#FIRSTLOOK: BOOKING.COM SPONSORS TIME100 SUMMIT & GALA

BOOKING.COM was an official signature sponsor of the TIME100 Summit and Gala at Lincoln Center in New York, which included stars like Toronto’s own Simu Liu!  The site is one of the largest travel marketplaces for both established brands and entrepreneurs of all sizes, enabling properties all over the world to reach a global audience and grow their businesses.

Booking.com aimed to further support getting important topics the increased attention they need and deserve while also providing travel inspiration for Summit & Gala attendees. The events brought together a cast of past and present TIME100 honorees and other influential figures  from the worlds of art, culture, politics and entertainment with Booking.com polling the influential attendees on their summer travel plans via a survey at the brand’s dedicated activation space at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Key insights include:

-Sustainability efforts at accommodations play a strong role in TIME100 event attendee’s vacation decisions, with 50% of survey respondents saying they would select one property over another if it had Booking.com’s Travel Sustainable badge.

-TIME100 event respondents said they prefer to stay at vacation rentals over hotels (62%).

-Trips where travelers get to enjoy the outdoors was the preference for TIME100 attendees with 46% of respondents wanting to take a beach vacation this summer and 41% wanting to take any type of nature trip.

-Experiencing local culture is TIME100 event respondents main motivation to travel this summer (37%), with relaxation not far behind at 32%.

-When asked what destination was top of the list this summer, Greece, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Colorado and Puerto Rico were the most popular among TIME100 event attendee survey respondents.

Some of the A-Listers at the affair:

(Photo credit: Booking.com)

#BELLMEDIAUPFRONT: BELL MEDIA ANNOUNCE FALL 2022/2023 LINEUP, NEW & RETURNING PROGRAMMING

Bell Media held their annual Upfront, previewing their upcoming 2022/2023 programming slate of returning and new programming across their family of networks, and also streaming service Crave. The event returned in-person at Meridian Hall, giving a glimpse for the for the first time many new acquisitions and confirmations. Here to ring-in the occasion were some recognizable names like Chad Michael Murray, Scott Patterson, Mena Massoud, Will Yun Lee, Meg Donnelly, Rebecca Romijn and several more!

CTV‘s Fall 2022 Programming Schedule has been firmed-up, all times are listed in Eastern Time:

MONDAYS
7 p.m. ETALK
7:30 p.m. THE BIG BANG THEORY (S)
8 p.m. CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING
8:30 p.m. BOB HEARTS ABISHOLA (S)
9 p.m. THE CLEANING LADY (S)
10 p.m. THE GOOD DOCTOR (S)

TUESDAYS
7 p.m. ETALK
7:30 p.m. THE BIG BANG THEORY (S)
8 p.m. THE RESIDENT (S)
9 p.m. LA BREA (S)
10 p.m. THE ROOKIE: FEDS (S)

WEDNESDAYS
7 p.m. ETALK
7:30 p.m. THE CONNERS
8 p.m. THE MASKED SINGER (S)
9 p.m. THE AMAZING RACE (S)
10 p.m. BIG SKY (S)

THURSDAYS
7 p.m. CALL ME KAT
7:30 p.m. YOUNG SHELDON
8 p.m. STATION 19 (S)
9 p.m. GREY’S ANATOMY (S)
10 p.m. ALASKA (S)

FRIDAYS
7 p.m. ETALK
7:30 p.m. THE BIG BANG THEORY (S)
8 p.m. SHARK TANK (S)
9 p.m. TRANSPLANT
10 p.m. BLUE BLOODS (S)

SATURDAYS
7 p.m. W5
8 p.m. CTV Movie

SUNDAYS
7 p.m. NFL (cont’d)
8 p.m. CELEBRITY JEOPARDY! (S)
9 p.m. EAST NEW YORK (S)
10 p.m. THE ROOKIE (S)

Daytime and Late-Night

CTV’s premium daytime and late-night lineups return, including CTV YOUR MORNING, LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, THE SOCIAL, DR. PHIL, THE VIEW, and ETALK.

Also returning to CTV are THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH and the final season of THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN, with THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON and LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS on CTV2.

Awards and Live Events

CTV is home to appointment viewing live events, including the 95th OSCARS®, the 74th EMMY® AWARDS, the AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, and the CMA AWARDS on CTV2.

As Bell Media is the exclusive television broadcast partner of the NFL in Canada, CTV delivers extensive coverage of the NFL regular season, the NFL playoffs, and the biggest broadcast event of the year, SUPER BOWL LVII.

CTV News

Connecting with audiences from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the country’s most-watched national newscast, CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME, airs weeknights at 11 p.m. ET.

Across the country, viewers turn to CTV’s local newscasts to stay informed on breaking news in their communities, including CTV’s award-winning CTV NEWS AT SIX, ​as well as CTV MORNING LIVE, CTV NEWS AT NOON, CTV NEWS AT FIVE, and CTV NEWS AT 11:30 p.m.

The award-winning W5 returns for a 57th season Saturdays at 7 p.m. ET on CTV, and landmark political program QUESTION PERIOD, hosted by CTV News’ Evan Solomon, returns Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. ET.

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Bell Media have made several exciting new acquisitions, bringing their viewers some exciting new things to look forward to, including the latest from Oscar-winning talents Tom McCarthy and Hilary Swank, ALASKA. Hit ’80s Sitcom NIGHT COURT gets a Reboot and CTV will be home to it, as well, while CTV Sci-Fi will carry Supernatural Origins Series THE WINCHESTERS. There’s also tons for buzz for upcoming Drama Series EAST NEW YORK with breakout star Amanda Warren.

CTV

ALASKA

From the mind of Academy Award®-winner Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), ALASKA stars Hilary Swank (AWAY) as Eileen Fitzgerald, a recently disgraced reporter who leaves her high-profile New York life behind to join a daily metro newspaper in Anchorage, on a journey to find both personal and professional redemption. Alongside Swank, ALASKA stars Jeff Perry (SCANDAL), Matt Malloy (In the Company of Men), Meredith Holzman (Blow the Man Down), Grace Dove (The Revenant), Pablo Castelblanco (Admission), Ami Park (THIS IS US), and Craig Frank (8.13). Tom McCarthy is creator and executive producer. Hilary Swank, Melissa Wells, Bert Salke, Kyle Hopkins (Anchorage Daily News), and Ryan Binkley (Anchorage Daily News) are executive producers, with Peter Elkoff (THE RESIDENT) serving as showrunner and executive producer. ALASKA is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.

ALERT

When police officer Nikki Parker’s son goes missing, she joins the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Missing Persons Unit to help other people find their loved ones, even as she searches for her own. Six years later, her world is turned upside-down when her ex-husband, Devon Zoellner, shows up with a proof-of-life photo of their missing boy…or is it? The series is a procedural drama with a search for a missing person in each episode that runs alongside the overarching storyline of Nikki and Devon’s quest to find out the truths about the person claiming to be their long-lost son. ALERT is produced by Sony Pictures Television and FOX Entertainment. John Eisendrath will write and executive produce. Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner will also executive produce.

CELEBRITY JEOPARDY!

In the all-new game show CELEBRITY JEOPARDY!, celebrity contestants compete for a chance to win money and donate it to a charity of their choice. From Sony Pictures Television, CELEBRITY JEOPARDY! is executive produced by Michael Davies.

EAST NEW YORK

From the executive producers of NYPD BLUE, EAST NEW YORK stars Amanda Warren (DICKINSON) as Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood, the newly promoted boss of the 74th Precinct, in East New York – a working-class neighborhood on the edge of Brooklyn in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. With family ties to the area, Haywood is determined to deploy creative methods to protect her beloved community with the help of her officers and detectives, but first, she has the daunting task of getting them on board, as some are skeptical of her promotion, and others resist the changes she is desperate to make. Her team includes her mentor, shrewd veteran two-star Chief John Suarez (Emmy® Award winner Jimmy Smits, L.A. LAW); Marvin Sandeford (Tony Award® winner and current nominee Ruben Santiago-Hudson, CASTLE), a highly respected training officer and expert on the neighborhood; Tommy Killian (Kevin Rankin, Dallas Buyers Club), a detective with some old-school approaches to policing; Capt. Stan Yenko (Richard Kind, Inside Out), Haywood’s gregarious and efficient right hand; Crystal Morales (Elizabeth Rodriguez, Logan), an intuitive detective who can’t be intimidated; Andre Bentley (Lavel Schley, GROWN-ISH), a trainee from an upper middle-class background; and ambitious patrol officer Brandy Quinlan (Olivia Luccardi, It Follows). Emmy® Award-winner William Finkelstein, Mike Flynn, Emmy® Award-winner Michael M. Robin, Christine Holder, and Mark Holder are executive producers. Andrew Maher is a co-executive producer. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television.

NIGHT COURT

Unapologetic optimist judge Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch, THE BIG BANG THEORY), the daughter of the late Harry Stone, follows in her father’s footsteps as she presides over the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court and tries to bring order to its crew of oddballs and cynics, most notably former night court prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette). The cast also includes India de Beaufort (Run Fatboy Run), Kapil Talwalkar (ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST), and Lacretta (Second Act). Writer Dan Rubin executive produces with Melissa Rauch and Winston Rauch. John Larroquette will produce. NIGHT COURT is produced by Warner Bros. Television, in association with After January Productions and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

THE ROOKIE: FEDS

From the executive producers of THE ROOKIE comes THE ROOKIE: FEDS, starring Niecy Nash-Betts (CLAWS) as Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. The spinoff was introduced as a two-part event during the fourth season of THE ROOKIE, where Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion, CASTLE) and the L.A. division of the FBI enlist the help of Simone Clark when one of her former students is a suspect in a terror attack. The series also stars Frankie Faison (White Chicks) as Christopher “Cutty” Clark, and Felix Solis (The International) as Special Agent Matthew Garza. Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter are co-creators and executive producers. Mark Gordon, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross, and Corey Miller are executive producers. Entertainment One (eOne) is the lead studio and international distributor of THE ROOKIE: FEDS, a co-production with ABC Signature.

