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Horror fans, we're eatin' good (with our eyes). It's been a splendid 2024 already, and we're not even at the Halloween rush yet. Indie darlings like Shudder's "Exhuma" or "Infested" have stunned the platform's subscribers, Neon mesmerized theatergoers with "Immaculate" and "Longlegs," and studio releases like "The First Omen" or "Alien: Romulus" brought the thunder. Can we not bother with the obligatory "Horror's back, baby!" articles this October? Horror never left, horror's always en vogue, and horror's been having one heck of a year.

Like I said, Halloween still two months away. We're still staring at a whole dang slate of spooky season releases on the horizon. With titles like "Speak No Evil" or "Terrifier 3" patiently waiting, the best horror watches this year might still be on the way. Even better, we've seen some of those releases yet to come and can confirm that 2024 still has some tricks up its sleeve.

“There’s some whores in this house!” blasts from the speakers. The stage lights brighten, and the queens strut out onstage. In Jem Garrard’s camp classic Slay, a Tubi original that dropped earlier this year, four drag queens – Mama Sue Flay (Trinity the Tuck), Robin Banks (Heidi N Closet), Bella Da Boys (Crystal Methyd), and Olive Wood (Cara Melle) – descend upon a sleazy redneck dive to deliver the performance of their lives.

Set to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Wap,” the salacious musical number bursts at the seams with the magic of queerness, drag performance, and community. As our dolled-up and dazzling quartet flits and flutters around the stage, the crowd looks on in both wonder and disgust. While country bumpkins like Travis (Daniel Janks) wrinkle their noses and scoff in between chugs of beer, bar regular Shiela (Robyn Scott) applauds the performance and even expresses her jealousy.

Now available on Tubi, Donia Kash stars alongside Heidi N Closet, Cara Melle, Trinity the Tuck and Crystal Methyd in Slay, a Tubi Original horror-comedy that is available to watch right now. In our latest Q&a, Donia talks about their interest in the role, the experience on set, and their love of vampire movies!

How did you first get involved with Slay and what interested you in the role of Jax?

Jem Garrard was looking for a non-binary performer who could do both horror genre and still have that fast-paced comedic energy that Jax brings to Slay. I just so happened to have auditioned for them on a different project and never imagined that Jax was the character I would get to play. They’re a character that has such Fan-Them energy that also lives inside me but they totally geek out in an extroverted way seeing the queens.

Stars: Trinity The Tuck, Heidi N Closet, Crystal Methyd, Cara Melle, Neil Sandilands, Donia Kash, Gabriel Harry Meltz, Daniel Janks, Gustav Rossouw | Written and Directed by Jem Garrard

At a time when hate and intolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community is on the rise, I wanted to write a horror comedy with heart that showcased drag queens and queers as the heroes. Drag queens have always been a symbol of resistance and resilience, so seeing them kick-ass against a bunch of blood-sucking vampires felt like a comical, yet pointed allegory.

– Jem Garrard, writer/director, Slay

Slay is what you might get if you mixed From Dusk Till Dawn with To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Only, instead of putting Hollywood actors in drag, cast lead roles with contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Four drag queens, Mama Sue Flay (Trinity The Tuck), Robin Banks,...

Horror returns to the big screen in a big way this weekend, with four brand new horror movies now playing only in theaters. And another two are now available to watch right at home.

Here’s all the new horror releasing March 22, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

The hotly anticipated horror movie Late Night With the Devil has been earning rave reviews from critics and Stephen King alike, and it’s now playing exclusively in theaters.

Want to watch at home? The film is next coming to Shudder on April 19, 2024.

David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad) stars as the host of a late-night talk show that descends into a nightmare in the Ghostwatch and Wnuf Halloween Special-inspired film.

David Dastmalchian stars as Jack Delroy, the charismatic host of “Night Owls,” and the film traces the ill-fated taping of a live Halloween special in 1977 plagued by a demonic presence.

In addition to seemingly every movie you ever rented on VHS growing up, Tubi also has a growing library of their own originals, and a new one titled Slay is headed our way soon.

Tubi Original horror-comedy Slay will premiere on March 22, 2024.

Watch the official trailer for Slay below. In the vampire movie…

“After a booking mistake, four drag queens find themselves performing for a mostly unwelcoming crowd, but when vampires attack, the crowd looks to the queens to save the day.”

The film’s cast includes Trinity The Tuck as “Mama Sue Flay,” Heidi N Closet as “Robin Banks,” Crystal Methyd as “Bella Da Boys,” and Cara Melle as “Olive Wood.”

Jem Garrard wrote and directed Tubi’s Slay.

Keep up with all of the top horror news and trending topics by signing up for Bloody Disgusting’s The Rewind, a weekly newsletter that rewinds the week to keep...

