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The Gringo Hunters is a Spanish and English action crime thriller drama series. Based on an article by Kevin Sieff in The Washington Post, the Netflix series revolves around a group of Mexican police officers working for an elite unit to catch criminals who have fled from the United States to Mexico. The Gringo Hunters stars Manuel Masalva, Hector Kotsifakis, Andrew Leland Rogers, Sebastian Roché, Jessica Lindsey, Clayton Conroy, Dean Simone, and Dale Carley. So, if you loved the police procedural element, heart-pumping action, and entertaining characters in The Gringo Hunters, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

FBI Credit – CBS

FBI is a police procedural action crime drama series co-created by Dick Wolf and Craig Turk. The CBS series is set in New York City, and it follows FBI Special Agents Maggie Bell and...

Joey King started out her career as a child star, but she has outgrown that label and has proved time and time again that she is one of the most versatile young actors in Hollywood. Whether giving us heartfelt performances in heartbreaking dramas, bringing more intensity to action films, or being a more charming personality in rom-coms, King has built a filmography that is both diverse and impressive.

You might know her from The Kissing Booth series, but there is so much more to her career than just teen romance. From blockbuster hits to indie gems, she has shown both her emotional and funny sides, captivating the audience.

So, if you think you’ve already seen everything she has to offer after watching a few teen romances, then get ready for a fresh perspective on an actress who continues to surprise viewers each time she takes on a new role.

A summer love, picturesque woodland setting and a dark secret makes The Burning Season a film with oodles of intrigue that keeps you wondering.

The familiar team of director Sean Garrity and Jonas Chernick return to the Glasgow Film Festival yet again but this time with something distinctly different to last year’s The End of Sex.

Of course, sex is indeed on the cards in this story where we are introduced to Jb (Jonas Chernick) and Alena (Sara Canning) who begin an illicit affair and rekindle a summer love at the same cabin retreat where they met as teenagers.

In that summer they met it would prove to be pivotal as they now share a secret that binds them.

Chernick stars and also takes on script duties with Diana Frances in a tense drama that from the beginning makes its mark in its unusual way of telling the story backwards.

The Burning Season

From their very first days, the movies have always been in love with love. Intense, passionate, obsessive love most of all – and often with little concern for what that means for supporting characters whose lives are left in disarray thanks to the central couple. The Burning Season – directed by Sean Garrity, written by Jonas Chernick and Diana Frances, starring Jonas himself opposite Sara Canning – takes a rather different approach. opening at a wedding and unfolding backwards in time, it explores a connection which both Jonas and Sara’s characters find damaging and try to resist.

Although we need to take care to avoid spoilers, there’s lots to explore here. Nonetheless, when I caught up with the team as preparations were underway for the film to screen at the Glasgow Film Festival, I couldn’t help but begin by wondering out loud why Jonas, whom I last.

A story of mystery, love and trauma is at the heart of The Burning Season in a film told in an unusual way.

With Sean Garrity directing and Jonas Chernick starring but also on writing duties with Diana Frances, the team bring another film for its UK premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival.

This story sees Chernick star alongside Sara Canning who become embroiled in an illicit affair each summer at a cabin retreat. The pair burden the trauma of a secret from their past that forever binds them together.

We have a chat with Jonas, Sara and Sean to talk all things summer love, the setting of the incredible Canadian wilderness and more!

You can watch the full interview below:

The Burning Season screens at Glasgow Film Festival on March 3rd followed by a Q&a session with Jonas, Sara & Sean – tickets available here

The post Jonas Chernick, Sara...

A married couple’s attempts to kickstart their sex life are unfunny and unconvincing, and will leave you groaning in despair

This film may leave you moaning in despair, groaning in agony, screaming in irritation at the sheer embarrassing awfulness of entire scenes. It’s a comedy directed by Sean Garrity about a married couple who decide to kickstart their nonexistent sex life after packing their kids off to camp. A smarter, sharper film might have explored what happens next in an otherwise happy marriage when the spark goes out. Instead, the comedy here is as broad as it gets, with some wildly unconvincing and unhilarious set-pieces.

Emma (Emily Hampshire) is an art teacher who is married to her childhood sweetheart Josh (Jonas Chernick). Ten years of raising small kids has killed off their sex life. In one of the film’s few decent jokes Josh compares his feelings about...

Focus Features’ Sundance-premiering Polite Society opens on 927 screens, the feature debut of writer/director Nida Manzoor, creator of We Are Lady Parts, the Peacock comedy about the eponymous British punk rock band.

This comedic mash-up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, where martial artist-in-training Ria Khan tryies to save her older sister from an impending marriage, is 91% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Deadline review here.

It’s joined by a handful of other specialty titles with theatrical debuts ranging from 900 screens to one, following a week where specialty and independent film was showered with kind words at CinemaCon, the annual exhibitor conference. Focus chair Peter Kujawksi called the specialty audience passionate and the market a launching pad for exceptional talent and “unique and elevated stories.” No disagreement there. He also said the specialty business has “recovered better and faster’’ out of Covid than the overall box office. Indie...