TRUE LIES

Inspired by James Cameron’s hit action/comedy film of the same name, TRUE LIES follows Harry (Steve Howey, Bride Wars), a first-class international spy for U.S. intelligence agency Omega Sector, and his wife, Helen (Ginger Gonzaga, TOGETHERNESS), a language professor bored with her daily routine, who makes the shocking discovery that her seemingly ordinary husband is leading an extraordinary double life. With the secret out, Omega recruits Helen, who impresses everyone with her formidable skills, and she joins Harry and his team of top-notch operatives, embarking on covert missions around the globe and an exhilarating life of danger and adventure. The renewed bond between them adds much-needed sizzle to the Taskers’ emotionally distant marriage and upends the top-secret world of Omega Sector. As Harry says, if you’re going to save the world, you might as well do it for the ones you love. TRUE LIES also stars Erica Hernandez (BRIDGE AND TUNNEL) as Maria, Omar Miller (BALLERS) as Gib, Mike O’Gorman (TINY APARTMENT) as Luther, Annabella Didion (OUTER BANKS) as Dana, and Lucas Jaye (The Sleepover) as Jake. Matt Nix, James Cameron, Rae Sanchini, McG, Mary Viola, Corey Marsh, and Josh Levy are executive producers. Anthony Hemingway is an executive producer and directed the pilot from a script by Nix. Sean Hoagland and Whitney Davis are co-executive producers. The series is produced by 20th Television.

CTV Specialty Channels

CTV Sci-Fi Channel:

THE ARK

THE ARK takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. The first of these missions on a spacecraft, known as Ark One, encounters a catastrophic event causing massive destruction and loss of life. With more than a year left to go before reaching their target planet, a lack of life-sustaining supplies and loss of leadership, the remaining crew must become the best versions of themselves to stay on course and survive. The series stars Christie Burke (MAID), Richard Fleeshman (CALL THE MIDWIFE), Reece Ritchie (The Lovely Bones), Stacey Read (Aneni), and Ryan Adams (Orange Peel). Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner are co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson of Electric Entertainment. Jonathan English of Balkanic Media and Steve Lee serve as producers.

THE WINCHESTERS

Before Sam and Dean, there were their parents, John and Mary. Told from the perspective of narrator Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles, SUPERNATURAL), THE WINCHESTERS is the epic, untold love story of how John Winchester (Drake Rodger, The In Between) met Mary Campbell (Meg Donnelly, AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE) and put it all on the line to not only save their love, but the entire world. When John returns home from fighting in Vietnam, a mysterious encounter sparks a new mission to trace his father’s past. In his journey, he crosses paths with 19-year-old demon hunter Mary, who is also searching for answers after the disappearance of her own father. Together, the two join forces with young hunter-in-training Latika (Nida Khurshid, STATION 19), and easygoing hunter Carlos (Jonathan “Jojo” Fleites) to uncover the hidden truths about both their families. Their investigation leads them to a rare book emporium, whose owner, Ada (Demetria McKinney, HOUSE OF PAYNE), takes an interest to the occult and could provide the missing pieces to their puzzle. But secrets run deep for both the Winchesters and Campbells, and despite the best efforts of John’s mother Millie (Bianca Kajlich, Bring It On) to protect her son from pursuing a dangerous life of demon hunting, John and Mary are both determined to work together to uphold their families’ legacies while beginning to form a family of their own. A prequel to the long-running hit series SUPERNATURAL, THE WINCHESTERS is written and executive produced by Robbie Thompson. Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles executive produce via their Chaos Machine Productions. David H. Goodman joined the creative team as an executive producer for the series. McG serves as an executive producer. The series is from Chaos Machine Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios.

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, filmed here in Toronto, just premiered in May on CTV Sci-Fi and Star Rebecca Romijn popped-by to say “hello”! Always flawless.

CTV Drama Channel:

PANHANDLE

A serialized dramedy set in the Florida Panhandle. Since personal tragedy struck five years ago, loquacious, eccentric Bell Prescott (Emmy® Award-winner Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) hasn’t left the decaying property he shares with his mother and a pet alligator. When Bell discovers a dead body, he browbeats the only cop in town, the practical, brutally direct Cammie Lorde (Tiana Okoye, The Good Place), into solving the case. That leads the unlikely duo into a collision course with Bell’s past. They’ll wrestle with personal demons, shocking twists, and Panhandle craziness on their journey to heal themselves and their town. Carla Kettner (THE BLACKLIST), Nicholas Stoller (MUPPETS MOST WANTED), and Conor Welch (GOOSEBUMPS) are Executive Producers. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

CTV Life Channel:

JAMIE’S ONE PAN WONDERS

JAMIE’S ONE PAN WONDERS is the ultimate solutions-based guide to brilliantly easy meals perfect for now, offering a delicious range of dishes all cooked in just one pan or tray. Each recipe uses only a handful of ingredients, as the pan does all the hard work – and there’s hardly any cleaning up.

Each meal has been created by Jamie Oliver specifically to answer people’s everyday needs: from speedy meals that can be made in 15 minutes or less, ovenbaked dishes that can be left to cook low and slow while people do with other things, brilliant principle recipes that big-up batch cooking, or clever shortcuts to family favourites that everyone will love to eat, but don’t always have the time to cook.

JAMIE’S ONE PAN WONDERS is the solution for anyone who wants to cook delicious food with minimal ingredients, less cleaning up, and big flavour.

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Bell Media continues to show its commitment to delivering and supporting Canadian voices with the following new English-Language programs, including the eagerly-awaited SULLIVAN’S CROSSING starring One Tree Hill‘s Chad Michael Murray, which begins production this week shortly on the East Coast. You know we love RuPaul’s Drag Race, and a CANADA’S DRAG RACE: CANADA VS. THE WORLD branch of the Series is on the way pitting Canadian Queens against some international-level competition!

New English-Language Series:

ACTING GOOD – CTV Comedy *previously announced
ACTING GOOD stars Rabliauskas as Paul, a witty but sensitive comic who returns home to the fictional Grouse Lake First Nation after a botched attempt to move to the big city. Inspired by Rabliauskas’ own isolated community of Poplar River First Nation, the half-hour comedy also stars actor, comedian, and series co-showrunner Pat Thornton, as Brady, the “only white guy on the rez.” The homegrown lineup of cast and crew also features Billy Merasty (Elijah) as voice of the rez and radio DJ, Roger Laughingstick, Roseanne Supernault (THE DRIVE) as reformed bad girl and band councillor, Jo. Gabriel Daniels (The Ice Road) joins the cast as big-hearted Dean, along with series producer Tina Keeper (NORTH OF 60) as the family matriarch Agnes. And in their debut acting roles, Avery Claudia Sutherland stars as Jo’s rebellious daughter Chickadee, comedian Cheyenna Sapp as Paul’s, on-again-off-again girlfriend, Rose, and writer, poet, and radio host Rosanna Deerchild as First Nation Grouse Lake chief, Deedee. (Buffalo Gal)

A CUT ABOVE – Discovery *previously announced
Hosted by Golden Globe®-nominee Adam Beach, this competition series puts 12 of the best chainsaw carvers from across the world to the ultimate test of creativity, strength, and skills, as they turn ordinary logs into extraordinary works of art. Each episode, the carvers compete in weekly Quick and Master Carve challenges, while racing against the clock, in hopes of avoiding elimination. At the end of the grueling competition, the carver who out carves the rest, wins a cash prize and will be named “A Cut Above”. World-renowned Canadian chainsaw carver Ryan Cook and esteemed United Kingdom sculptor, Katharine Dowson serve as judges. (marblemedia)

BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS – CTV
BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS is an exciting new 20-episode, 60-minute CTV Original quiz format that asks not only how well you know someone else’s generation – but how well you know your own. Each episode of this nostalgia-packed quiz show features four charismatic contestants, each representing a different generation (Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z), who battle it out to discover who knows the most about ALL generations. Whoever triumphs in this unique game of time travelling trivia will enter The Vault for a chance to win big money. Fast and fun, tactical and tenacious, BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS is the primetime game show that’s genuinely for everyone. (Bell Media Studios/Motion Content Group)

BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE – Crave
A half-hour comedy series that follows Bria Mack, a 25-year-old Black woman, as she navigates adulthood in a predominantly white world – which is made all the more difficult, but also more tolerable – by Black Attack, her invisible hype girl. Created by Sasha Leigh Henry, the series is executive produced by Henry, Tania Thompson, and Mark Montefiore, with Angelique Knights and Tamar Bird serving as producers. (New Metric Media)

BUSH WRECK RESCUE – Discovery
BUSH WRECK RESCUE is a new take on the ever-popular car and truck restoration genre, with a twist – all the projects begin as long-abandoned wrecks tracked down in farmers’ fields, barns, and ravines in the backcountry. BUSH WRECK RESCUE’s “gearheads” attempt to turn a profit by pulling vintage vans, muscle cars, and pick-up trucks out of the bush and transforming them into Instagram-worthy gems. (Omnifilm Entertainment)

CANADA’S DRAG RACE: CANADA VS THE WORLD – Crave
After two wildly successful seasons of CANADA’S DRAG RACE, and a third on the horizon, the queens of the north have proven they can “sleigh” in every way. With Canada acting as host nation, CANADA’S DRAG RACE: CANADA VS THE WORLD is a six-episode battle that brings back fan-favourites from the international Drag Race family for an elite competition to crown the “Queen of the Mother-Pucking World.” At this level of competition, there are no weak links – just seasoned queens with a thirst for victory. Let the international games begin! (Blue Ant Studios, Saloon Media, World of Wonder)

CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF – CTV
CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF is an original competition series that celebrates the unbridled creativity of Canada’s best cake-makers, and showcases the incredible stories of heart and humour that inspire them. A feel good national event, CROSS COUNTRY CAKE OFF connects the country through cake in 10 delightful episodes, including four Holiday specials. Buckle up for a wild and delicious ride! (Proper Television)

DINE YOUR SIGN – CTV Life *previously announced
Hosted by Chef Siobhan Detkavich, DINE YOUR SIGN connects appetite with the astrological, with each episode featuring a menu designed around one of the 12 Zodiac signs. (Gusto TV)

EVOLVING VEGAN – CTV Life Channel and Crave
EVOLVING VEGAN is an eight-part food, travel, and adventure series, starring, and based on Canadian actor Mena Massoud’s (Aladdin) cookbook, of the same name. Each one-hour episode features Massoud as he explores the exploding plant-based food scene across North America, visiting cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, Toronto, Vancouver and New York City to meet the trailblazing chefs and restaurateurs serving up the best vegan eats each city has to offer. He will also meet with exciting innovators within the plant-based food space and link up with celebrity friends and locals as they eat their way through each locales’ best vegan offerings. Massoud’s mission is to show people how incredibly delicious and accessible plant-based options are and encourage people to evolve vegan, to move in that direction, even if it’s for one night of the week in a judgement-free manner. EVOLVING VEGAN is set to premiere on CTV Life and Crave in 2023. (Bell Media Studios)

FARMING FOR LOVE – CTV *previously announced
An adaptation of the hit international format THE FARMER WANTS A WIFE, FARMING FOR LOVE follows the journeys of rural Canadian singles on their quest for romance. In FARMING FOR LOVE, five Canadians searching for their soulmates open up their farms – and their hearts – to a select group of urban singles. As they live and work together, the daters must adjust to a new lifestyle, and immerse themselves in a series of challenges, group activities, and intimate one-on-one dates, with the goal of finding their one true love. The CTV Original series consists of 10, one-hour episodes. (Lark Productions in collaboration with Fremantle and in association with CTV)

I HAVE NOTHING – Crave
I HAVE NOTHING is a factual comedy about amateur abilities and enormous ambitions and follows series creator and star Carolyn Taylor (BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW) on her eternal quest to escape the familiar and pursue her wildest dreams, even when she doesn’t have the talent, or skills (or basic knowledge) to realize them. The series follows Carolyn on a quixotic quest to choreograph the perfect full-length pairs figure skating routine to Whitney Houston’s 1992 hit song ‘I Have Nothing.’ What begins as a light-hearted, nostalgic comedy quickly morphs into a high-stakes, real-life mission – with a few wild detours along the way. (Content Catalyst Fund in association with Blue Ant Studios)

JUST FOR LAUGHS Specials – CTV Comedy
Slated to be filmed at the 2022 Just for Laughs Festival in Montréal in July, four new stand-up comedy specials to feature the best in homegrown and international comedy talent. Hosted by Russell Peters, Chelsea Handler, Jo Koy, and Patton Oswalt. (Just For Laughs)

LATE BLOOMER – Crave
LATE BLOOMER is a new comedy series created by and starring comedic sensation Jasmeet Raina, aka JusReign. The series is inspired by his real-life experiences navigating new-found internet fame, dating, spirituality, culture, and his dysfunctional (yet loving) family. (Pier 21 Films)

LISTING LARGE – CTV Life
Odeen Eccleston and Lamont Wiltshire are building a real estate empire: buying, selling, renovating and flipping, all while juggling parenthood, friendship and love. Amidst luxury custom builds and multi-million dollar deals, this on-again off-again couple are determined not to let anything stand in the way of their wildly successful business partnership. (Proper Television)

LITTLE BIRD – Crave *previously announced
Created by showrunner Jennifer Podemski and head writer Hannah Moscovitch, LITTLE BIRD follows an Indigenous woman on a journey to find her birth family, and uncover the hidden truth of her past. The series, a co-production with APTN, explores themes of resilience in the face of trauma and loss. Removed from her home in Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan, Bezhig Little Bird is adopted into a Montréal Jewish family at the age of five, becoming Esther Rosenblum. Now in her 20s, Bezhig longs for the family she lost and is willing to sacrifice everything to find them. Her quest lands her in the Canadian prairies, worlds apart from everything she knows. As she begins to track down her siblings, she unravels the mystery behind her adoption, and discovers that her apprehension was connected to a racist government policy now known as the Sixties Scoop. Bezhig’s sense of identity shatters and she is forced to reckon with who she is and who she wants to become. The character-driven drama features an extraordinary cast of Indigenous actors, including Darla Contois, Ellyn Jade, Osawa Muskwa, Joshua Odjick, Imajyn Cardinal, Braeden Clarke, Eric Schweig, and Michelle Thrush. Lisa Edelstein also stars. Award-winning filmmakers Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Zoe Hopkins each direct three episodes, while Hopkins writes three of the episodes. Executive producers are Christina Fon, Ernest Webb, Catherine Bainbridge, Linda Ludwick (Rezolution Pictures), Kim Todd, Nicholas Hirst (Original Pictures), Jeremy Podeswa, Jennifer Podemski, and Hannah Moskovitch, along with Christian Vesper and Dante Di Loreto (Fremantle). Producers are Tanya Brunel and Jessica Dunn (OP Little Bird), Claire MacKinnon and Philippe Chabot (Rezolution Pictures) and Lori Lozinski and Ellen Rutter. The series is currently in production in Manitoba and is set to premiere on Crave next year. (Rezolution Pictures, APTN, OP Little Bird)

THE MIGHTIEST – Discovery
THE MIGHTIEST is a six-part series that zeros in on the most exciting and compelling stories from the MIGHTY franchise (MIGHTY TRAINS, MIGHTY SHIPS, MIGHTY PLANES, MIGHTY CRUISE SHIPS), one of Discovery’s most successful series seen in more than 100 countries around the world. Each themed episode of THE MIGHTIEST goes a step further by embedding on new missions to highlight mind-blowing feats of science and engineering that are set to change the game once again, including an exclusive visit to the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford – the US Navy’s newest and largest aircraft carrier. Principal photography on THE MIGHTIEST is underway, and the series premieres on Discovery later this year. (Bell Media Studios)

ONE DAY WE’LL ALL BE DEAD – Crave
Based on the critically acclaimed, national bestselling book by Scaachi Koul, One Day We’ll All Be Dead And None Of This Will Matter, this new half-hour comedy, created by Lakna Edilima and Koul, follows a first-generation Brown woman juggling her invasive family, her burgeoning journalism career, and her own strong-willed nature while processing her own grief. (First Generation Films)

PARANORMAL REVENGE – CTV Sci-Fi
PARANORMAL REVENGE is a brand new, original series from the newly amalgamated, Sphere Media. Each hour explores two chilling stories of real-life paranormal encounters that intersect with one of the most powerful forces of darkness – revenge. Those who experience para-revenge often describe a strong feeling of possession. And in every encounter… violence and terror follow. Each story is unpacked by the witnesses who experienced these revenge hauntings. And whether it’s a person, place or object from the past seeking its victim, the history drives the horror. These are mystery filled camp-fire tales with twists and turns, driving toward a terrifying final revelation. (Sphere Media)

SHELVED – CTV
Set in the Jameson Public Library in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood, SHELVED is a single-camera, workplace comedy that follows the employees and patrons as they go about their lives in this unassuming and extraordinary place. (Counterfeit)

SIGHT UNSEEN – CTV
After losing her vision, former homicide detective Tess Burke is haunted by the unsolved cases she left behind. When she meets professional seeing-eye guide Sunny Patel through a visual assistance app, they decide to take action. Using a hidden camera and earpiece, Sunny steers Tess remotely around life’s obstacles — and crimes — as the two challenge preconceptions about ability, trust, and solving crime. (Sisters Troubetzoy Productions Inc. and Bl!nk49 Studios. Worldwide rights controlled by Bl!nk49)

SISTERS – Crave
An Irish-Canadian co-production, SISTERS is a character-driven, half-hour, dark comedy about family, culture, and life in one’s 30s. It’s an exploration of how the absence of parents can influence adult life in unforeseen ways, and how that void can affect a woman’s relationship to alcohol, men, work, and motherhood (or lack thereof) – and the macabre humour that can come with trauma. In SISTERS, the two main characters born continents apart, in Canada and in Ireland, discover they are half-sisters and embark on a road trip to find their alcoholic father. Real life best friends, EMMY® Award-nominee Sarah Goldberg (BARRY) and Susan Stanley (Hotel Amenities), make their writing debuts and star. Emmy Award-nominee Declan Lowney (TED LASSO) is the establishing director and is set to direct the first three episodes of the six-episode series. (Peer Pressure and Shaftesbury, in association with Mermade and Gaze Pictures)

THE SPENCER SISTERS – CTV
Darby Spencer is having a bad day. After being unjustly reprimanded by her boss, Darby impulsively quits her job as a police officer, and then finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her. With no other choice, she returns home to the one person she’s been avoiding for years: her overbearing, best-selling-mystery-novelist mother, Joan. But after the two are thrust into solving a crime together, Darby discovers a side to Joan she never knew, and ultimately takes the plunge on the unlikeliest of ventures: becoming her partner in a private detective agency. (eOne)

SPICE SECRETS – CTV Life *previously announced
From seeds, roots, to bark, and fruits, SPICE SECRETS explores the unique and complex flavours that fill our spice racks. Hosted by Chefs Shahir Massoud and Jasmin Rose Ibrahim, the 10-episode series will feature a variety of spice applications, techniques and unexpected combinations. (Gusto TV)