Exclusive: Abigail Palmer has been promoted to Literary Manager at Navigation Media Group, the management and production company launched in 2022 by veteran lit managers James Engle & Ben C. Silverman, which reps creators in film and television.

Palmer has been with the company since 2022 and previously served as Junior Manager. Prior to that, she was an assistant and eventually coordinator at Intellectual Property Group, where she worked with notable authors and learned the business of IP. Dedicated to supporting and advocating for female, Queer, and underrepresented talent across all media formats and genres, she currently manages a roster that includes Jess Carson (The Flash), Grace Ding (Walker: Independence), Victoria González (Saved by the Bell), Kate McLaughlin and Stacey Maltin (Triple Threat).

“I am very excited for this next chapter with Navigation,” Palmer told Deadline. “I am thrilled to be connected with a company that is interested...

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) will produce its eighth fundraising telecast on Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. Et to raise money for cancer research and treatments. The one hour special, titled “How It Started, How It’s Going,” will acknowledge how SU2C has impacted cancer research over the past 15 years. Founded in 2008, the program was initiated by a group of women aiming to motivate the entertainment community to raise awareness and funding for cancer research.

Celebrities set to be featured throughout the special include Elizabeth Banks, Jessica Biel, Don Cheadle, Katie Couric, Danai Gurira, Tony Hale, Ken Jeong, Maria Menounos, Julianne Moore, Tig Notaro, Jimmy Smits, Eric Stonestreet and Justin Timberlake. A montage of comedy skits from past editions will also be shown, featuring Jack Black, Ben Falcone, Zach Galifianakis, Brad Garrett, Bill Hader, Jon Hamm, Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Melissa McCarthy and Matthew McConaughey. Previous music performances by Brittany Howard,...

Netflix’s trailer for Virgin River season five part one shows Mel choosing to take care of herself instead of work. It also shows a fire raging, relationships being put to the test, and a coming together of Virgin River’s citizens are in store over the upcoming first half of season five.

Season five stars Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson, Annette O’Toole, Colin Lawrence, and Benjamin Hollingsworth. Zibby Allen, Sarah Dugdale, Marco Grazzini, Mark Ghanimé, Kai Bradbury, and Kandyse McClure also star.

Additional cast includes Lauren Hammersley, Teryl Rothery, Nicola Cavendish, Gwynyth Walsh, and Christina Jastrzembska. Plus, Stacey Farber, Jenny Cooper, Lucia Walters, Steve Bacic, Libby Osler, and Keith MacKechnie appear in season five. And Barbara Pollard, Trevor Lerner, Ellie Harvie, Darcy Laurie, Sandy Robson, Lexa Doig, Chase Petriw, Emma Oliver, Michelle Addison, Miranda Edwards, and Gabrielle Jacinto are also a part of the huge ensemble.

Season five directors include Monika Mitchell,...

Exclusive: The management and production firm Navigation Media Group, repping creators in film and television, is expanding with the addition of Kegan Schell as Literary Manager.

Schell is a passionate advocate for queer and underrepresented talent who, at Navigation, will work with a broad range of creators in the horror and genre space. He joins from Echo Lake Entertainment, where he worked for six years. It was there that he first came to connect with Navigation’s co-founder, James Engle, while working as his assistant.

Schell brings with him a list of clients that includes Tom Hanada (Motherland: Fort Salem), Jess Carson (The Flash), Meredith Kecskemety (The Legend of Vox Machina), Alyssa & Griffin Devine (Portals), Todd Stephens (Swan Song) and Addison Heimann (Hypochondriac). While Navigation is headquartered in Los Angeles, with teams in both L.A. and Vancouver, Schell will be the first member of the company to work out of New York.

Exclusive: Veteran Literary Manager James Engle has launched Navigation Media Group, a management and production firm that will rep creators in film and television. Partnering with Engle is Vancouver-based Literary Manager and media investor Ben C. Silverman, whose investments include interests in distribution, production and talent management.

Navigation will look to combine a passion for creativity with established, proven, business acumen to give clients the full-spectrum guidance they need to navigate both the current and future media landscape with success. Creatives joining the company as clients include Sam Sheridan, Becca Gleason, Grant Sputore, Bret VandenBos & Brandon Willer, Michael Lloyd Green, Jem Garrard, Damien Ober, Barbara Kymlicka, Jeff Renfroe and Mark Bacci.

“I’m excited to launch Navigation with Ben,...

Epix will serve as the new Stateside home for the UK fantasy drama Britannia, rerunning Season 1 on Sunday, Aug. 2, before premiering Season 2 on Sunday, Oct. 4. Epix — which grabbed the Britannia baton from Amazon — will also be the exclusive U.S. home for Season 3, now in production.

