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

Sneak Peek new 'zombie' photos from the Season 2 opening episode of AMC's Image Comics adaptation, "The Walking Dead", debuting 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 2010 "Toronto Zombie Walk", featuring the theme-song "Zombie Rock"...

Billy Corben's "Limelight" -September 23, 2011

Video Services Corp. (VSC) presents "Limelight", the 'coke-and-dagger' film from director Billy Corben ("Cocaine Cowboys"), 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"...

Syfy Locks Up Toronto's "Warehouse 13"

Syfy has now closed a deal to renew the Toronto-lensed sci fi TV series "Warehouse 13" for a fourth season, with a new 13-episode pickup.

Debuting July 7, 2009 on Syfy, "Warehouse" is executive produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins:

"...US Secret Service Agents 'Myka Bering' (Joanne Kelly), 'Peter Lattimer' (Eddie McClintock), and ATF agent 'Steve Jinks' (Aaron Ashmore) are assigned to the government's secret 'Warehouse 13', housing supernatural 'artifacts', located in a barren landscape in South Dakota.

"Although they initially regarded their assignment as punishment, the government team diligently do their job retrieving missing Warehouse 13 artifacts, eventually appreciating the importance of their assignments..."

According to the series, 'Warehouse 13' was established in 1914, designed by Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and M. C. Escher. Artifacts are items in some way connected to some historical or mythological figure, with each one imbued with something of their creator or user, including author Lewis Carroll's 'looking glass' that is a portal to another dimension.

The artifacts react with electricity and can be neutralized only by a mysterious purple substance, used by the team once the items have been retrieved.

Regular cast also includes Saul Rubinek, Genelle Williams, Allison Scagliotti and CCH Pounder.

"Warehouse 13 : The Unknown Has An Address..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Warehouse 13"...

Toronto Start For The "Transporter"

Filming has now started in Toronto on the new 12-part action series "Transporter", starring Chris Vance ("Prison Break") and Andrea Osvart ("Duplicity") . Shooting through to November 2011, the series will debut on the cable channel Cinemax in 2012.

Executive producers are Luc Besson, Fred Fuchs, Robert Cooper, Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie and Alexander Ruemelin. Producers are Susan Murdoch (QVF Inc.) and Klaus Zimmermann (Atlantique Productions) :

"...Based on the successful film franchise of the same name created by Europacorp's Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, this fast-paced series follows the adventures of professional transporter 'Frank Martin', who can always be counted on to get the job done - discreetly.

"Operating in a seedy underworld of dangerous criminals and desperate players, Martin's three rules are: Never change the deal, no names, and never open the package. But occasionally, complications arise and rules get broken..."

Andrea Osvart ("Duplicity") co-stars as Martin's trusted handler 'Carla' and Francois Berléand reprises his role of 'Inspector Tarconi' from the films. Cast also includes Delphine Chanéac ("Splice") in the recurring role of 'Juliette', a reporter who seems to know a lot about Frank's work, and Rachel Skarsten ("Birds of Prey") as 'Delia', the daughter of someone from Frank's past.

Stephen Williams, a director and co-executive producer of "Lost," is directing the first episode.

"Transporter" is a France/Canada international treaty co-production produced by Atlantique Productions and QVF Inc. in association with broadcast partners HBO/Cinemax as well as The Movie Network and Movie Central (Canada), M6 (France) and RTL (Germany ).

Click the images to enlarge...

"Dark Knight" Director Donates To Canadian Film Centre

The Toronto-based Canadian Film Centre will receive a $100,000 charitable donation from WIND Mobile after Academy-Award nominee Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight") named CFC the charity of his choice as part of his participation in the WIND Mobile competition, "The Best Conversation Ever" :

"...WIND Mobile has launched a new competition, called 'Best Conversation Ever', that will give five lucky Canadians the chance to actually have the conversation of their dreams. Winners will each receive a private conversation with the personality of their choice and to help make those conversations happen WIND Mobile will donate more than half a million dollars to Canadian charities..."

"We are deeply grateful to Christopher Nolan and WIND Mobile for their generous donation and recognition of the CFC as one of Canada's leading institutions for fostering emerging talent," said Slawko Klymkiw, executive director, Canadian Film Centre.

Click the images to enlarge...

TIFF 2011 Canadian Press Conference

Sneak Peek attended the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival Canadian Press Conference @ Toronto's Fairmont Royal York, 100 Front Street West, August 9, 2011.

This year, the 36th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), runs for 10 days, from September 8 - 18, 2011.

TIFF organizers provided a celebratory mood for the early afternoon media crowd, with food stations and pastries, complimented by an open bar serving chilled Stella Artois beer and Skyy Vodka.

TIFF 2011 promises a strong lineup of Canadian features including new works by Canadian filmmakers Carl Bessai, Mike Clattenburg, Michael Dowse, Philippe Falardeau, Guy Maddin, Bruce McDonald, Léa Pool, Jean-Marc Vallée and Ingrid Veninger.

"This year saw many Canadian filmmakers address a wide range of pressing social issues," said Steve Gravestock, Associate Director, Canadian Programming, TIFF.

"These include the dangers of progress, the possibility of privacy and identity in a hi-tech increasingly alienated world, teenage gambling, the difficulties of maintaining a traditional rural life, life during and after wartime, lovelorn gangsters and, of course, vampires in an all-girls school."

GALAS

"Starbuck" Ken Scott, Canada
North American Premiere

(Previously announced Canadian Galas include David Cronenberg’s "A Dangerous Method" and Sarah Polley’s "Take This Waltz".)

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

"Afghan Luke" Mike Clattenburg, Canada
North American Premiere

"Breakaway" Robert Lieberman, Canada
World Premiere

"Café de Flore" Jean-Marc Vallée
North American Premiere

"Edwin Boyd" Nathan Morlando, Canada

World Premiere

"Goon" Michael Dowse, Canada
World Premiere

"Keyhole" Guy Maddin, Canada
World Premiere

"Monsieur Lazhar" Philippe Falardeau, Canada
North American Premiere

"The Moth Diaries" Mary Harron, Canada/Ireland
North American Premiere

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA

"388 Arletta Avenue" Randall Cole, Canada
World Premiere

"Billy Bishop Goes to War" Barbara Willis-Sweete, Canada
World Premiere

"I'm Yours" Leonard Farlinger, Canada
World Premiere

"Sisters & Brothers" Carl Bessai, Canada
World Premiere

MASTERS

"Hard Core Logo II" Bruce McDonald, Canada
Toronto Premiere

REAL TO REEL

"Pink Ribbons, Inc" Léa Pool, Canada
World Premiere

"Surviving Progress" Mathieu Roy and Harold Crooks, Canada
World Premiere

VANGUARD

'Doppelgänger Paul" Dylan Akio Smith and Kris Elgstrand, Canada
World Premiere

"i am a good person/ i am a bad person" Ingrid Veninger, Canada
World Premiere

CANADIAN OPEN VAULT

"Hard Core Logo" Bruce McDonald, Canada

Click the images to enlarge...