Screen Rant is thrilled to present a new clip from upcoming film The End of Sex. The comedy centers on a couple who attempt to save their romantic life through a series of unique new experiences. The End of Sex stars Emily Hampshire of Schitt's Creek and James Vs. His Future Self's Jonas Chernick as the lead spouses, alongside actors like Sort Of's Gray Powell and Letterkenny's Lily Gao.

Hampshire and Chernick play Emma and Josh, childhood sweethearts who met and camp and eventually married. After their children leave for a week-long trip, the two decide to sleep together as much as possible, but quickly realize much of their physical chemistry has fizzled out since having kids. In an attempt to remedy this and save their marriage, Josh and Emma try to have as many new experiences as possible to reinvigorate their romantic life.

Related: Why Rom-Coms Died In...

"When we have a problem, we fix it – calmly!" Blue Fox Entertainment has revealed an official trailer for a sex comedy called The End of Sex, a movie for all those parents who feel like they're in their own "end of sex" times after they have kids. So try some kinky things maybe? This premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival last year, as it's a Canadian feature, and it will open in both Canada and in the US in late April. The End of Sex tells the story of a married couple who are feeling the pressures of parenting and adulthood. After they send their young kids to camp for the first time, they decide to embark on a series of comic sexual adventures to rediscover the joy of sex again and reinvigorate their relationship. The indie film stars Emily Hampshire and Jonas Chernick, along with Gray Powell, Lily Gao,...

Exclusive: Blue Fox Entertainment has picked up U.S. rights to the romantic comedy The End of Sex, starring Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) and Jonas Chernick (James vs. His Future Self), from Vortex Media. The film directed by Sean Garrity will be released in theaters nationwide in April, hitting theaters across Canada via Vortex at the same time.

World premiering at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, The End of Sex tells the story of a married couple (Hampshire and Chernick) who are feeling the pressures of parenting and adulthood. After they send their young kids to camp for the first time, they embark on a series of comic sexual adventures to reinvigorate their relationship.

Related Story Matt Smukler Dramedy ‘Wildflower’ With Kiernan Shipka, Jean Smart, Alexandra Daddario & Others Acquired By Momentum Pictures Related Story 'Appendage': First-Look Images Of Anna Zlokovic's SXSW-Bound Horror Comedy Starring Hadley Robinson & Emily Hampshire Related...

Co-directors Allan Hunter and Allison Gardner getting ready for Gff 2023 Photo: Eoin Carey

The full line-up for the 19th edition of the Glasgow Film Festival was announced today. The event, which centres on the Glasgow Film Festival, will open with Adura Onashile's Girl, which was shot in the city, and close with the UK première of Nida Manzoor’s Polite Society.

Highlights of the programme include Mia Hansen-Løve's rich tale of love and responsibility One Fine Morning, Carol Morley’s fantastical road movie Typist Artist Pirate King, Jonas Chernick and Emily Hampshire romcom The End Of Sex, and Mickey Reece's deep dive into the psychology of music-making, Country Gold.

The ever-popular Frightfest strand, which attracts fans from all around the world, was announced last week. It opens with Quentin Dupieux's unlikely superhero story Smoking Causes Coughing.

This will be the last Glasgow Film Festival for co-director Allan Hunter,...

Exclusive: Blue Finch Films has boarded international sales rights (excluding North America) to the Toronto Film Festival selection The End of Sex ahead of the American Film Market.

Starring Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) and Jonas Chernick (Ashgrove), the film follows Emma and Josh, whose kids are away at camp. With the house empty for a week, the couple embark on a series of sexual adventures to recapture the magic of their now-too-comfortable relationship.

The film was directed by Sean Garrity who is re-teaming with his My Awkward Sexual Adventure collaborators Chernick and Hampshire.

Justin Rebelo, CEO of Vortex Media, serves as producer alongside Sally Karam, and Christopher Giroux, with Jesse Ikeman and Bill Marks executive producers for Vortex Media. On behalf of Brainstorm Media, Michelle Shwarzstein and Alex Peters act as executive producers. Stars Hampshire and Chernick also executive produce.

‘We’re thrilled with the reception at TIFF of The End of Sex,...

The End of Sex TIFF Contemporary World Cinema Section Reviewed for Shockya.com by Abe Friedtanzer Director: Sean Garrity Writer: Jonas Chernick Cast: Emily Hampshire, Jonas Chernick, Gray Powell, Lily Gao, Melanie Scrofano Screened at: Critics’ link, CA, 9/1/22 Opens: September 10th, 2022 (Toronto International Film Festival) There’s so much more to a relationship than sex, […]

The post TIFF 2022: The End of Sex Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Are you getting enough sex? Is it the right kind of sex? Is it as good as the sex which your neighbours are having, or the people across the street? We live in a society which is obsessed by these questions and suffused with sexual imagery, yet in which there is relatively little honest conversation about how sex fits into our lives in the real world. One of the few formats in which this can be addressed is comedy, and Sean Garrity’s latest contribution to the Toronto International Film Festival line-up tells a story which viewers from many different backgrounds will relate to.