SULLIVAN’S CROSSING – CTV *previously announced
In SULLIVAN’S CROSSING, Neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan (Kohan) has her world turned upside down when a scandalous incident throws both her personal and professional life into turmoil. She leaves her life in the city and returns to Sullivan’s Crossing, a rural campground and outpost nestled amongst the sweeping vistas and cliffs she once called home, where her estranged father, Sully Sullivan (Patterson), still looks after the day-to-day operations catering to hikers, bikers, and mountain climbers. The 10-episode, hour-long romantic drama sees Maggie navigating her complicated present and confronting her painful past as she attempts to reconnect with a side of herself she had long ago forgotten. Tackling issues including family, community, conflict, loss, and love in a realistic and purposeful way, SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is a series about healing, letting go, and ultimately, opening yourself up to a world of new opportunities. (Reel World Management in association with CTV and Fremantle, SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is being produced as an interprovincial coproduction with Nova Scotia based producer Mike Volpe and Ontario based producer Mark Gingras)

THUNDER BAY – Crave *previously announced
THUNDER BAY is a four-part Crave Original documentary series based on the groundbreaking podcast from CANADALAND, Thunder Bay. The gripping investigative series is produced and also hosted by Anishinaabe journalist and award-winning writer, Ryan McMahon, who is on a quest to uncover the truth in the recent deaths of multiple Indigenous people in Thunder Bay, Ontario – a city known as the homicide and hate crime capital of Canada. McMahon’s investigation sheds light on the history of racism in Thunder Bay, and examines the failings and the injustices of its social systems and institutions. The series unravels the country’s complicated relationship with colonialism, examining the consequences of the broken system in which some can thrive, while many others, disproportionally struggle to survive. Produced, written, and hosted by Ryan McMahon. The series is currently in production. (eOne)

URBAN LEGEND – CTV Sci-Fi
URBAN LEGEND is a nightmarish anthology series showcasing classic urban legends like never before. Based on widely shared “true” stories that happened to a friend of a friend…of a friend, each episode is a mini-horror film cinematically crafted to deliver a hyper-suspenseful and tension-fuelled experience. Featuring lurking psychopaths, murderous mysteries, creepy creatures and twisting tales, these disturbing legends prey on our most deeply embedded fears to shock and terrify. (Cream Productions)

VEG HEADZ – CTV Life *previously announced
Hosted by two-time MASTERCHEF CANADA winner Chef Pino Di Cerbo, VEG HEADZ reimagines what you can do with fresh produce, creating four tasty plant-based plates per episode. (Gusto TV)

New English-Language Documentaries and Specials:

AFTER THE STORM – Discovery
Two-part documentary about the storm of the century, exploring the mechanics of the disaster, the impact on those affected, and the mammoth efforts to rebuild stronger and safer. (Great Pacific Media)

ANY OTHER WAY: THE JACKIE SHANE STORY – Crave Original Documentary
This new documentary tells the tale of the extraordinary life and mysterious disappearance of pioneering soul singer and Black Transgender trailblazer, Jackie Shane. Her story is brought vibrantly to life through intimate recorded conversations with Jackie, and follows her family’s journey to discover her legacy, and the voices of those who were inspired by her tenacity to be herself. Executive produced by Elliot Page of Page Boy Productions. (Banger Films, National Film Board of Canada)

AUDIOPHILIA – ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF HI-FI – Crave Original Documentary
From director Ron Mann, AUDIOPHILIA – ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF HI-FI is the story about the love of listening to music on the world’s best stereo equipment. The film profiles the inventors, designers, and major-league audiophiles, engaged in the never-ending quest to find audio nirvana. The film is a deep dive into the subculture of sonic obsessives around the world who seek out esoteric electronics that are often visually stunning, and turn their homes into audio sanctuaries. (Sphinx Productions)

BAM BAM: THE STORY OF SISTER NANCY – Crave Original Documentary *previously announced
BAM BAM: THE STORY OF SISTER NANCY is a feature music documentary that explores the wild story behind how Sister Nancy’s hit song “Bam Bam” became the most sampled reggae vocal of all time. From Nancy’s unprecedented entry into the male-dominated 80s Dancehall scene in Kingston, Jamaica, to her courageous fight to control her music, Sister Nancy’s story is not only one of resilience, but also one of celebration. Ultimately, this is an inspirational music documentary about a woman dusting herself off after being held back by an industry known for silencing female artists, and hell-bent on empowering others with her music, and knowledge to make a difference. Proving to all that good music, no matter what can’t be stopped! Directed by Alison Duke. Produced by OYA Media Group with Ngardy Conteh George and Duke serving as producers. (OYA Media Group)

BUFFY SAINT MARIE: POWER IN THE BLOOD – CTV *previously announced
For more than 50 years, Buffy Sainte-Marie has been a star. Her songs are legendary, her impact undeniable. One of Canada’s most-respected Indigenous leaders, she’s a pioneer of music and activism, and has left an indelible mark on the world. The film tells Buffy’s incredible story through exclusive access, rare archives, insightful interviews, and great music. The 90-min documentary BUFFY SAINT-MARIE: POWER IN THE BLOOD celebrates Buffy’s extraordinary achievements, dispels myths, sets the record straight, and illustrates that in a time of chaos and division, we’ve never needed Buffy more than now. (White Pine Pictures, Eagle Vision)

KINGS OF COKE – Crave Original Documentary *previously announced
People often think about Miami when it comes to cocaine, but Montréal may have been the biggest drug kingdom of them all. By the 70s, Montréal, the infamous party town, was engulfed in mayhem. The city had become known as the bank robbery capital of North America with more heists than New York or Los Angeles. Then, a brazen group of thieves moved into the drug trade, smuggling cocaine on a global scale. This 90-minute, true crime documentary chronicles the path to power of one of Montréal’s most influential and violent gangs, the infamous West End Gang, and the cops and journalists who pursued its three leaders. It’s an unlikely rise and inevitable fall, but more importantly, it’s a largely forgotten and underreported story, even for the most seasoned of true crime fans. KINGS OF COKE is produced by Michael Kronish and directed by Julian Sher, and is set to premiere on Crave later this year. (Connect 3, Urbania Media)

COMING HOME – Crave Original Documentary
COMING HOME is a feature-length documentary by director Erica Daniels taking viewers behind the scenes of the production of the much anticipated Crave Original drama series LITTLE BIRD, and the groundbreaking movement for Indigenous narrative sovereignty as experienced by the series’ creatives, crew and 60’s Scoop advisors. Intimate behind the scenes footage, interviews, and period archive interweave to trace and reveal the ongoing legacy of the 60s scoop and the power of narrative reclamation. (Rezolution Pictures, Logical Mayhem, APTN)

NAKED – Crave Original Documentary *previously announced
A documentary feature film about the gender binary. What is it? How does it manifest itself in our minds and our lives? And how can we go beyond? NAKED follows individuals and communities, experts and artists around the globe who right now, are radically and joyfully redefining gender as we know it. Together, they explore their vision of a future beyond the gender binary. Directed by Stephanie Weimar. Executive Producer is Michael McMahon. Producers are Kevin McMahon and Michael McMahon. (Primitive Entertainment)

RESIDENT ORCA – Crave Original Documentary *previously announced
In the summer of 2018, killer whale Tahlequah makes international news headlines, as she carries her dead calf for more than 17 days and 1,000 miles in an unprecedented show of mourning. Almost 50 years earlier, at the height of the capture era in the Pacific Northwest, four-year-old Lolita is taken in a deadly round-up that separates a mother from her calf, and seals Lolita’s and her wild relatives’ fate. Today, at 56, Lolita is the last remaining Southern Resident Orca in captivity, living in the same concrete tank, thousands of miles from home, where her endangered family struggles to survive. RESIDENT ORCA tells the story of an unlikely partnership between Indigenous elders, a billionaire, journalists, politicians, a whistle-blowing veterinarian, and an ex-Orca catcher as they take on the impossible task of freeing Lolita from captivity and returning her to the Salish Sea to be near her presumed 92 year old mother once again. Meanwhile, a team of scientists led by killer whale godfather, Ken Balcomb, tracks the wild whale’s decline towards extinction asking what it means for us to reconcile the past and fight for a future where we can all survive. Co-directed and executive produced by Simon Schneider and Sarah Sharkey Pearce. (Everyday Films)

ROCK & ROLL REVIVAL (wt) – Crave Original Documentary
ROCK & ROLL REVIVAL (wt) tells the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how against all odds, a history-changing concert came together. This revealing documentary uncovers a series of interesting characters, murky deals, and broken promises, culminating in John Brower, a young struggling promoter, putting his life on the line (literally) in order to achieve his goal. Directed by Ron Chapman and produced by Trish Dolman, Sally Blake, and Ron Chapman. Written by Phyllis Ellis. (Screen Siren Pictures, Chapman Productions, and Films a Cinq)

“SINC”: THE CHRISTINE SINCLAIR STORY – TSN *previously announced
An original documentary that charts the rise of Canada’s greatest soccer player, Christine Sinclair, through both an athletic lens and a tale of humanity, and compassion. (UNINTERRUPTED Canada)

SMOKE & GIFTS – Crave Original Documentary
Filmmaker Stephen Chung pulls back the curtain on the community of musicians and friends of the trailblazing band Broken Social Scene. This stunning POV documentary features never before seen archival footage and pays tribute to the power of indie music and the artists who started out in Toronto bars before rocketing to global fame. (Fathom Film Group)

