#NEWMUSIC: AVRIL LAVIGNE AND LIGHTS RELEASE ALANIS MORISSETTE COVERS FOR “MILE END KICKS”

This week, Canadian music icons Avril Lavigne and LIGHTS released covers from Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, inspired by the film MILE END KICKS. The film follows Grace Channing (played by Barbie Ferreira), an emerging music writer who moves to Montreal to write a book about Morissette’s 1995 era-defining album. Avril Lavigne covered the hit “Ironic,” and LIGHTS put her spin on the single “Right Through You.”

MILE END KICKS had an incredible first week at the Canadian box office, finishing at $230K and marking a strong performance for the independent release. The film is currently projected to reach $450K in its theatrical run in Canada. Top-performing theatres included Cinema du Parc, Cineplex Forum, and ByTowne Cinema. Stateside, where the film was released by Sumerian Records, AMC Empire and AMC Village were the top-performing theatres.

MILE END KICKS is nominated for seven Canadian Screen Awards and is currently playing in theatres across Canada. Director Chandler Levack will appear in person for special Q&A screenings on Monday, April 27, at the Playhouse in Hamilton and Tuesday, April 28, at the Fox Theatre in Toronto. Tickets are on sale now.

Lavigne’s and LIGHTS’ tracks are available on both Apple Music and Spotify; see below for the other artists included in the compilation.

Avril Lavigne – “Ironic”
The Warning – “You Oughta Know (Live at Sirius XM)”
Honey Revenge – “Head Over Feet”
Gore. – “You Learn”
The Haunt – “Forgiven”
LIGHTS – “Right Through You”
Taylor Acorn – “Not The Doctor”
Charlotte Sands – “Mary Jane”
Bailey Spinn – “Wake Up”

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “MILE END KICKS”

tiff50 selection MILE AND KICKS by acclaimed Director Chandler Levack arrives in theatres April 17, 2026, via Elevation Pictures and today we get the official Trailer!

Grace Pine, a 23-year-old music critic from Toronto, moves to Montreal in the summer of 2011 with the goal of writing a 33 1/3 book about Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill. Instead, she falls in love with two guys in the same struggling indie rock band, vowing to become their publicist. “Mile End Kicks” is a film about the Montreal music scene, romantic obsession, and Mile End, a place where young people go to retire.

Directed by: Chandler Levack
Starring: Barbie Ferreira, Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gariépy

#FIRSTLOOK: MIKE MYERS, “MILE END KICKS” AND MORE TO BE HONOURED AT CANADIAN SCREEN WEEK 2026

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (the Canadian Academy) is proud to unveil a selection of 2026 Special Award recipients, presented by the Canadian Screen Awards. This year’s honourees — maxine bailey, Hazel Mae, Mike Myers, and Mile End Kicks — will be celebrated for their enduring impact and momentous achievements during Canadian Screen Week 2026, which takes place in Toronto from Wednesday, May 27 to Sunday, May 31, 2026.

“We are thrilled to honour these exceptional recipients whose creativity, vision, and dedication continue to shape the landscape of Canadian film and television at home and on the global stage,” said Tammy Frick, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “Their remarkable achievements not only inspire the next generation of storytellers but also remind the world of the extraordinary talent and innovation that Canada contributes to the screen arts. We can’t wait to celebrate them during Canadian Screen Week 2026!”

The 2026 Special Award recipients are:

The Changemaker Award honours a Canadian media professional who is actively engaged in advancing equity and inclusion by confronting racism and discrimination, amplifying underrepresented perspectives, and working toward systemic change within the industry. This year’s award is presented to maxine bailey, a dynamic member of Toronto’s arts community who currently serves as Executive Director of the Canadian Film Centre (CFC). Previously, bailey served as the Vice-President of Advancement at TIFF where she founded Share Her Journey, a fundraising commitment to achieving gender parity both on and off screen.

The Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism, presented to a Canadian broadcast journalist for their exceptional body of work in broadcast journalism, is awarded to Hazel Mae. A member of the Sportsnet’s on-air talent team since 2001, Mae has brought extensive television experience and knowledge to the network’s MLB coverage. Currently a member of the Toronto Blue Jays TV broadcast crew as on-field reporter, Mae brings the sights, sounds, and entertaining player interviews alive for viewers.