Set in 43 A.D., the drama follows “the reluctant rise to power of Kerra (played by Kelly Reilly), daughter of the King of Cantii (Ian McDiarmid), and her arch-rival Queen Atedia (Zoë Wanamaker), who are forced to put their differences aside when the Romans invade Britannia,” per the official synopsis. “Meanwhile, rogue Druid Divis...

"Vagrant Queen", the Cape Town, South Africa filmed live-action science fiction TV series, adapting Vault Comics 6-issue title has been canceled by Syfy:

Created by Jem Garrard, the series starred Adriyan Rae, Alex McGregor and Colin Moss.

"...'Vagrant Queen' follows 'Elida' from child queen to orphaned outcast, as she scavenges the treacherous corners of the galaxy, always one step ahead of a government out to extinguish her bloodline.

"When her old friend 'Isaac' shows up claiming her mother 'Xevelyn' is still alive, they head off with their new ally, 'Amae'...

"...to stage a rescue that will take her back into the perilous heart of her former kingdom and up against a deadly foe from her childhood, 'Commander Lazaro'..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Vagrant Queen"...

It’s the end of the trek for Vagrant Queen. Syfy has canceled the space drama, a live-action adaptation of the Vault Comics series from Blue Ice Pictures, after one season, Deadline has confirmed.

The series struggled ratings-wise, averaging 417,000 total viewers and just 131,000 among the P18-49 demo in Live+7.

Created by Jem Garrard, who also served as showrunner, Vagrant Queen followed Elida from child queen to orphaned outcast, as she scavenged the treacherous corners of the galaxy. Adriyan Rae played the lead role of Elida, along with Tim Rozon as Isaac, and Paul du Toit as the menacing Commander Lazaro.

2019-20 TV Renewals And Cancellations

Lance Samuels & Daniel Iron (Goalie) executive produced with F.J. DeSanto & Damian Wassel of Vault Comics. Mika Collins (Deep Six) and Mariko Tamaki (Skim) served as writers, Garrard (Mech X4) and Danishka Esterhazy (Banana Splits) were among the directors.

The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the cancellation.

Vagrant Queen's reign is over.

Syfy has opted to cancel the space drama based on the Vault comic of the same name after one season.

The series, from creator and showrunner Jem Garrard, struggled to find an audience after launching in March. The drama starring Adriyan Rae as a child queen and orphaned outcast scavenging the galaxy, averaged 417,000 total viewers and a mere 131,000 in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demo when factoring in seven days of delayed viewing.

In an attempt to boost the drama's fortune, Syfy moved the series from Fridays at 10 p....

Vagrant Queen is what you get when you take a little of Thor: Ragnarok and a pinch of Guardians of the Galaxy, and replace the chiseled, cis-het male hero with a fit, but realistic-looking Black heroine. It’s a kick-ass space adventure with charismatic characters and funky locations, replete with the humor and heart that make those films great.

Based on the comic of the same name, Vagrant Queen follows Elida, a child queen turned orphan who scavenges the galaxy, attempting to stay hidden from the Republic government who violently overthrew her family and wants to finish the job. When she runs into her old friend Isaac, he shares news about her past that launches them into a dangerous journey into the belly of the beast.

“It’s a personal journey culled against an epic backdrop,” says creator and showrunner Jem Garrard, when we spoke on the phone about the show.

Vault Comics 6-issue title"Vagrant Queen" has been adapted into a live-action TV series, created by Jem Garrard, starring Adriyan Rae, Alex McGregor and Colin Moss, airing March 27, 2020 on Syfy:

"...the series follows 'Elida' from child queen to orphaned outcast, as she scavenges the treacherous corners of the galaxy, always one step ahead of a government out to extinguish her bloodline.

"When her old friend 'Isaac' shows up claiming her mother 'Xevelyn' is still alive, they head off with their new ally, 'Amae'...

"...to stage a rescue that will take her back into the perilous heart of her former kingdom and up against a deadly foe from her childhood, 'Commander Lazaro'..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Vagrant Queen"...

Vault Comics 6-issue title"Vagrant Queen" has been adapted into a live-action TV series, created by Jem Garrard, starring Adriyan Rae, Alex McGregor and Colin Moss, airing March 27, 2020 on Syfy:

"...the series follows 'Elida' from child queen to orphaned outcast, as she scavenges the treacherous corners of the galaxy, always one step ahead of a government out to extinguish her bloodline. When her old friend 'Isaac' shows up claiming her mother 'Xevelyn' is still alive, they head off with their new ally, 'Amae', to stage a rescue that will take her back into the perilous heart of her former kingdom and up against a deadly foe from her childhood, 'Commander Lazaro'..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Vagrant Queen"...