UNINTERRUPTED Canada: BLACK ICE – TSN *previously announced
UNINTERRUPTED Canada: BLACK ICE explores the journey of Black hockey players from the creation of The Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes to the modern-day NHL, highlighting their often overlooked and marginalized contributions to the game. BLACK ICE elevates these individuals who passionately followed a dream to play a sport that continues to be plagued by racial inequity and their collective aspirations to change a sport’s culture. BLACK ICE is directed by OSCAR® and EMMY®-nominated Hubert Davis and produced by Vinay Virmani. Drake, Adele “Future” Nur, LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Scott Moore are Executive Producers. (UNINTERRUPTED Canada, DreamCrew Entertainment, and The SpringHill Company)

UNINTERRUPTED Canada: CHRIS BOUCHER – TSN
From homeless on the streets of Montréal to NBA Champion, Chris Boucher’s story is one of the great, untold narratives in Canadian sport. (UNINTERRUPTED Canada)

UNINTERRUPTED Canada: THE GRIZZLIE TRUTH – TSN *previously announced
The film explores the mysterious departure of the Vancouver Grizzlies NBA franchise through the eyes of director and superfan Kathleen S. Jayme. Her search, 25 years after the team left, explores the unique and remarkable untold story behind the franchise’s downfall and the impact it had on the community. Much more than a sports story, THE GRIZZLIE TRUTH is a blend of mystery, mixed with a comedy of errors and a true underdog epic that drives Jayme’s search for the truth about what happened to the franchise. (Grizz Films in partnership with UNINTERRUPTED Canada)

UNINTERRUPTED Canada: WICK – TSN *previously announced
WICK is a triumphant, reflective, and inspiring story which provides audiences with an intimate and unfiltered snapshot into the world of Canadian icon Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser. The documentary takes viewers on a tour of Wickenheiser’s life journey: from growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, to teaching women in India and North Korea how to play hockey, to contributing to countless charitable causes and choosing to pursue a medical degree, all the while winning four Olympic hockey golds, seven world championships, and becoming the first female to ever play pro men’s hockey in Europe. (UNINTERRUPTED Canada)

WILFRED BUCK – Crave Original Documentary *previously announced
WILFRED BUCK is a hybrid feature documentary centring on a Cree elder who’s dedicated his life to unearthing and sharing Indigenous star knowledge. Weaving together his harrowing past and his present life with sky stories, this cinematic film explores colonization’s attempts to extinguish Indigenous ways of knowing, the values of interrelationship that shape Indigenous science, and how this worldview paves a healthier path forward for our planet. Directed by Lisa Jackson. Producers are Lisa Jackson, Alicia Smith, and Lauren Grant. Executive producers are David Christensen, Nicholas de Pencier, and Jennifer Baichwal. (Door Number 3 in co-production with the National Film Board)

__________________________________

As mentioned earlier in the confirmed Fall lineup, and hot off its Canadian Screen Award-winning success, CTV‘s TRANSPLANT has been ordered for a third season, with 13 new episodes to come. Stars Hamza Haq and Laurence Leboeuf were there to make an appearance.

CTV Original Comedy Series CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING also will be back for a second season, and Stars Aaron Abrams, Meaghan Rath and Ennis Esmer were here to tell us about it!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: APPLE TV+ ORDER SERIES “SUGAR”

Apple TV+ have announced a new Series Order for SUGAR. The Sci-Fi Series will star Colin Farrell, who also serves as Executive Producer. Creator Mark Protosevich (‘Thor”, “The Cell”) also will be Executive Producer.

Hailing from Apple Studios, the new series is set to be directed by Academy Award-nominee Fernando Meirelles (“City of God,” “Constant Gardner,” “Two Popes”), who will also serve as Executive Producer, and executive produced by Academy and Emmy Award nominee Simon Kinberg (“X-Men” films, “Deadpool” films, “The Martian”), Audrey Chon (“Invasion,” “The Twilight Zone”) and Scott Greenberg (“The Guilty”). Chip Vucelich also executive produces.

“Sugar” marks the second collaboration for Kinberg’s Genre Films and Apple TV+, and will stream alongside the global hit series “Invasion,” which recently received a second season renewal. The series is a moving, character-driven science-fiction drama series, co-created, written and executive produced by Kinberg and David Weil.

More to come.

(Photo credit: Matt Easton)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW STILLS FROM “PAPER GIRLS”

Based on the popular Graphic Novels of the same name, eight episodes of PAPER GIRLS are coming soon to Prime Video! Here’s a first look at the Stills!

Synopsis:

In the early morning hours after Halloween 1988, four paper girls—Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ—are out on their delivery route when they become caught in the crossfire between warring time-travelers, changing the course of their lives forever. Transported into the future, these girls must figure out a way to get back home to the past, a journey that will bring them face-to-face with the grown-up versions of themselves. While reconciling that their futures are far different than their 12-year-old selves imagined, they are being hunted by a militant faction of time-travelers known as the Old Watch, who have outlawed time travel so that they can stay in power. In order to survive, the girls will need to overcome their differences and learn to trust each other, and themselves.

Based on the best-selling graphic novels written by Brian K. Vaughan, Paper Girls is a high-stakes personal journey depicted through the eyes of four girls, played by breakout leads Camryn Jones as Tiffany Quilkin, Riley Lai Nelet as Erin Tieng, Sofia Rosinsky as Mac Coyle, and Fina Strazza as KJ Brandman. Ali Wong also stars as the grown-up version of Erin, with Nate Corddry as Larry, and Adina Porter as Prioress.

PAPER GIRLS arrives July 29, 2022 on Prime Video.

(Photo credit: Prime Video)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK”

A new Trailer has arrived for PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK featuring the voices of Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais and Samuel L. Jackson.

SYNOPSIS:

A hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs! Also starring Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim.

Paramount Pictures Canada release PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK July 15, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF “MORBIUS” ON BLU-RAY™

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a copy of MORBIUS on Blu-ray™!

SYNOPSIS:

One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters comes to the big screen as Oscar® winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil – or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?

BONUS MATERIALS

4K ULTRA HD™, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL
Outtakes & Bloopers

Featurettes:
Defining The Antihero
From Human to Vampire – Visual Effects
Lights, Camera, Action
The Good, Bad & Ugly – Supporting Cast Doing the Stunt Work
Living Vampire from Comics to Screen
Nocturnal Easter Eggs

DVD
Featurettes:
Defining the Antihero
The Good, Bad & Ugly – Supporting Cast Doing the Stunt Work

CAST AND CREW
Directed By: Daniel Espinosa
Written By: Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless
Produced By: Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Lucas Foster
Executive Producers: Jared Leto, Louise Rosner, Emma Ludbrook
Cast: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal and Tyrese Gibson

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK or RT the below!

Enter for a chance to #win a copy of MORBIUS on 4K ULTRA HD!

How: https://t.co/uOBRgtApea pic.twitter.com/Q0Y9P5y6nf

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 8, 2022

Rules and regulations here.

NOTE: Winners will only be messaged directly from this official account. Do not accept messages from third parties advising you that you’ve won and to input your personal information on a link.

MORBIUS is available on 4K ULTRA HD™, BLU-RAY™ and DVD JUNE 14, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada)

#CORUSUPFRONT: CORUS ANNOUNCE NEW FOOD FESTIVAL “GRAZE”

As part of their Upfronts today, Corus have announced that a new Food Festival is coming to Toronto Fall 2023, just outside their studios at Sugar Beach! The immersive culinary experience is here to challenge the way we think about food.

GRAZE represents the definitive showcase for food and drink, bringing together people that share their love of exceptional cuisine, and immersing them in an indulgent experience where they can eat, cook, listen, learn and explore. Featuring local chefs and big names in the food scene, plus activations across music, art, kids, and more, GRAZE offers something for every member of the family.

“GRAZE is the food festival reimagined – offering not only gourmet flavours but innovative experiences, served up in a refined and inspiring setting,” said Dervla Kelly, SVP Marketing & so.da, Corus Entertainment. “What makes this festival unique is it’s all supported by the power of Corus and its marketing megaphone, allowing sponsors to participate in a premium event that connects directly with consumers, and gets attendees up close and personal with our brands.”

Developed by a talented team of event, festival and media experts GRAZE is produced by Corus in partnership with Eatertainment Events & Catering. Judy Merry, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience planning and executing some of North America’s most successful festivals and tradeshows, serves as Executive Producer of GRAZE.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “BLACK BIRD”

Taron Egerton stars in BLACK BIRD, coming soon to Apple TV+. The Series, based on a true story also features the work from a late Ray Liotta.

Synopsis:

“Black Bird” stars Taron Egerton as Jimmy Keene, Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall, Greg Kinnear as Brian Miller, Sepideh Moafi as Lauren McCauley, and Ray Liotta as Jimmy Keene’s father, Big Jim Keene. The series is adapted from the true crime memoir “In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption” by James Keene and Hillel Levin.

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

The first two episodes of BLACKBIRD arrive Friday, July 8, 2022 on Apple TV+, with new episodes to come weekly through August 5, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

#CORUSUPFRONT: CORUS ANNOUNCE UPCOMING 2022/2023 PROGRAMMING LINEUP AT UPFRONTS

The upcoming 2022/2023 programming line-up for the Corus family of networks have been announced and they’re back and bigger than ever with several returning favourites and new programming, both on their networks and available for streaming!

A new streaming service from Corus called PLUTO TV launches in Canada this Fall. It will house 100 unique, curated channels and over 20,000 hours of content, the service will offer a full spectrum of free programming including drama, comedy, lifestyle, kids, movies, around-the-clock news, and more.

Some of the exciting programming you can expect:

GLOBAL

NEW FALL PRIMETIME SERIES

Global’s first new pick-up joining the fall lineup is the much talked about light-hearted drama So Help Me Todd, which stars Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright (Harden), who hires her talented, but scruffy and aimless, son Todd (Astin) as her law firm’s in-house investigator.

Then, in Fire Country, former SEAL Team star Max Thieriot plays Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining an unconventional prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region.