The Academy Icon Award, presented to a Canadian individual or institution for their exceptional, ongoing contribution to the media industry at home or abroad, is bestowed upon Mike Myers. Myers is one of the most multi­faceted performers of his generation. As an actor, writer, and producer he has brought an astonishing array of memorable characters to life in film and television, including Wayne Campbell, Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, and Shrek. Among his many accolades, Myers has received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

The Sustainable Production Award, presented by CBC, recognizes a Canadian production that has demonstrated leadership, innovation, excellent performance, and commitment to integrating sustainable production practices. This year, the award is presented to Chandler Levack’s Mile End Kicks. For this film, sustainable practice wasn’t just operational, it was embedded in the creative and community impact of the project. Led by Eco Set Manager Mérédith Gonzalez-Bayard, Mile End Kicks modelled what meaningful environmental leadership looks like with on-screen depictions of greener behaviours, local sourcing, and strong engagement with neighbourhood businesses. They achieved measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by choosing nearby locations, eliminating idling, facilitating carpooling and active transit, and even offsetting airfare.

All of this year’s Special Award recipients will be recognized at the award presentations taking place from May 28 to May 31 during Canadian Screen Week 2026. The full listing of award categories distributed by presentation will be released on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 alongside the nominees for the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards.

For more information, visit academy.ca. For the schedule of events, visit CanadianScreenWeek.ca.

About the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest non-profit professional arts organization in Canada with a membership of more than 3,500 emerging and established English and Francophone industry professionals. Founded in 1979, the Canadian Academy is dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and advocating for Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors while remaining committed to nurturing all levels of talent through professional development, networking opportunities, and guidance that contribute to industry growth, inclusion, and mentorship. The Canadian Academy annually produces the Canadian Screen Awards, bringing together the screen-based industries to honour and celebrate the country’s top talent in Canadian film, digital media, and English-language television, as well as the Gémeaux Awards, which recognize the best in French-language television and digital media productions in Canada.

​​The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television proudly acknowledges the support of its Leading Media Partner, CBC; Premier Partner, Telefilm Canada; Platinum Partner, Bell Media; and its Lead Partners, Netflix, the Canada Media Fund, Cineplex, and the Cogeco Fund.

For information on membership and programming visit academy.ca.

#TIFF25: “MILE END KICKS” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

Writer-Director Chandler Levack’s hotly-anticipated second feature takes place in 2011 and follows young female music critic Grace (Barbie Ferreira), who moves to Montreal to figure out life and love. 

After leaving her job at a magazine in Toronto, Grace moves into a shared apartment in Montreal that she found on Craigslist. It’s there that she should devote herself to finishing the next great book in the 33 1/3 album exploration series that she’s already been paid an advance on. Hers will be on the iconic Alanis Morissette opus Jagged Little Pill. However, like many in their early 20s…life gets in the way.

Just like with Lawrence in I Like Movies, Grace makes a lot of bad choices. Levack has a knack for writing endearing leads that make audiences cringe at their poor decisions or indecisions. Here, Grace is a young woman whose focus is on everything and everyone but herself. This leads to Grace blowing her own life up.

This focus on others rather than herself comes from society, but also the career Grace has. There aren’t many films that depict a female critic. Here, Levack shows just how isolating it can be for a young woman. Grace is always on the outside of a circle of men. When she arrives in Montreal, she quickly becomes friends with the band Bone Patrol. Again, she’s the only woman around this band of boys. Ferreira encapsulates the indecision and enclosed rage within a young woman who is simultaneously trying to break the ceiling but at times allowing it to suffocate her.

Even with all of this heavy material, Mile End Kicks is a hilarious romantic-comedy. The semi-love triangle that happens brings nostalgia for the rom-coms we love. Devon Bostick and Stanley Simons are a joy and fully commit to their characters. Bostick as the stoner, sweet guitarist, and Simons as the sleezy, ‘artsy’ lead singer.

