12th Annual "Planet In Focus Environmental Film Festival"

The 12th Annual Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival (PIF), running October 12–16 in Toronto with galas, film screenings and workshops, presented an early morning media conference at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) September 22, 2011, announcing this year's Opening Night Gala will be "Revenge Of The Electric Car', narrated by Tim Robbins :

"...in 'Revenge Of The Electric Car", director Chris Paine ("Who Killed the Electric Car?") gets extraordinary access behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars..."

The Closing Night Gala will be "The Whale", narrated by Ryan Reynolds :

"...'The Whale', executive produced by Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johannson, produced and shot by Suzanne Chisolm, tells the true story of 'Luna', a baby orca who gets separated from his family and starts to make friends with humans on the rugged West Coast of Vancouver Island..."

"I am delighted to have these two powerful films bookend our festival," said Sarah Margolius, Executive Director of Planet in Focus. "They embody the often contradictory forces at play in debates about the state of our planet."

This year, Planet in Focus will spotlight contemporary film/videomakers, "redefining changing perceptions of landscape", including "The Polar Explorer" from Mark Terry, who will be awarded the 'Gemini Humanitarian Award' for his work on climate change, exploring the Arctic and Antarctic and uncovering new life on previously inaccessible areas of ocean seabeds.

In addition to public screenings, PIF will offer two days of panels, workshops and pitch sessions devoted to film production, distribution and funding, with 'The Green Pitch', a funding program offered to Canadian filmmakers, taking place during the 'Industry Series'. This competition offers participants the opportunity to test their 'green story' ideas in front of a jury of creative professionals. Finalists will gain feedback as they pitch to win $5,000 in development funding plus valuable in-kind services.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Planet In Focus"...

Toronto Urban Film Festival Winners

Sneak Peek attended the 5th annual Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF) Awards September 18, 2011 @ Toronto's The Drake Hotel on Queen Street West.

TUFF runs annually on the Onestop network of digital platform screens located in subway stations across the Toronto Transit System, with the festival bringing silent, 1-minute films to a daily audience of over 1 million commuters.

This year’s prizes included over $20,000 in cash and in-kind products/services from the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, Earth Day Canada, Planet in Focus, Rattail Films, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Sony Creative Software, STASH Magazine, Toon Boom Animation, Toronto Film Scene, Videoscope, Witz Education and Women in Film & Television Toronto.

Top awards selected by guest judge Atom Egoyan were presented to Jackie English for her film "Nimby", Sam Lalonde for "Whelm" and Che Kothari for "Flip Hop: che kothari x elicser x skam".

A cash prize of $2,500 went to Richard B. Pierre, recipient of this year's Naish McHugh Award for Emerging Toronto Filmmakers, for "Fresh Start", presented by Michael Thompson, Chair of the Economic Development Committee of The City of Toronto.

Honorable mentions went to Alison Davis for the animation "Courtship" and Su Tomesen for the split-screen video "Dwelling". Other winners, chosen by jury members Angie Driscoll (CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival) and Guillermina Buzio (Planet in Focus), included :

* Best Animation - "Mirroring Reality" by Martynas Genkovas
* Honorable Mention for Animation - "Cutters' by Ahmet Serif Yildirim
* Best Canadian Environmental Film - "Relics" by Chris Juraschka
* Most Ambitious Film by a Local Female Director - "Woodland' by Claire Bennett
* Toronto Lens Award - "Little White Corvette" by Shane Azam and Alex Bowron
* Poetic Toronto Award - "In These Streets" by Lila Karim and Michael Barry
* Jury Prize for Documentary - "Shoeshop" by Mai Phuong Pham and Ha Thanh Phung
* Jury Prize for Narrative - "What if..." by Autumn Schrock
* Jury Prize for Experimental Film - "Amoré' by Juli Saragosa

The Best Local Film Award was given to Terry O’Neill and Tara Cooper for "Haircut".

The most popular film of the festival, as determined by online votes, was "In Bubble Trouble", directed by Iain Lew Kee.

"Being around this much talent is inspiring," said TUFF Executive Director, Sharon Switzer. "I love being able to celebrate our 1-minute filmmakers".

Films can be viewed online throughout the year at torontourbanfilmfestival.com

TUFF is co-produced by Art for Commuters and Onestop Media Group, and funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

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TIFF 2011 Award Winners

Director Nadine Labaki's comedy "Where Do We Go Now?" has won the Cadillac People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Premise of the film follows a group of women in Lebanon who use a variety of schemes to distract their men from tensions that threaten their community.

Runners-up include "Starbuck" and "A Separation".

Audience award winners in the Documentary and Midnight Madness categories are "The Raid" and "The Island President".