Next up, Monarch is a sweeping, multi-generational music drama about America’s first family of country music starring Academy Award winner Sarandon, multi-Platinum country music star and three-time Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award winner Trace Adkins and Golden Globe nominee Anna Friel, as they stop at nothing to protect their family’s legacy.

In addition, love is in the air on Global this fall with the new reality romance adventure The Real Love Boat, inspired by the classic hit scripted series The Love Boat, which brings singles together to travel the Mediterranean on a luxury cruise ship while looking for love. Destination dates, challenges and surprise singles will test the couples’ compatibility and chemistry as they navigate the romantic (and sometimes turbulent) waters ahead.

Also moving to Global’s comedy lineup this fall, entering its third season, Home Economics stars Topher Grace and takes a look at the heartwarming yet super uncomfortable and sometimes frustrating relationship between three adult siblings: one in the 1%, one middle-class and one barely holding on.

These shows join new seasons of Global’s returning hits like Survivor, CSI: Vegas, 9-1-1, The Equalizer, the NCIS and FBI franchises, Ghosts, Abbott Elementary, the farewell season of New Amsterdam, plus much more.

GLOBAL’S FALL PRIMETIME OFFERING DAY-BY-DAY

MONDAYS
The week kicks off with the return of Global’s winning, action-packed lineup starting with last fall’s #1 drama 9-1-1**, followed by NCIS, now entering its landmark 20^th season, and then the newest in the NCIS franchise, NCIS: Hawai’i,is back for its sophomore season.

TUESDAYS
FBI night returns to Global this fall, kicking off with FBI: Most Wanted followed by Top 20 hits FBI and then the sophomore season of FBI: International**. Then, it’s the fifth and final season of the groundbreaking series New Amsterdam, which promises to be a truly celebratory event as viewers bid farewell to this inspiring hospital drama.

WEDNESDAYS
Canada’s #1 show Survivor** is back for an adventurous 43^rd season, which promises to be filled with more twists and turns than ever before.A full comedy hour follows, starting with the second season of critical darling Abbott Elementary and the hilarious new acquisition Home Economics. Romance caps off the night with new reality show The Real Love Boat – a steamy reimagining of the iconic scripted series.

THURSDAYS
Thursdays on Global this fall feature some of network TV’s biggest shows and gets started with laughs from The Neighborhood followed by the return of last fall’s #1 new comedy Ghosts**.Then, one of the most talked about new shows – the quick-witted dramedy So Help Me Todd – makes its debut. The night concludes with the return of last fall’s most-watched new series CSI: Vegas** on a new day.

FRIDAYS
The work week wraps up on Friday nights and it’s all about action kicking off with the night’s #1 show last season S.W.A.T.** leading into the new standout action series Fire Country, followed by Global’s internationally successful true-crime original Crime Beat – the #2 show in its timeslot last year***.

SATURDAYS
ET Canada Weekend is back for a second season, with host Sangita Patel delivering all the biggest news headlines of the week. Then, 48 Hours lights up Saturdays with more real-life mysteries and intrigue and ends with laughs from Emmy^® Award-winning, and Canada’s #1 late-night show for young adults, Saturday Night Live, returning for an unprecedented 48th season**.

SUNDAYS
Emmy^® Award-winning news magazine 60 Minutes kicks off Sunday nights followed by action-packed The Equalizer, a Top 20 hit among total viewers last season, will be back for a third season on Global** followed by the new country music drama series Monarch. The night finishes with a new season of the hit NCIS: Los Angeles, which was #1 in its timeslot last season**.

RETURNING DAYTIME, LATE NIGHT, SPECIALS AND NEWS SERIES
In addition to Global’s new and returning primetime series, Global welcomes back perennial hits from day to night this fall.

DAYTIME, LATE NIGHT AND SPECIALS
Back this fall to keep audiences entertained and informed all day long, daytime talk show series The Drew Barrymore Show, The Talk, Tamron Hall and Rachael Ray all return to Global.  For the avid soap opera lovers, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless also return, while Global’s late-night offering finishes the day with an all-new season of Canada’s #1 late night talk show The Late Show With Stephen Colbert**.

Also this fall, the 2022 Canadian Country Music Awards presented by TD return to Global, celebrating their 40^th award show and broadcasting live from Calgary on Sunday, September 11 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for more details to come.

NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Global News continues to break through the noise to provide award-winning journalism that Canadians can rely on. From international crises to dependable reporting on the pandemic, and timely local stories, Global News remains committed to serving audiences with fact-based, accurate, and comprehensive news coverage. As always, Canadians can turn to Global News as a trusted source of information on television, radio and online featuringflagship newscast Global National and daily local newscasts from coast to coast. New for this fall, veteran journalist Farah Nasser joins Global National as weekend anchor, with Dawna Friesen continuing to lead the weekday version of Canada’s most-watched evening national newscast. On weekends, Global News dives deeper into big issues and enterprise reporting with the current affairs program The New Reality on Saturdays and the political affairs talk show The West Block on Sundays.

The Morning Show is the most-watched Canadian late-morning TV show in Canada, balancing news and information with fun and entertainment. The show has grown its audience year over year, attracting over 1.2 million viewers a week****, featuring celebrity guests, lifestyle contributors and engaging segments. Hosted by the dynamic pair Jeff McArthur and Carolyn MacKenzie, The Morning Show dives into trending topics Canadians are talking about.

Then, fresh off of four Canadian Screen Awards wins including Best Talk Program or Series, ET Canada returns for an 18th season. ET Canada is the county’s go-to source for Hollywood news, straight from the red carpet at some of the world’s biggest events including the Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Cannes Film Festival. Hosted by Cheryl Hickey, with Sangita Patel, Carlos Bustamante, Keshia Chanté, and Morgan Hoffman, ET Canada continues to bring viewers exclusive interviews and specials, with the biggest celebrities in Hollywood.

CORUS FAMILY OF NETWORKS AND STREAMING

SCRIPTED DRAMA & ADULT COMEDY

As the exclusive home of marquee Peacock Original programming in English Canada, last year saw Top 10 specialty entertainment programs including Dr. Death, Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol****** and Bel-Air* driving massive audiences on linear specialty networks as well as on STACKTV, and this broadcast season will deliver even more new buzzworthy Peacock series backed by the biggest stars. Landing on Corus’ top drama networks, W Network or Showcase, the following must-watch series will also be available to stream live and on demand on STACKTV with full series and long-term stacking rights. More information and network details for these highly-anticipated series will be announced as the broadcast season progresses.

Coming soon to the schedule is Pitch Perfect (wt) starring Adam Devine who reprises his beloved character Bumper Allen from the hit film franchise as he moves to Germany to revive his music career when one of his songs becomes big in Berlin. True crime fans can look forward to the compelling limited drama series, A Friend of the Family,starring Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, Lio Tipton, Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey, and based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” Then, The Resort – from the creators of Palm Springs and Mr. Robot – is a dramedy about a multi-generational exploration of love, marriage, and family vacations, set amidst one of the Mayan Riviera’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries. Also coming soon, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, reunites the film’s original cast including Morris Chestnut, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long and Harold Perrineau nearly 25 years after the film premiered in theatres. Lovers of young adult fiction can sink their teeth into Vampire Academy, based on a series of young adult paranormal romance novels by international bestselling author Richelle Mead, and Saturday Night Live alumni Pete Davidson stars in Bupkis, a heightened, fictionalized version of his real life with Edie Falco playing his mom.

More premium scripted dramas include The Lazarus Project, a riveting, action thriller; Irreverent, a fish out of water crime drama; and The Midwich Cuckoos, a modern reimagining of the classic sci-fi novel led by the incomparable Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley. Upcoming drama series created, directed and co-written by Peter Kominsky, The Undeclared War, set in the world of cyber security and stars Hannah Khalique-Brown, Simon Pegg, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Edward Holcroft, Adrian Lester, Alex Jennings, German Segal, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Hattie Morahan, Ed Stoppard, Kerry Godliman and Mark Rylance; plus, Gemma Arterton stars in Funny Woman, a story of a young woman who finds her voice in the male dominated world of the 1960s sitcom.

Corus’ drama networkswill also see Tom Swift, an enthralling action-adventure mystery starring Tian Richards and Ashleigh Murray and inspired by the Tom Swift book series that hails from Stratemeyer Syndicate, which also publishes the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins books.Also coming this fall is Walker: Independence, a wild-west origin story to CW’s Walker set in the late 1800s, and later this year, DC comics fans can look out for Gotham Knights, a new superhero series featuring a team of mismatched fugitives who must band together to become its next generation of saviors known as the Gotham Knights.

In addition to this newly announced premium content, W Network, a Top 10 specialty network**,invites returning seasons of popular drama series including Season 2 of young adult drama series One of Us Is Lying; the sixth and final season of The Good Fight, Top 20 specialty entertainment program Nancy Drew, Season 2 of Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham which takes place in New Zealand, and Season 7 of Top 10 specialty entertainment program Outlander*.

New seasons of fan-favourite series will also return to Showcase including Season 2 of Top 10 specialty entertainment program Bel-Air*, Season 2 of horror series Chucky, Season 2 of the award-winning, music-infused comedy series We Are Lady Parts, Season 3 of hit DC series Pennyworth, and Season 5 of the critically-acclaimed drama series All American.

Adult Swim, a Top 20 specialty network**, continues to offer the best in original animation and live action programming to its massive loyal fanbase of young adults. Adult Swim fans can look forward to Housing Complex C, which centres around Kimi who lives in a small, low-cost housing complex located in the seaside town of Kurosaki, where trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes and horrific incidents begin to occur. Also coming soon to Adult Swim in Canada are two new animated series Royal Crackers,which follows two brothers who live in their comatose father’s house waiting for him to die (he never does) so they can inherit his cracker company empire; and Uzumaki, a four episode mini-series based on the Shogakukan manga by legendary author Junji Ito. Plus, fans can get excited for an anime spin-off of the Emmy-winning series, Rick and Morty: The Anime,which will also be coming to the network.