At its centre, Mile End Kicks is a story about a young woman learning to respect herself. All of Grace’s poor decisions lead her to respect herself and demand it from others.

Mile End Kicks screens at TIFF:

Thurs. Sept 4 at 8:30 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Tues. Sept 9 at 11:55 AM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sat. Sept 13 at 9:00 AM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

#TIFF: FIRST ROUND OF SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 2025 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TIFF is sharing the first five Special Presentation titles of its Official Selection set to have their World Premieres at the Festival’s 50th edition this September. These are: Alejandro Amenábar’s The Captive, Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers, Sung-hyun Byun’s Good News, Nia DaCosta’s Hedda, and Chandler Levack’s Mile End Kicks. These films hail from Canada, Spain/Italy, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and reflect the bold vision, global perspective, and artistic excellence that have defined TIFF for five decades. The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will take place September 4–14, 2025.

“These first five films of our Official Selection reflect the innovation, heart, and global perspective that have made our Festival a home for great cinema over the past 50 editions,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “We’re excited to kick-off our Special Presentations with Chandler Levack’s Mile End Kicks, a young, Canadian director who has very close ties to TIFF in addition to these established directors. We can’t wait to share more in the weeks ahead as we celebrate this historic year with audiences and filmmakers from around the world.”

More on Elevation Pictures’ MILE END KICKS starring Barbie Ferreira:

Grace Pine, a 23-year-old music critic from Toronto, moves to Montreal in the summer of 2011 with the goal of writing a 33 1/3 book about Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill. Instead, she falls in love with two guys in the same struggling indie rock band, vowing to become their publicist. “Mile End Kicks” is a film about the Montreal music scene, romantic obsession, and Mile End, a place where young people go to retire.

More on HEDDA, from MGM Studios, starring Tessa Thompson (still in banner):

From writer/director Nia DaCosta comes a provocative, modern reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play. HEDDA (Tessa Thompson) finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Over the course of one charged night, long-repressed desires and hidden tensions erupt—pulling her and everyone around her into a spiral of manipulation, passion, and betrayal.

Writer/Director: Nia DaCosta

Based on: Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen

Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Gabrielle Nadig, Nia DaCosta, Tessa Thompson

Cast: Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss

Music by: Hildur Gudnadottir

Costume Designer: Lindsay Pugh

Editor: Jacob Schulsinger

Production Designer: Cara Brower

Director of Photography: Sean Bobbitt, BSC

These Official Selection films join the previously announced Opening Night Film, John Candy: I Like Me. This year’s official screening venues will once again include TIFF Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, Glenn Gould Studio at the Canadian Broadcast Centre, Cinema Park at David Pecaut Square, and the Royal Alexandra Theatre. The seventh edition of the TIFF Tribute Awards Gala will take place on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

In addition to the film screenings, the Festival offers live post-screening Q&As, the In Conversation With… series, the Industry Conference (Sept. 5–9), as well as the popular Festival Street, which returns for opening weekend along King Street West, from Peter Street to University Avenue, with food trucks and free activations — the perfect place just to sit back and people-watch.

On the last day of the Festival, TIFF announces the winners of its various awards. Alongside the popular People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, this September introduces the brand-new International People’s Choice Award. Also returning are the esteemed Jury Prizes including the Platform Award, now celebrating its 10th year, and honours from FIPRESCI and NETPAC. For a full list of past winners, visit tiff.net/awards.

Key 2025 Festival Links:
Programmers: https://tiff.net/programmers
Ticketing Dates: https://tiff.net/about-the-festival
Media Library: https://tiff.net/media/library/festival
TIFF: The Market: https://tiff.net/themarket (coming in 2026)

Film Details (in alphabetical order):

The Captive | Alejandro Amenábar | Spain / Italy
World Premiere | Special Presentation

The Christophers | Steven Soderbergh | UK
World Premiere | Special Presentation

Good News | Sung-hyun Byun | South Korea
World Premiere | Special Presentation

Hedda | Nia DaCosta | USA
World Premiere | Special Presentation

Mile End Kicks | Chandler Levack | Canada
World Premiere | Special Presentation

The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025. More Festival details will be shared in the coming weeks including the return of TIFF Takeovers.