Josh (screenwriter Jonas Chernick) and Emma are a couple in early middle age watching their children set off on holiday without them for the first time, for winter camp. Josh is distraught...

Emma (Emily Hampshire) and Josh’s (Jonas Chernick) first kiss was at a summer camp as teenagers and, minus a few break-ups here and there, they’ve been together ever since. They’re best friends, awesome parents, and, because of their two daughters being their focus for every waking second of every single day, mutually apathetic to the concept of sex. So, now that it’s the girls’ time to start going to that same camp, Emma and Josh have no clue what to do with their independence. And maybe they should read into the fact that suggesting sex (with the door open and as loud as they want) came after “go to a matinee.” They should read even harder upon discovering they’ve all but forgotten how to do it.

Written by Chernick and directed by Sean Garrity, The End of Sex delivers a raunchy conceit (figure out new...

Melanie Scrofano, Emily Hampshire and Jonas Chernick in The End Of Sex

A comedy about a couple who face a crisis when their kids go away to winter camp and they realise that a planned week of sexual passion just isn’t working out, The End Of Sex is the latest project for director Sean Garrity and writer Jonas Chernick, who also plays the role of hapless hero Josh. It screened as part of the Toronto International Film Festival and Jonas kindly managed to find the time for a chat just beforehand. We had last spoken in February, when his film Ashgrove screened at the Glasgow Film Festival, about a month after shooting on The End Of Sex wrapped. I congratulate him on the speed with which this film has made it to a major festival.

“Yeah. It all happened pretty quick,” he says. “I am very excited about it.

We return to the Glasgow Film Festival this year that will see no less than 10 world premieres, including Ashgrove.

The festival marks the return of director and writer duo Jeremy Lalonde and Jonas Chernick who we spoke to at Gff 2020 (our chat is here) for their wonderfully crafted sci-fi love story, James vs His Future Self, starring Daniel Stern.

You can also check out our chat with the legend Daniel Stern here.

Ashgrove takes place during a pandemic that impacts the world’s water supply that mirrors in some ways current events. It stars Amanda Brugel who also co-wrote the script with director, Jeremy Lalonde, and co-star Jonas Chernick.

We speak to the trio ahead of the festival to talk about the script, filming in a serene location and more.

Ashgrove world premiere is on March 3rd at Glasgow Film Festival – tickets available here

The post Ashgrove – Amanda Brugel, Jeremy...

"Forget about the girl! Get out of here." Epic Pictures has revealed the trailer for an indie hitman action movie titled The Last Mark, yet another movie repeating pretty much the same plot of a hitman who has to do one last job before he retires. But he can't take out this person because it's a woman. Oh how original. This film opens on VOD at the beginning of March if anyone wants to watch. After a young woman witnesses a mob hit, a seasoned assassin and his psychotic partner must track her down before she turns them in, but she proves to be the hardest mark to kill. The Last Mark is directed by Reem Morsi and stars Alexia Fast, Shawn Doyle, Bryce Hodgson, Josh Cruddas, and Jonas Chernick. There's not much to see here, it doesn't look any good. The poster is the best part about this release,...

Exclusive: Schitt’s Creek star Emily Hampshire is starring in and executive-producing under-the-radar rom-com The End Of Sex, which has just wrapped in Hamilton, Canada.

Also starring are Jonas Chernick (James Vs His Future Self), Gray Powell (Sort Of), Lily Gao (Letterkenny) and Melanie Scrofano (Wynonna Earp).

The feature follows a young couple (Hampshire and Chernick), who feeling the pressures of parenting and adulthood, send their kids to camp for the first time and embark on a series of sexual adventures to reinvigorate their relationship.

Vortex Productions is behind the feature from director Sean Garrity who is re-teaming with his My Awkward Sexual Adventure collaborators Chernick and Hampshire. Chernick has also penned the script.

Vortex Media financed the picture, in association with Brainstorm Media. Vortex and Brainstorm will collaborate on the distribution plan. Worldwide rights remain open.

Justin Rebelo and Sally Karam served as producers with Jesse Ikeman, Christopher Giroux and...

Neil Sheehan, a Pulitzer Prize winner and the New York Times journalist who obtained the Pentagon Papers, has died.

His wife, Susan Sheehan, told The New York Times that he died Thursday due to complications of Parkinson’s disease at his Washington home. He was 84.

Born on Oct. 27, 1936 in Holyoke, Massachussetts, Sheehan graduated from Harvard and began his reporting career as an Army journalist. For The New York Times and United Press International, Sheehan chronicled the events of the Vietnam War.

Sheehan, however is most known for reporting on the Pentagon Papers, which revealed U.S. involvement in Vietnam ordered by the Department of Defense. Military analyst Daniel Ellsberg granted Sheehan access to the critical documents in 1971, which exposed the truth about American involvement in the war and set off legal retaliation from the Nixon Administration.