New seasons of Rick and Morty, a Top 10 specialty entertainment program********, Harley Quinn, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy and The Eric Andre Show will also return.

HALLMARK CHANNEL ON W NETWORK

Through Corus’ established partnership with Hallmark Channel, W Network continues to bring in significant audiences with its popular seasonal programming events and fulsome offering of heartfelt content which have built a dedicated Canadian fanbase. As Canada’s Christmas Network, the most-watched holiday programming event, Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas, has become an annual tradition in Canadian homes. The highly-anticipated seasonal stunt continues to be a top audience driver, propelling W Network to the #1 specialty station overall with Women 25-54 during the programming event again this year*******.

UNSCRIPTED AND REALITY

Top 10 specialty network,** Food Network Canada is one of the most influential brands in the country, offering an always fresh lineup of premium culinary programming full of fan-favourite faces. This fall, viewers will be treated to new series Bobby and Sophie On the Coast, with Bobby Flay and his daughter Sophie setting off on an incredible food tour across the sunny California coastline. Come fall, Guy’s Ultimate Game Night will see Guy Fieri host Hollywood celebrities and their closest friends and family for an evening of off-the-hook food, drinks and games.

As the exclusive Canadian broadcast home of Magnolia content, Magnolia Network Canada is a collection of inspiring stories with something for everyone in the family. Curated by Chip and Joanna Gaines, featuring some of the most talented makers, artisans, chefs, designers, and entrepreneurs across home and design, food and gardening, the arts, and more. This summer, the brand-new special Silos Baking Competitionwill seetalented home bakers compete for $25,000 and an opportunity to get their winning dessert on the menu at Chip and Joanna’s Silos Baking Co. bakery. Later on, fans of home improvement content can look forward to new series In With the Old, following designers, builders, and old-home enthusiasts with a passion for transforming abandoned structures, and Making Modern with Brooke & Brice, featuring a  married duo who launch a home remodeling business which flips the script on traditional home renovation roles by seeing Brooke as the builder and Brice as the designer. Come next year, new series The Retro Plant Shop with Mikey & Jo follows Mikey McCall, with help from her big sister Joanna Gaines, launching the business of her dreams: a retro-inspired plant shop that blends her passion for gardening with her love of unique, vintage items. Rounding out the schedule, Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines and Restoration Road with Clint Harp both return for new seasons sure to delight viewers.

Top 10 specialty network,** HGTV Canada is a haven for design, renovation, and inspiration, and moves into the fall with brand new programming full of familiar faces and fabulous spaces. New series Christina in the Country will follow Christina Hall, star of mega-hit series Flip or Flop and Christina on the Coast, on her next adventure expanding her design business across the country and putting down roots at her Tennessee farm as a second home. Next year, the network will introduce Farmhouse Fabulous (wt) with Chelsea and Cole DeBoer,formerly known from Teen Mom 2,sharing a look into their new venture launching a full-time renovation and design business in South Dakota. Up next, Good Bones star and designer Mina Starsiak Hawk will take on the biggest renovation challenge of her career in the new spin-off series, Good Bones: Risky Business where she purchases and restores a heritage home to its former glory.

National Geographic, a Top 20 specialty network,** will see the premiere of the much-anticipated new series Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin, from Academy Award®-winning executive producers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The series takes audiences inside the minds of elite adventure athletes through transformative stories of confronting fear, devastating personal loss and Mother Nature at her harshest. Also returning to the schedule are new seasons of fan-favourite series Cesar Milan: Better Human, Better Dog,where Cesar Millan will take on his most challenging cases yet, and Running Wild with Bear Grylls, with the famed survivalist pushing the bodies and minds of A-list celebrities to the limit in order to successfully complete the adventure of a lifetime.

Slice viewers can look forward to a buzzworthy slate of new and returning titles. New series Below Deck Adventure will delight fans of the Below Deck franchise, with the inaugural season set in Norway’s glacial fjords where wealthy thrill-seekers will experience dramatic adventures during their mega-yacht trip of a lifetime. Reality TV lovers can also look forward to the new series Real Girlfriends in Paris, with six bold twenty-something American women packing their bags for the City of Lights where they find each other, encounter a romantic rendezvous or two, and embrace the spontaneity that comes with living in an exciting new city. The third season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, continuing to share the unconventional lives of successful women navigating an exclusive social circle in a city where religion, status and perfection are praised to the highest degree. Winter House also returns for a new season, with some of the most beloved Summer House and Southern Charm cast members and their friends packing their bags and bundling up for another cool winter getaway packed with wild parties, steamy hookups, and so much more.

Exploring stories of human endeavour, achievement and progress through award-winning series and specials, The HISTORY Channel is set to premiere a sensational slate of new content. This summer, fans of Alone can look forward to two brand-new franchise spin-offs with Alone: Frozen and Alone: Skills Challenge. Come fall, new series History’s Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan goes inside the most unbelievable, elaborate real-life heists of all time, and History’s Greatest of All-Time with Peyton Manning will see the former star quarterback countdown the greatest achievers of all-time across categories. More Power features Tim Allen alongside his Home Improvement co-star Richard Karn and DIY expert April Wilkerson, as they task three of the best and brightest makers each episode to create mind-blowing builds for a chance to win $5,000.

KIDS

YTV embraces its role as a leader in all things fun for families as the first dedicated network for kids in Canada. This fall, get ready for hit tween drama series The Next Step as it pirouettes over to YTV for Season 8 and a returning season of Are You Afraid of the Dark?.

Over on TELETOON, hilarious comedy, unexpected surprises and edge-of-your-seat action ensues through best-in-class animation. Coming this fall exclusively to TELETOON, the epic prequel Gremlins: The Secrets of Mogwai from HBO Max unlocks the mystery of how a 10-year-old Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 Gremlins movie) met the young Mogwai called Gizmo.

Treehouse is devoted to children from breakfast to bedtime providing a strong balance of educational, imaginative and entertaining programs in a safe place trusted by parents. This fall, the network welcomes Batwheels, a preschool animated action-adventure comedy series featuring the most heroic and iconic vehicles from the DC universe, and Bugs Bunny Builders, where at ACME Construction Company, Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny manage a crew of builders who by working together as a team, use their tools and wild vehicles to pull off some of the looniest construction jobs ever.

For the newest Disney series and movies, Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD are the go-to networks, providing entertainment for the whole family with exclusive programming airing day and date with the U.S. Coming soon to Disney Junior, families can enjoy a brand new season of Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends.

For more on the Corus family of networks’ 2022/2023 programming line-up. Click here.

#TJFF22: 2022 TORONTO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW

The 2022 Toronto Jewish Film Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and is back in-person and online too! The Festival runs June 9 to June 26, 2022, with many special guests in attendance this year. More here.

Our George Kozera (@PartyG) has had a chance to preview some of this year’s key titles from the Festival including Opening Night Gala PLAN A. Read some of his thoughts and recommendations!

PLAN A

The opening night film of the 30th anniversary of TJFF is the remarkable PLAN A, written and directed by Israeli brothers, Yoav and Doron Paz. Based on a true story, the Movie opens and closes with the question: “What if your whole family was murdered? What would you do?” This thought-provoking query takes the audience on an astonishing journey as to what a group of Holocaust survivors would do.

We first meet Max (played with voracious intensity by August Diehl) return to the home he was forced to leave behind, searching for his wife and young son, only to find a German family living there and claiming it now belongs to them. With a rifle pointed to his head, Max is told “Just because the war is over it doesn’t mean we can’t kill Jews anymore.” At a refugee camp, Max meets Michael (the arresting Michael Aloni) an Israeli officer who alongside other soldiers seek and execute post war Nazi soldiers. At one execution site deep in a dark forest, they meet members of a group calling themselves Nakam, dubbed the “Jewish Avengers”. Led by Abba (Ishai Golan), this crew includes the beautiful Anna (Sylvie Hoeks, so memorable in “Blade Runner 2049”) and they want to do much more than kill Nazis. They plan to poison the water system in Germany, essentially killing six millions Germans…one for every dead Jewish person during the Holocaust.

Despite a somewhat slow Middle Act, PLAN A is a mesmerizing Thriller with astonishing Cinematography and faultless performances. It is powerfully emotional that never really answers the question posed, but it did make me reflect as to what would I do?

JUNE 9, 8:00 PM IN-PERSON HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

ALEGRÍA

Set in the picturesque Spanish town of Melilla, situated on the north coast of Africa where Jews, Christians and Muslims peacefully co-exist, ALEGRÍA showcases issues around faith, family and love from a tantalizing female perspective. Having moved back to Melilla and living in her ancestral home, Alegría eschews any iconography regarding her Jewish upbringing, yet ironically is preparing to host her niece’s upcoming Jewish Orthodox wedding. Alegría is strongly-opinionated, rarely smiles (unless she’s partaking in a joint shared with her Christian BFF) and has a contentious relationship with her daughter living in a kibbutz in Israel, a country Alegría never intends to visit. In sharp contrast, her friend and co-worker Dunia (Sarah Perles), a Muslim, is an effervescent beacon of sunshine and positivity.

In the planning of the wedding, Alegría relives many emotions she kept buried for years, which includes a past relationship with the City’s Rabbi (Leonardo Sbaraglia, sadly under-utilized).

ALEGRÍA is deeply-rooted in its soap opera plots and is at times too dour to fully enjoy, despite strong performances by everyone in the Cast. I just wish the Movie was as exuberant as the Dunia character.

JUNE 12, 2:00 PM IN-PERSON CINEPLEX CINEMAS EMPRESS WALK 2

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

ROCK CAMP

When ROCK CAMP opens with Alice Cooper on-screen saying he’s 68-years-old and is immediately followed by “Rock Stars were harmed in the making of this Film” disclaimer, I just knew I’d be in for a treat!