The People’s Choice Award is the chief award handed out at TIFF, which does not convene a jury to vote the way the Cannes and Venice film festivals do.

A small jury awarded cash prizes for Canadian films including $30,000 for Best Canadian Feature Film, "Monsieur Lazare", $15,000 for Best Canadian First Feature Film, "Edwin Boyd" and $10,000 for Best Canadian Short Film, "Doubles With Slight Pepper".

And the winners are :

People’s Choice Award: "Where Do We Go Now?," Nadine Labaki
Runners-up: "A Separation," Asghar Farhadi, and "Starbuck," Ken Scott

People’s Choice Award for Documentary: "The Island President," Jon Shenk
Runners-up: "Pearl Jam Twenty," Cameron Crowe, and "First Position," Bess Kargman

People’s Choice Award for Midnight Madness: "The Raid," Gareth Evans
Runners-up: "You're Next," Adam Wingard, and "God Bless America," Bobcat Goldthwait

FIPRESCI Prize for the Discovery Section: "Avalon," Axel Petersen
FIPRESCI Prize for the Special Presentations Section: "The First Man," Gianna Amelio
Best Canadian Feature Film: "Monsieur Lazare," Philippe Falardeau
Best Canadian First Feature Film: "Edwin Boyd," Nathan Morlando
Best Canadian Short Film: "Doubles with Slight Pepper," Ian Harnarine

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Significant Sales @ TIFF 2011

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) reports that 'significant sales' have been negotiated during this year's Festival.

Film sales confirmed to date include "Beauty", "Beloved", "Elles", "Free Men", "Generation P", "God Bless America", "Goon", "Hysteria", "The Hunter", "Into the Abyss", "Killer Joe", "Last Days in Jerusalem", "Life Without Principle", "Your Sister’s Sister", "Sarah Palin –You Betcha!", "Shame", "Terraferma", "The Awakening", "The Incident", "The Lady", "The Raid", "This is not a Film", "Wuthering Heights" and "You’re Next".

Nearly 4,000 industry delegates attended TIFF this year – a 20% growth over 2010 – and worked closely with the Festival’s Sales & Industry Office, which facilitates information sharing and fosters relationships between accredited buyers, sales agents, producers and filmmakers.

The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival runs until September 18, ending with a noon-time Awards Reception.

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"Limelight": A Coke And Dagger Story- September 23, 2011

Sneak Peek a new poster supporting the documentary "Limelight", directed by Billy Corben.

Opening in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, September 23, 2011, from Video Services Corp. (VSC), "Limelight", is the 'coke-and-dagger' feature, documenting the rise and fall of New York's greatest nightclub empire, founded by Canadian-born Peter Gatien:

"...As the owner of legendary drugs and sex dance hotspots like 'Limelight', 'Tunnel', 'Palladium' and 'Club USA', Peter Gatien was the undisputed king of the 1980's New York City club scene.

"The eye-patch-sporting Ontario native built and oversaw a Manhattan empire that counted tens of thousands of patrons per night in its peak years, acting as a conduit for a culture that, for many, defined the image of an era in New York. Then years of legal battles and police pressure spearheaded by New York Mayor Giuliani’s determined crackdown on nightlife in the mid-’90s led to Gatien’s eventual deportation to Canada, and the shuttering of his glitzy kingdom..."

"Limelight", acquired by VSC from Magnolia Pictures, opens in Canada September 23, 2011, day and date with the US release.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Limelight"...

CFC Annual BBQ Celebrating Filmmaking Talent @ TIFF

Sneak Peek attended the 2011 "CFC Annual BBQ Celebrating Filmmaking Talent at TIFF", hosted by CFC founder, director/producer Norman Jewison, @ the Canadian Film Centre, 2489 Bayview Avenue in Toronto.

Since 1988 the event has provided a relaxing environment for visiting Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Canadian and international industry professionals to network and make deals.

While it has grown to achieve a high level of awareness in the film and entertainment industries, the BBQ event is also one of the CFC’s most important fundraising initiatives.

In addition to delicious food and drink served up in the glorious sunshine, this year's VIP gathering enjoyed a special live performance by MMVA Award-winning band "The Midway State", on the grounds of the 25 acre Wingfields Estate, former home of businessman E.P. Taylor, now preserved as a heritage site :

"...The CFC Annual BBQ is one of CFC’s most significant fundraising initiatives. All proceeds from the BBQ directly help fund CFC’s highly respected training programs in film, television and new media.

"Through the generosity of our donors, CFC will continue to help Canada ’s storytellers touch the world and inspire the talent of tomorrow..."