After the bombshell report, Sheehan focused his attention on his book A Bright Shining...

Jeremy Lalonde's timey wimey rom-com James vs His Future Self is coming to Canadian cinemas on April 3rd, from our friends at Northern Banner Releasing.    When an uptight time-travelling obsessed young scientist is visited by his nihilistic future self, he's told that he needs to give up his dream of becoming the world's first time traveller, or else. But when he won't go along with the plan, it becomes a wicked battle of man versus himself - literally.   Written by Lalonde and star Jonas Chernick, James vs His Future Self had a great festival run across Canada, the States and just had its European debut at the Glasgow Film Festival this week.    Here are the Canadian cinemas playing the film from April...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, once proclaimed “Regrets, I’ve had a few” but what if you had a second chance to go back and change things?

You can, sort of, with James vs His Future Self which is an indie sci-fi comedy from the duo of Jeremy Lalonde (director and co-writer) and Jonas Chernick (star and co-writer). All is not what it seems in this touching story that stars the incredible Daniel Stern, which is showing at this years Glasgow Film Festival.

We caught up with Jeremy Lalonde and Jonas Chernick to talk time-travel and more.

And you can check out our interview with Daniel Stern here

Please note there are spoilers for the new film in here.

Where did the idea come from and when did this project start for you guys?

Jonas: Jeremy cast me in a film we did in 2015 called How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town...

This year’s festivities kicked off with with a bang with the opening night gala which presented Alice Winocour’s beautifully atmospheric drama Proxima. Winocour was also present after the main event for a Q&a session in which she talked about her experiences of working with a multi-national team of actors and technicians.

Day 2 was marked by the Scottish premier screening of Lorcan Finnegan’s brilliantly unsettling sci-fi drama Vivarium. Finnegan and star of the film Imogene Poots were also there to introduce the film.

The festival also welcomed Icelandic director Grímur Hákonarson who was there to introduce his new film The County. Hákonarson also stayed afterwards for a short Q&a session. The County is part of a wider Icelandic strand at this year’s Gff. Other films in this strand also feature the brilliant A white, White Day by Hlynur Palmason.

Meanwhile 1917 star George MacKay was also...

"I'm from the future!" An official trailer for has arrived for a fun new time travel comedy from Canada titled James vs. His Future Self. This is premiering at the Cinefest Sudbury Film Festival this week, and is also playing at the Calgary & Edmonton Film Festivals. The crazy idea for this: the scientist who invented time travel goes back in time to convince himself to never invent it in the first place. "When he won't go along with the plan, it becomes a wicked battle of man versus himself - literally." Not too bad of a concept, right? Starring Jonas Chernick, Daniel Stern, Francis Conroy, Cleopatra Coleman, and Tara Spencer-Nairn. This seems to be less about science, more about self, with a romantic angle that is driving the plot. I really hope this is good, but it doesn't look too good from this trailer. There's only one way to find out,...

Jeremy Lalonde and Jonas Chernick's timey wimey comedy James vs His Future Self is currently touring the Canadian festival circuit. A trailer for their film was released prior to the weekend; thankfully there is still time (eh? eh?!) to watch it below. A brilliant scientist on the cusp of inventing time travel finds himself tormented by his unhinged future self who wants him to give up his work for a normal life. When he won’t go along with the plan, it becomes a wicked battle of man versus himself - literally. Starring Daniel Stern, Jonas Chernick (My Awkward Sexual Adventure) & Cleopatra Coleman. Directed by Jeremy Lalonde (The Go-Getters) produced by...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

From TorontoFilm.Net here is the Toronto Film Production Update for June 2018 including "V Wars", "The Boys, "Largo" and a whole lot more:

V Wars

TV Series

Idw (Netflix)

Prod.: Tom Vencelides

Dir.: Brad Turner

Jun 11 – tba

Dino Dana The Movie

Feature

Sinking Ship Entertainment

Line Prod.: Eric Beldowski

May 22 - Jun 27/18

Frankie Drake Mysteries Season 2

TV Series

Shaftesbury

Prod.: Teresa Ho

Dir.: Ruba Nadda

May 9 - Aug 28/18

Green Harvest Season 2

TV Series

CBS Studios Inc.

Prod.: Thom Pretak

Dir: Various

Apr 16 - Nov 8/18

Holly Hobbie - Season 1

TV Series

Aircraft Pictures

Prod.: Andrew Rosen, Anthony Leo

Dir.: Stefan Brogren,

May 7 - Jun 11/18

Jellybean

Mini Series

New Metric Media / Sphere Media

Producer: Paula J. Smith

Dir.: Jeff Renfore, Molly McGlynn

Apr 23 - Jun 22/18

Killer High

Feature

Prod.: Mary Anne Waterhouse

Dir.: Jem Garrard

May 22 - Jun 9/18

Killjoys Seasons 4 - 5

TV Series

Temple Street

Prod.

