pros at live action, and frankly, they’re ONE PIECE superfans too.” 製作チームは実写のプロであり、はっきり言って、ONE PIECEオタクです。

“By now I just love the production team and cast so much that I can’t wait for them to get the acclaim they deserve from everyone around the world.” 僕はもう、製作チームもキャストも大好きなので、早くみんなが世界で賞賛されて欲しい。

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

So many of us are looking forward to this! Here’s a first look at the second season of HEARTSTOPPER!

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

20th Century Studios revealed details today about the all-new film “No One Will Save You”—a first-look image is now available. Starring Kaitlyn Dever, the captivating sci-fi psychological thriller begins streaming on September 22, 2023 exclusively on Disney+ in Canada.

“No One Will Save You” introduces Brynn Adams (Dever), a creative and talented young woman who’s been alienated from her community. Lonely but ever hopeful, Brynn finds solace within the walls of the home where she grew up—until she’s awakened one night by strange noises from decidedly unearthly intruders. What follows is an action-packed face-off between Brynn and a host of extraterrestrial beings who threaten her future while forcing her to deal with her past. Written and directed by Brian Duffield, the film features music by composer Joseph Trapanese. Tim White, Trevor White, Allan Mandelbaum and Duffield produce, and Dever and Joshua Throne executive produce.

SWAN SONG, a feature documentary that immerses viewers inside The National Ballet of Canada as it mounts a legacy-defining new production of Swan Lake, directed by ballet icon Karen Kain on the eve of her retirement, will make its world premiere at TIFF. Executive producer Neve Campbell is expected to attend the Festival in support of the film, which will screen as part of the Special Presentations program. SWAN SONG is directed by Chelsea McMullan (Ever Deadly, My Prairie Home), who wrote the film with producer Sean O’Neill (Crystal Pite: Angels’ Atlas, LIDO TV). Distributed in Canada by Blue Ice Docs, with international sales handled by Dogwoof, the feature documentary will be released theatrically in Canada on September 22, 2023. The project was developed with CBC and it will air as a four-part limited series on CBC Gem and CBC TV, premiering November 22, 2023.

“This project is deeply personal to me given my longtime admiration for Karen Kain and The National Ballet of Canada, starting with my time as a student at Canada’s National Ballet School,” said Neve Campbell, who joined the project as it entered production and this year celebrates the twentieth anniversary of The Company, the Robert Altman-directed ballet film she conceived of, produced and starred in. “Ballet was my first love, and SWAN SONG beautifully captures the incredible devotion, artistry and sacrifices that dancers make in their pursuit of creating something beautiful and meaningful. I’m so proud of our team and I can’t wait to celebrate the film.”

With full access granted to the filmmakers, the verité-driven SWAN SONG closely follows Kain and a group of young dancers drawn from across The National Ballet of Canada’s ranks, weaving Swan Lake’s dramatic creation process with intimate scenes from the subjects’ personal lives as they push toward one of the most significant nights in their company’s history. The film’s intimate, character-driven approach chronicles creative conflicts, devastating injuries and personal sacrifices amongst its subjects who, in various ways, confront ideals of race, class and body standards as they navigate a tradition that has historically valued uniformity and compliance.

“I’m so pleased that Swan Song will premiere at TIFF, and that the wonderful Neve Campbell is a part of the film’s team. Agreeing to open up the creative process of a brand new production of Swan Lake to a crew of filmmakers was a vulnerable act, to say the least,” says Kain, who stepped into the role of Director for the first time in her nearly 50-year career as a dancer and Artistic Director with her production of Swan Lake. “However, the film’s extraordinary crew made the process far more intuitive than I expected and by the end, it felt as if we were all in it together. I look forward to celebrating the film and everyone involved this fall, most especially the extraordinary artists and staff at The National Ballet of Canada who brought Swan Lake to life.”

“Making Swan Song has been an epic, three-year journey and I’m thrilled to finally be sharing the film with audiences, at TIFF and beyond,” says McMullan. “Collaborating with such a talented, dedicated team to realize a project so ambitious has changed me as a filmmaker, and Neve’s sensitivity and deep understanding of the life of a ballet dancer has enriched our process immeasurably. I want to thank our subjects and The National Ballet of Canada for trusting us with their awe-inspiring work and moving stories.”

SWAN SONG is a Visitor Media production in association with Mercury Films Inc. and Quiet Ghost. It is presented by Blue Ice Docs and Dogwoof. O’Neill produces along with Christina Carvalho. McMullan, O’Neill, Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Anna Godas and Oli Harbottle are executive producers alongside Campbell. SWAN SONG was produced in association with CBC, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, Ontario Creates, and the Rogers Cable Network Fund. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual, & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director, Documentary; and Grazyna Krupa is Executive in Charge of Programming, Unscripted Content.

(Photo credit: Tiziano Lugli)

Apple Original Films announces new documentary film, “The Pigeon Tunnel,” from Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris (“The Fog of War”) and The Ink Factory (“The Night Manager”). “The Pigeon Tunnel” pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell—better known as John le Carré, author of such genre-defining espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Night Manager and The Constant Gardener. The film will make its global debut on October 20, 2023 on Apple TV+.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. Drawing on le Carré’s New York Times bestselling memoir The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from My Life, the film is an unprecedented voyage into the lesser-known parts of the iconic and historically private author’s formative experiences, set to an original score by Philip Glass in collaboration with Paul Leonard-Morgan.

Simon and Stephen Cornwell, co-CEOs and co-Founders at The Ink Factory, who are also David’s sons, said: “Full of deep insight, and surprising, amusing and often profoundly moving anecdotes, “The Pigeon Tunnel” charts a conversation between two great minds, both consummate storytellers; one who wove extraordinary fiction from the events he experienced; the other whose interrogation of those events has led so often to a greater truth. Together, they explore the events of the Cold War, and of le Carré’s life, testing the boundaries of truth, memory and imagination. The layered and unorthodox film is a tête-à-tête between a filmmaker and a novelist – both masters of their craft – grappling with the roots of the creative process, the power of fiction and our responsibility to the truth.”

The producers are BAFTA Award winner Dominic Crossley-Holland (“All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace”) and Steven Hathaway (“Wormwood”), Emmy Award nominees Simon Cornwell (“The Night Manager”) and Stephen Cornwell (“The Night Manager”). Executive producers are Academy Award nominee Hossein Amini (“The Wings of the Dove”), BAFTA Award nominee and Emmy Award winner P.J. van Sandwijk (“The Rescue”), Emmy Award winner Michael Lesslie (“The Rescue”), Joe Tsai (“The Night Manager”), Arthur Wang (“The Night Manager”), Michele Wolkoff (“The Current War: Director’s Cut”) and Katherine Butler (“American Animals”). “The Pigeon Tunnel” is produced by The Ink Factory and Fourth Floor Productions, in association with Jago Films, Storyteller Productions and 127 Wall Productions.