A special thank you to CFC sponsors Shaw Media, A&E, Miele, Shaftesbury, Epitome Pictures, Temple Street Productions, MacLaren McCann, Corus Entertainment, Panasonic and The Spoke Club.

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AMC Runs With "The Walking Dead"- October 16, 2011

Sneak Peek some new 'zombie' photos from the Season 2 opening episode of the AMC, Image Comics adaptation, "The Walking Dead", premiering October 16, 2011.

AMC renewed "The Walking Dead" for the second season's additional 13 episodes, after airing for only 2 weeks into the first season, averaging 3.5 million viewers, 18-49, per episode.

Developed during the first season by director Frank Darabont, based on the horror comic books created by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore, "The Walking Dead" debuted on AMC, October 31, 2010 with a 90-minute episode airing during the network's "Fearfest".

The series follows the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse as a small group of survivors, travel across a desolate America in search of a new home away from the shuffling hordes of the undead 'walkers'.

The group is led by 'Rick Grimes', who was a sheriff's deputy in a small Georgia town before the zombie outbreak. As their situation grows more hazardous, the group's desperation to survive pushes them to the brink of insanity.

At every turn they are faced with the unbearable horrors that come from having the dead walk again, the changing dynamic of their group, as well as facing hostility from the scattered remains of a struggling human populace who are focused on their own survival, now that the structures of society have collapsed.

Season two will feature Grimes' group of survivors leaving Atlanta for the countryside, including the 'Greene' family farm, a setting in the comic book series.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Walking Dead", and the "Toronto Zombie Walk" with the song "Zombie Rock" by Michael Stevens/Paul Puzzella...

Syfy Renews Toronto's "Alphas"

Syfy report they have renewed their Toronto-lensed "X-Men"-like TV drama "Alphas" for a second season, ordering up 13 more episodes.

"'Alphas' smart, innovative approach to a superhero franchise has clearly caught on with our audience," said Mark Stern, Syfy’s president of original content.

"From the first-rate writing to the outstanding cast lead by (Oscar nominee) David Strathairn ('Good Night, and Good Luck'), we’re very proud of what was achieved in its first season and look forward to seeing this series fulfill even more of its creative potential in a second season."

"...five people discover they have superhuman abilities, which they use to maintain justice. They are called 'Alphas'. They discover that they are not alone, and that the other individuals with those abilities aren't going to use them for good..."

Averaging 3.3 million weekly viewers, Season 1 guest stars included genre faves Lindsay Wagner ("The Bionic Woman"), Alaina Huffman ("Stargate Universe"), John Pyper-Ferguson ("Battlestar Galactica"), Summer Glau ("Firefly"), Garret Dillahunt ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"), Rebecca Mader ("Lost') and Brent Spiner ("Star Trek: The Next Generation").

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Alphas"...

Toronto Start For "Pacific Rim" - October 31, 2011

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro's currently prepping, PG-rated, 'mecha monster' movie "Pacific Rim", is set to film @ Pinewood Toronto Studios for a six-month shoot, October 31, 2011 to April 2012.

Del Toro said "Pacific Rim" involves giant monsters traveling through a vortex to attack major cities.

"This is my most un-modest film, " said del Toro. " The scale is enormous and I'm just a big kid having fun."

Actors Charlie Hunnam ("Sons of Anarachy"), Idris Elba ("Thor") and Willem Dafoe ("Platoon") have been cast, under the film's working title "Still Seas".

The hostile ET's come from the parallel world 'The Anteverse', that try to destroy humanity by first attacking cities and nations neighboring the Pacific Ocean. But the creatures are thwarted in their attempts by Earth-made, high-tech, weapons-ready robots, with Hunnam playing the role of 'Raleigh Antrobus', who 'pilots' one of the advanced 'machines' called 'Jaegers'.

Legendary Pictures purchased the screenplay for "Pacific Rim" in a pre-emptive buy from screenwriter Travis Beacham ("Clash Of The Titans").

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"Alice Blue": The Vampires Of Advertising - August 31

The 2009 Canadian feature "The Death Of Alice Blue" will have a special screening, Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 7 - 8:30pm @ Projection Booth, 1035 Gerrard St East, Toronto.

Director, screenwriter Park Bench and producer, lead actress Alex Appel will be in attendance for a Q&A with the audience after the screening :

"...shy 'Alice Blue' is the new creative intern at 'Raven Advertising'. Unfortunately for her the place is run by vampires. A group of eccentrics enlist her aid in thwarting their nefarious schemes but there's a complication.

"There's the possibility that she herself may be genetically predisposed to being the greatest vampire ever. As the only one who can save the dying breed, Alice is forced to confront herself and make a stand, whatever the outcome..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Death Of Alice Blue"...