Exclusive: Cleopatra Coleman, star of Fox series The Last Man On Earth and Summit hit Step Up Revolution, will star alongside comedy vet Daniel Stern (Home Alone) and Jonas Chernick (My Awkward Sexual Adventure) in time-travel sci-fi comedy James Vs His Future Self, which Amp International is launching world sales on in Cannes.

Jeremy Lalonde (How to Plan An Orgy In A Small Town) will direct the feature, which is due to begin shoot on Monday in Northern Ontario, Canada. Script comes from Chernick and Lalonde while supporting cast includes Tommie-Amber Pirie (Syfy’s Bitten) and Tara Spencer-Nairn (CTV’s Corner Gas).

Producers are The Witch and Patti Cake$ exec Jonathan Bronfman for JoBro Productions, Jordan Walker of Neophyte Productions (How To Plan an Orgy In A Small Town) and Chernick’s Banana-Moon Sky Films (My Awkward Sexual Adventure).

The movie will tell the story of an uptight but brilliant...

One of the highlights of last years Viff was Sean Garrity's hybrid road trip/family dramedy Borealis. Jonas Chernick wrote the script and stars as Jonah, a gambling addicted father whose daughter Aurora (Joey King) is suffering from a condition which has led to her vision deteriorating.

With only a short window of before his daughter goes completely blind, Jonah decides the time has come to take Aurora on a road trip to see the Northern Lights but his gambling problem? It's come to bite him in the ass. He owes $50K and Tubby (Kevin Pollak) and his sidekick Brick (Clé Bennett) are determined to collect. Whatever it takes.

Garrity is a talented filmmaker and Chernick's script is a wonderful blend of comedy and drama peppered with great father/daughter moments that don [Continued ...]...

Despite its amusingly obscene, on-the-nose title, How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town isn’t quite as smutty and salacious as you might think. The third full-length feature from writer-director Jeremy Lalonde (The Untitled Work of Paul Shepherd, Sex After Kids), it simultaneously revolves around a carnally canny columnist (Jewel Staite) trying to yank a group of tightly wound, sexually repressed yokels out of their shells and feels exactly like the kind of movie one of those fussy, fretful townspeople might make in the pursuit of trying – against every chaste impulse in their body – to be edgy.

That is to say, though How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town isn’t the raucous and hard-r-rated sex comedy some might expect, it is obsessive about all articles and activities anatomical, from the aforementioned group-sex event to more scatological gags, most verbal as opposed to visual. It’s...

While magazines, television, and movies may lead you to believe that sex always happens on clean sheets, with perfect lighting, sculpted bodies, and nary a hair out of place, in real life, doing the deed is far less glamorous. Sex can be messy and clumsy, and that's just between two people. But what happens when you add more to the mix? That's the basic set up for Jeremy Lalonde's "How To Plan An Orgy In A Small Town," and today we have an exclusive clip as the movie heads to the Slamdance Film Festival. Read More: Slamdance Film Festival Rounds Out Its 2016 Lineup Starring Jewel Staite, Lauren Lee Smith, Katharine Isabelle, Ennis Esmer, Tommie-Amber Pirie, and Jonas Chernick, the story follows a sex columnist who returns to her family values loving small town, where things take a spicy turn. Here's the synopsis: Beaver’s Ridge; a tight-knit community known...

After his untimely death in 1998, Phil Hartman's legacy still reigns as one of comedic excellence. Yet his life story before his halcyon days at SNL is not as widely known to the public at large. That's soon to change with production of the biopic Nice Guy Phil looking to gear up soon, and it's landed the talents of actor/director Jason Priesley taking the helm. It was recently announced that the Jonas Chernick script had not only landed a director, but also a star in Daran Norris. Norris has previously been seen as Cliff McCormack on Veronica Mars, but the actor is probably best known for being a huge part in one of the fields Hartman himself was most remembered for: voice overs. While The Hollywood Reporter has listed him as starring in Disney's animated picture Bolt, looking at Norris' resume showcases some roles that you probably have heard.

Hail Caesar!

"Hail, Caesar!," the Coen brother's latest feature, will open the 66th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival next year on February 11th - six days after its U.S. premiere. The story follows a single day in the life of a studio fixer (Josh Brolin) who gets a call that star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) disappeared from the shooting of the studio's latest sand-and-sandles epic. [Source: THR]

Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino has revealed he's planning a special screening event featuring 1970s Australian westerns "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith" and "Mad Dog Morgan" during his visit to Australia next month to promote "The Hateful Eight" release. [Source: Smh]

Just Cause 3

Avalanche Studios has posted an update on the Steam page for the just released video game "Just Cause 3", the update apologising for the various bugs that have impacted primarily the game's frame-rate and server log-in issues. A patch is reportedly coming soon...