We quickly learn all we really want to know about David Fishof early in the Movie. He was a Sports Agent, an Entertainment Booker, and the Promoter of The Monkees’ Reunion Tour, followed by Ringo Starr’s All Star Band show (both concerts I had attended, which opened a floodgate of happy memories). It was during the tours with Ringo that Fishof came up with the concept of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, where amateurs can be mentored by Rock legends which would be followed by performing and jamming with them.

ROCK CAMP documents the 23^rd anniversary of the “Camp” being held in Las Vegas and follows four “Campers” living their Rock ‘n’ Roll’ dreams. With interviews from “Counsellors”  that include Roger Daltry (The Who), Nancy Wilson (Heart), the aforementioned Alice Cooper, Lita Ford (The Runaways), Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley (Kiss) and extensive archival footages that include Tommy Lee, Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones) and members from Stone Temple Pilots, Black Sabbath and Mötley Crüe to name just a few, ROCK CAMP is loud, raucous and intoxicating.

I suspect everyone has their own Rock ‘n’ Roll fantasy – mine was to be one of the Back-up Singers standing between Rita Coolidge and Claudia Lennear during Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour. If you do have such dreams or just have memories of the days when Rock flooded the airwaves or get goosebumps when you hear the opening bassline of “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, ROCK CAMP cannot, should not be missed.

JUNE 14, 7:30 PM IN-PERSON HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

LET IT BE MORNING

Unable to leave the small Arabic village in Israel after attending his younger brother’s wedding as the town is in military lockdown, Sami (Alex Bakri) is unable to return to Jerusalem, where a job plus a mistress awaits. LET IT BE MORNING (Israel’s official submission for Academy Award in 2021) is Director Eran Kolirin’s thoughtful exploration of cultural divisions and personal reflections. Whereas not entirely successful as the Director’s breakout hit, “The Band’s Visit” , this Film’s gentle humour is tinged with genuine pathos with an underlining musicality that is admirable.

With the town under siege, cellphone reception blocked then followed by the electricity being shut down, the self-absorbed Sami is forced to reconnect with the family and close friends he left behind, while trying to keep his superiority complex and condescension under wrap. Bakri gives an exemplary, thoughtful performance that is enhanced by the outstanding supporting performances from Juna Suleiman as his wife and Ehab Elias Salami as his sad sack friend. Enhanced by superior Cinematography and the surprising addition of Sia’s “Chandelier” in its Soundtrack, LET IT BE MORNING is an emotional, thought-provoking film that succinctly addresses Israeli-Palestinian tensions with an Arabic sensibility. It is a commendable and strongly recommended achievement.

JUNE 13, 7:30 PM IN-PERSON HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

WET DOG

Inspired by events in the life of Arye Sharuz Shalicar, WET DOG endeavours to bring a new perspective of the Coming-of-Age cinematic landscape. Having recently moved to Wedding, a Berlin suburb, 16-year-old Soheil (who was born in Iran) appears to have an idyllic life with his loving, supportive family. He befriends some guys playing soccer and almost immediately they are all thick as thieves. One day, wearing the Star of David on a chain around his neck that was gifted to him by his grandmother, Soheil is verbally accosted by racist thugs and decides to hide his faith from his newfound “brothers” – a ragtag group mainly consisting of Turks, Kurds and Palestinian. In a rapid string of events, Soheil must ultimately decide where his loyalties lie.

Despite believable and earnest performance from Doguhan Kabadayi as Soheil and Derya Dilber as his girlfriend Selma, this Movie riddled with credibility issues.

Soheil’s transformation from a typical teen to a Graffiti Artist, then a knife-wielding gang member (the “rumble” sequence between the rival factions was so awkwardly-choreographed, like an amateur production of “West Side Story”) made me question if I missed something in the exposition. Whereas the embracing his Jewish faith made sense after he was arrested for assisting in the robbery of a Jewish Shopkeeper, it slowed the pace and diluted the tone of the Film.

My strongest objection towards WET DOG (the title taken from a racist slur) are the not-so-subtle inferences that anti-Semetic actions taking place in present day Germany, are at the hands of Muslims, which is misconstrued. A Movie that explores racism and religious beliefs should practice better what it preaches.

JUNE 15, 7:30 PM IN-PERSON LEAH POSLUNS THEATRE

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

OUR (ALMOST COMPLETELY TRUE) STORY

If, like me, you’re of a generation that remembers the iconic Polaroid commercials on TV starring James Garner and Mariette Hartley where the chemistry between them was so natural that millions believed they were really married, do I have good news for you! Co-written with her real-life husband (Voice Actor Jerry Sroka), Hartley plays herself in OUR (ALMOST COMPLETELY TRUE) STORY, a genuinely enjoyable romp that explores the lives of Actors of a certain age. Job offers are scarce and when one occurs, not only does Hartley have problems remembering her lines, but she must also compete against friends (Morgan Fairchild and Tess Harper playing themselves in a funny, memorable cameo) to young Filmmakers who have no idea who these “old ladies” are. Resigned to live her life content and quietly, she becomes revitalized by the continued flirtatious advances from Sroka.

This Movie captivated me from the get-go. Liberally peppered with cameos from Bernie Kopell, Peter MacNichol, Don Scardino, Mindy Sterling, Peter Onorati and more either playing themselves or fictional characters, it’s a gentle scathing of the current Hollywood scene. It also beautifully evokes a romance between two people that, on paper, shouldn’t work. Mariette Hartley’s signature comedic delivery is on full display to be savoured and her rarely seen dramatic side is an accomplishment. A wonderful Dramedy, OUR (ALMOST COMPLETELY TRUE) STORY is delicious and worthy of indulgence.

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

DECEPTION

Novels by Philip Roth are notoriously different to transfer cinematically. Dialogue that rings beautifully on the page sound hollow when heard on-screen. When was the last time you heard anyone say “I’ve been capricious”? At the center of DECEPTION are two adulterers that meet regularly at their hiding place. Philip (Denis Podalydes) is an American author living in London and Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future, No Time to Die) is his young lover who is trapped in an unhappy marriage. They talk. A lot. They have sex. A lot. Both activities are laborious to watch.

Despite eliciting lovely performances with searing intensity from the two leads, the failure of DECEPTION firmly lies with the choices made by Director Arnaud Desplechin. The tonal shifts, which include bizarre camera shots and angles, are infuriating. There’s a difference between melancholy and miserable and unlikable characters can successfully be adapted to the big screen. I completely lost interest halfway through DECEPTION, sadly.

JUNE 11, 9:15 PM IN-PERSON HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

ROSE

Francoise Fabian (best known for her lead role in the French classic “My Night at Maud’s) plays Rose, recently widowed in her late 70s, who inexplicitly transforms from frumpy to fabulous – much to the chagrin of her three children. While her kids are far from perfect to judge their mother’s newfound exuberance (the devout eldest son is contemplating cheating on his wife, the bitter middle daughter is still in love with her ex-husband, and the youngest son, still living at home, is to be tried for dealing with stolen merchandise), Rose gleefully rediscovers the joy of singing Yiddish folksongs, driving a car as well as having an affair with a significantly younger and handsome bartender. Whereas I enjoyed ROSE due to the nice performances from the Cast that is enhanced with a lively score and enchanting Parisian exteriors, but one has to believe in the premise that someone, steadfastly set in their way, can completely change their life, outlook, and personality after two hits on a joint and a Vodka shot. I had issues buying into it.

JUNE 12, 8:00 PM IN-PERSON CINEPLEX CINEMAS EMPRESS WALK 2

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

A TREE OF LIFE

On October 27, 2018, a white supremacist entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, opened fire and killed eleven people in what was the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The Documentary A TREE OF LIFE not only proficiently examines the effects of this event with interviews from survivors, family members and friends of the deceased and political experts, this movie is even more poignant now due to the recent slaughter of children at a school in Texas. Director Trish Adlesic (Oscar-nominated for “Gasland”) adroitly presents many differing emotional responses and unique perspectives from those interviewed with compassion, intelligence, and fairness. At once, she squarely places much of the blame and the increase of hate-based crimes to a populate that were emboldened by right-wing American Government officials. One scene in this Movie left me thunderstruck, where a synagogue, no longer in use, was transformed into a shop selling guns and assault rifles.

A TREE OF LIFE affected me profoundly. It is emotionally-draining but it is essential viewing.

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

ONE MORE STORY

When a first date (played by Dina Senderson and Guri Alfi) comically derails within the first few minutes, the attractive middle-aged couple decide to start over again by confessing to each other past events they were not particularly proud of. Yarden (Senderson) starts the tale by recounting how she, a Journalist, struck a deal with her boss-slash-lover Amos (Lior Ashkenazi, so memorable in “Walk on Water”) that she will document a series of disastrous first dates in the search for true love by her best friend and “putz” (comic gold performance from Maayan Blum) in return for getting her book published. All goes according to plan until Blum’s character meets and falls madly in with the beautiful but neurotic Maya, putting Yarden’s plan in jeopardy!

ONE MORE STORY takes an original approach to the ubiquitous Rom-Com conventions. It is fast-paced and exuberant with just enough pathos presented without making it maudlin. Whereas Yarden may come across intimidating and genuinely believes that “Love at first sight is film bullsh*t”, Senderson’s immeasurable timing and abilities cannot be faulted nor dismissed. Watching two romantic plotlines simultaneously is inspiring and I challenge anyone not to leave the theatre after watching ONE MORE STORY without an infectious smile.

JUNE 11, 9:15 PM IN-PERSON CINEPLEX CINEMAS EMPRESS WALK 2

JUNE 16 – JUNE 26 ONLINE TJFF VIRTUAL CINEMA

More here including tickets!