90210 star turned movie-helmer Jason Priestley will bring the life of the late, beloved SNL alumnus Phil Hartman back to the screen in the form of a biopic, according to Variety. Priestley has wrangled Daran Norris to star as Phil, as well as Jonas Chernick to pen the script; titled Nice Guy Phil, the film reportedly looks at the comedic and emotional challenges that colored Hartman's career, which spanned roughly two decades and included notable contributions to The Simpsons and NewsRadio, too. "Comedians are notoriously complex people and Phil was no exception," Tyler Levine, a producer on the project, told Variety. "Anyone that knew him always says that he was the nicest guy they ever met." Priestley has said he and Hartman became friends after the former's SNL hosting turn in 1992 — staying in touch until Hartman's tragic, untimely death in 1998. The director and his team went with Norris (Veronica...

I first discovered director Sean Garrity ten years ago after seeing Lucid (trailer), a dark dramedy about an insomnia-plagued psychotherapist whose life is falling apart. I was so taken by the fine balance of drama and comedy of Garrity's work and the striking look of the movie, that I became an instant fan.

In the decade since the release of Lucid, Garrity and frequent collaborator Jonas Chernick have doled out a wide variety of projects and their latest is another winner.

Borealis stars Chernick as Jonah, a gambler who is on the verge of losing everything. His girlfriend (Emily Hampshire) is nearing the end of her rope and his daughter Aurora (Joey King) is only living at home because she doesn't have another choice.

[Continued ...]...

It was a great night for Xavier Dolan at the Canadian Screen Awards today, where the wunderkind's latest film, "Mommy," won nine awards, nearly sweeping every category. The only fields the film lost in were crafts categories conceded the critically reviled (but it's Canadian!) "Pompeii," which took home five awards. Check out the full list of winners below, the nominees here and everything else you can possibly imagine (more or less) at The Circuit. Best Motion Picture "Mommy" Achievement in Direction Xavier Dolan, "Mommy" Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Antoine Olivier-Pilon, "Mommy" Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Anne Dorval, "Mommy" Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Suzanne Clément, "Mommy" Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role John Cusack, "Maps to the Stars" Adapted Screenplay "Elephant Song" Original Screenplay "Mommy" Achievement in Art Direction "Pompeii" Achievement in Cinematography "Mommy" Achievement in Costume...

• Boardwalk Empire actor Jack Huston will take the chariot reins as the title role in the upcoming remake of Ben-Hur. Previously, Tom Hiddleston had been in talks for the role of slave Judah Ben-Hur in the Paramount and MGM picture. Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) is directing the film adapted by John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and Keith Clarke (The Way Back) that is said to be based more on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ than the 1959 film that starred Charlton Heston. Morgan Freeman has already been cast as Ildarin, the teacher who helps make the slave Ben-Hur into chariot racer champion.

Raven Banner announced in Toronto it has launched Northern Banner, a new distribution label that to focus on films from the vanguard of worldwide cinema for the Canadian market.

Like its parent company, Northern Banner will acquire international and Canadian titles for distribution within Canada for the English and French markets.

The focus will be on quality independent fare with an eye on multi-platform VOD and theatrical distribution.

The first title acquired under the new label is Sean Garrity’s Borealis, written by and starring Jonas Chernick, which is currently in pre-production with Buffalo Gal Pictures and Chernick’s Banana-Moon Sky Films.

The Northern Banner includes Iceland’s Life In A Fishbowl (pictured), which played in Toronto.

“Raven Banner has become a reputable and distinguishable brand,” said managing partner Michael Paszt, “and it’s vital that we maintain our focus on its core product.

“Northern Banner will allow us to bring our knowledge and passion for film...

The charming and fun indie comedy An Awkward Sexual Adventure (which has already screened to rave reviews at the Toronto Film Festival and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival) tells the story of uptight accountant Jordan Abrams (Jonas Chernick), who proposes marriage to his life-long soul mate Rachel (Sarah Manninen), only to have her dump him because he’s terrible in bed. Frustrated and deeply unsatisfied, Jordan embarks on a desperate mission to seek some much-needed sexual experience and acquire some basic requisite skills under the guidance of Julia (Emily Hampshire), a sexually liberated but emotionally guarded exotic dancer, which ultimately has him questioning who the right woman for him really is. During this recent exclusive interview with Collider, actor Vik Sahay (who plays Dandak, Jordan’s best friend and something of a self-proclaimed expert on women) talked about how he got involved with the film, always looking for a character with dimension and depth,...

A movie like this could swing either way. The sex comedy is a fickle beast, and the membrane between entertaining and stupid is thin indeed. Despite a formulaic story (screenplay written by lead actor Jonas Chernick), My Awkward Sexual Adventure is mostly entertaining. The script doesn't go for the obvious jokes (forgive me for this huge parenthetical tangent, but earlier in the festival I saw fifteen minutes of The Movie Out Here, a film by the Kokanee brewery, which features a scene where a nursing mother on a plane obliviously sprays the lead in the face with breast milk multiple times, and a scene where a Chris Farley-sized gentleman has a heart attack while taking a shit and passes out on the lead's face), instead opting for a clinical vivisection of the various hang-ups and neuroses that might lead a 21st century male to be bad in bed. [Continued ...]...

Gersh has signed three directors who premiered films as last month’s Toronto Film Festival. The agency inked Irish writer-director Kieron Walsh, whose film Jump also recently won best picture at the Irish Film New York Festival. He is also represented at Independent Talent in the UK. Gersh signed Antoinette Beumer, the Netherlands helmer (and sister of actress Famke Janssen) who directed the Holly Hunter-starrer Jackie. She is managed by Echo Lake. Gersh also signed Canadian Sean Garrity, who directed My Awkward Sexual Adventure. The agency also signed that film’s writer (and star), Jonas Chernick.

Whistler Film Festival Offers Sneak Peek of 2012 Film and Summit Programming Early Bird Industry Registration, Festival Passes and Accommodation Now Available. The countdown has begun! The 12th annual Whistler Film Festival returns November 28 to December 2, 2012 and the Festival is proud to offer a sneak peek of the first wave of confirmed films as well highlights from its industry program designed to foster innovation, connections and deals. Set in North America’s premiere mountain resort, the Whistler Film Festival combines an esteemed international film competition with a concentrated screen-based industry Summit organized to address the ever-evolving landscape crossing borders and platforms in the digital age. The Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate five-day program of screenings, tributes, industry initiatives and special events. Up to 90 innovative and original films from Canada and around the world will be presented. Recognized by filmmakers and film lovers alike as one of Canada’s most important showcases for film, the Festival is a place where artists are celebrated, audiences are inspired, new ideas are discussed, and business opportunities are solidified.

"This year's Whistler Film Festival program will prove to be an exciting and eclectic mix of traditional quality festival fare, sprinkled with a large sampling of the unusual, the unexpected and the just plain entertaining," comments Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. "From the sublime to the outrageous, the films at Wff this year will offer something for everyone, with more than a few surprises along the way. The Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year." The Whistler Film Festival is pleased to announce the first round of confirmed titles. Leading off the charge in this year's Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature are two world premieres, named in honor of legendary Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos. The Mad Ship, a first feature from Winnipeg based filmmaker David Morton, presents some of the most breathtaking shots of the prairies ever committed to film, and tells the true story of a Scandinavian immigrant caught in the Depression-era dustbowl where drought destroyed the farming hopes of a generation of would-be Prairie settlers. Having lost everything, he embarks on the Sisyphean task of building a boat in the middle of nowhere, far from any body of water. The Mad Ship features performances by Gil Bellows, Martha Burns and Aidan Devine, with Nikolaj Lie Kass in the lead. Sean Garrity's pulse-pounding thriller Blood Pressure about an unhappy wife who starts receiving anonymous notes enticing her to perform certain inexplicable acts of voyeurism directed towards a mysterious young man. Michelle Giroux, Tatiana Maslany and Jonas Chernick are featured. Another Borsos contender returns Garrity and Chernick with My Awkward Sexual Adventure, undoubtedly the funniest Canadian sex comedy ever made. A nerd is dumped by his true love for being a lousy lover. When he attempts to drown his sorrows, a Toronto stripper played by Emily Hampshire takes pity on him and teaches him the ropes, so to speak. Also featured in the Borsos Competition is Michael McGowan's moving new film, Still, featuring unforgettable performances by James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold, who play an aging couple that lead the fight against diminished faculties by attempting to build their own dream house, despite objections from family members and the Maritime municipality in which they live. A film that will have everyone talking is the English Canadian premiere of Martin Laroch’s faux documentary Fair Sex (Les Manèges Humains), featuring a courageous, unforgettable performance by Marie-Evelyne Lessard, who plays an African-Québecoise making a documentary on her summer job with itinerant country fair workers. What starts out as a light-hearted treatise on how to lock up a ferris wheel at night, soon transforms itself into something far more substantial, as a shocking reveal at the halfway mark leads to the most human, extended sex scene between a young woman with a very particular request and an older man in his 40s who reluctantly agrees to her proposal. This is one movie that will not leave you indifferent.

Other titles confirmed for Whistler include Mountain Culture entry The Mountain Runners, an engrossing docudrama about the first mountain footrace held in Bellingham, Washington in 1911 directed by Todd Warger and Brian Young. Two other American indie films, both featuring the charismatic Julia Stiles as part of talented ensemble casts who is confirmed to attend this year’s fest, will have their BC premieres at Whistler. It's a Disaster is a dark comedy about four couples who get together for Sunday brunch regularly, only on this particular occasion, a 'dirty' bomb has gone off in downtown San Francisco, forcing them to seal up their windows, and try to carry on as usual, with David Cross and America Ferrara. Also starring Ms. Stiles is Dan Mirvisch's first feature Between Us (David Harbour, Taye Diggs and Melissa George) about two couples who get together after years of estrangement to patch up old differences, only to find that some broken things can't be mended. Taking place during the 2012 Whistler Film Festival, the Whistler Summit features three concentrated days of business programmes and networking where industry can delve into the ever-evolving convergence of the art, technology and commerce of cinema. Wondering about digital platforms and distribution, how to break into the China market, the latest trends in Visual FX, or the business of made for TV movies? Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates, and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities that address crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, to connect and to deal. New for 2012 is the China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian feature film projects by introducing experienced Canadian writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with up to $15 million on the table for three selected projects. “This year’s festival marks our 12th edition and we have some major developments which will reinforce Whistler’s reputation as being an important place to experience fresh films and connect with industry leaders,” says Whistler Film Festival Society Executive Director Shauna Hardy Mishaw. “Prepare to be inspired; our lineup this year promises to exceed expectations.” The Festival’s online box office is now open for early bird industry registration, festival passes and ticket packages until October 31st. Best accommodation rates are also available starting from $79* per night until November 8th. The Festival lineup and film schedule will be available online on November 1st. Individual film and special event tickets go on sale on online November 1st (until December 2nd). The Festival Box Office opens November 1st for phone sales and on November 22nd for walk-in sales. For information, go to www.whistlerfilmfestival.com The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Bell Media, Variety, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, American Airlines, Sorel, Kokanee and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler. About the Whistler Film Festival Society The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs and opportunities for filmmakers. About Whistler Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life - and so much more.

The 37th Toronto International Film Festival® will roll out the red carpet for hundreds of guests from the four corners of the globe in September. Filmmakers expected to present their world premieres in Toronto include: Rian Johnson, Noah Baumbach, Deepa Mehta, Derek Cianfrance, Sion Sono, Joss Whedon, Neil Jordan, Lu Chuan, Shola Lynch, Barry Levinson, Yvan Attal, Ben Affleck, Marina Zenovich, Costa-Gavras, Laurent Cantet, Sally Potter, Dustin Hoffman, Francois Ozon, David O. Russell, David Ayer, Pelin Esmer, Tom Tykwer, Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski, Andrew Adamson, Michael McGowan, Bahman Ghobadi, Ziad Doueiri, Alex Gibney, Stephen Chbosky, Eran Riklis, Edward Burns, Bernard Émond, Zhang Yuan, Michael Winterbottom, Mike Newell, Miwa Nishikawa, Margarethe Von Trotta, David Siegel, Scott McGehee, Gauri Shinde, Goran Paskaljevic, Baltasar Kormákur, J.A. Bayona, Rob Zombie, Peaches and Paul Andrew Williams.

Actors expected to attend include: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jackie Chan, Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Bill Murray, Robert Redford,...

CBC, a Canadian TV network, surely didn't renew the TV series The Border for a fourth season last year. However, the TV series' first season will premiere in the USA on Ion Television, an American cable network.

The show will premiere on July 8 with two back-to-back episodes starting at 10 Pm.

In this TV series, we follow a squad of the fictitious Immigration Customs Security (Ics), a Canadian federal agency responsible of the security on the border between Canada and the USA. Major Mike Kessler (James McGowan) heads his team and does his best to maintain a clear-eyed decency while responding to the call of duty. He often clashes with agent Bianca Lagarda (Sofia Milos), an agent sent by the American government to work with the Ics.

The show also stars Graham Abbey, Nazneen Contractor, Jonas Chernick, Mark Wilson, Jim Cordington, Catherine Disher, Sarah Gadon and Nigel Bennett.

The first season...

Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund has revealed the list of upcoming films that will get financial support through its Script Development Program and Equity Investment Program.

The list reveals all the 27 films (chosen out of 139 applications), which are either in production or pre-production period, that will get some financial backing.

Story Optioning

The Flying Troutmans

Four Seasons Productions Inc.

Screenwriters: Semi Chellas and Miriam Toews

King Leary

Verite Films Inc.

Screenwriter: Paul Quarrington

The Outlander

Strada Films Inc. and Triptych Media Inc.

Screenwriter: Tbd

First Draft

Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet

Hand Picked Films Inc.

Screenwriter: Richard Bell

The Diary of Laura’s Twin

pUNK Films Inc.

Screenwriter: Laura Phillips

Don’t Talk To Irene

Alyson Richards Productions Inc.

Screenwriter: Pat Mills

King Leary

Verite Films Inc.

Screenwriter: Paul Quarrington

The Lizard Cage

Sienna Films Inc.

Screenwriter: David Vainola

Queen Kristina

Triptych Media Inc.

Screenwriter: Michel Marc Bouchard

Second...

As MyNetworkTV is pulling out of the original programming business, Ion Television is stepping up.

The network has picked up two Canadian drama series, "The Border" and "The Guard."

Both will make their U.S. debuts on Ion later this year.

"The Border," from Fireworks International, follows members of the Canadian Immigration and Customs Security Unit working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to secure the border on both sides of the line.

The series, which airs on Canada's Cbc, drew interest from several U.S. broadcast networks, including ABC and CBS, during the writers strike.

"The Guard," from Lionsgate, revolves around the members of a Coast Guard Search and Rescue team.

Ion has acquired all U.S. television, digital media rights, Internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for both shows.

"'The Guard' and 'The Border' are two original dramas that will fit nicely with proven hits...