The new Syfy series Vagrant Queen will premiere on Friday, March 27, in the 10 Pm slot. The 10-episode live-action series is an adaptation of the namesake original comic book series published by Vault Comics.

The star-spanning adventure is produced by Blue Ice Pictures and features the work of an all-female team of writers and directors. Jem Garrard is the show’s creator and showrunner.

Vagrant Queen follows Elida (Adriyan Rae) from child queen to orphaned outcast as she scavenges the treacherous corners of the galaxy, always one step ahead of the Republic government that seeks to extinguish her bloodline. When her old friend Isaac (Tim Rozon) shows up claiming her mother, Xevelyn, is still alive, they head off with their new ally, Amae (Alex McGregor), to stage a rescue that will put the fugitive royal right back in the perilous heart of her former kingdom — and pit her against a deadly old rival,...

Happy Friday, readers! Our bi-monthly Salutes Your Shorts series took a bit of a summer vacation over the last few months, but we’re back today with a new batch of killer horror shorts that you should definitely check out just as soon as you can.

First up is The Stylist from Jill Gevargizian, who is currently crowdfunding her first feature film based on this short (you can find out more details about that Here), and without a doubt, she’s a filmmaker who has continued to show great promise as a visual storyteller over the last several years.

Also on tap for today’s installment of Salutes Your Shorts is The Wolf Who Came to Dinner from Jem Garrard and the psychological horrors of Max Silver’s Trunk Space.

Enjoy!

The Stylist (Directed by Jill Gevargizian)

Synopsis: Claire is a lonely hairstylist with an unnerving desire to escape her disappointing reality.

Syfy has given a 'series order' to a one-hour, 10-episode adaptation of Vault Comics' 6-issue mini-series 'space opera' "Vagrant Queen", by writer Magdalene Visaggio and illustrator Jason Smith, to be produced by Blue Ice Pictures and showrunner Jem Garrard, starring Adriyan Rae, as 'Elida', Tim Rozon as 'Isaac' and Paul du Toit as 'Commander Lazaro', starting production July 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa:

"...'Vagrant Queen' follows 'Elida' from child queen to orphaned outcast, as she scavenges the treacherous corners of the galaxy, always one step ahead of the 'Republic' government out to extinguish her bloodline. 

"When her old friend 'Isaac' shows up claiming her mother 'Xevelyn' is still alive, they head off with new ally 'Amae', to stage a rescue that will take her back into the perilous heart of her former kingdom and up against a deadly foe from her childhood, 'Commander Lazaro'..."

Click the images to enlarge.

Joseph Baxter May 17, 2019

Vault Comics’ space-set action title, Vagrant Queen, is getting a TV adaptation, which Syfy has ordered to series.

Vagrant Queen is bound for live-action glory. The Vault Comics title – created by writer Magdelene Visaggio with artist Jason Smith – is a fairly recent offering, having debuted back in February 2018, but it is now set up with a TV series adaptation over at Syfy, which has already given it a go-ahead as a 10-episode series.

Syfy’s TV plans for Vagrant Queen are already in the works, according to Deadline. As a production of Blue Ice Pictures, the series – an outer-space epic about an exiled queen on the run across the galaxy – is comprised of an all-female creative coalition of writers and directors, led by creator and showrunner Jem Garrard. As the official synopsis from the producers of Vagrant Queen reveals:

“Vagrant Queen follows Elida from child queen to orphaned outcast,...

Exclusive: Syfy has given a series order to Vagrant Queen, a live-action adaptation of the star-spanning Vault Comics series that will be produced by Blue Ice Pictures and by an all-female team of writers and directors featuring Jem Garrard as creator and showrunner.

Lance Samuels, President of Blue Ice Pictures of Toronto, announced the adaptation of the Vault series that was co-created by Eisner- and GLAAD Media Award-nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio (Kim & Kim) and artist Jason Smith. Principal photography is slated to get underway in July in Cape Town, South Africa. Vagrant Queen will premiere on Syfy in 2020 as 10-episode, one-hour science fiction adventure series.

Adriyan Rae (Light as a Feather) has been cast in the lead role of Elida, Tim Rozon (Diggstown) as Isaac, and Paul du Toit (Maze Runner) as the menacing Commander Lazaro. The tone of the project is described as a “fun, violent, snarky, space opera,...

It’s official: Poly-rom-com You Me Her will end with the upcoming fifth season on AT&T Audience Network.

Having previously renewed the series from Entertainment One through Season 5, the network revealed today that the fifth season will indeed be its last, with production beginning May 21 in Vancouver. Gail Harvey will direct all episodes of Season 5.

Created by executive producer and showrunner John Scott Shepherd, You Me Her stars Greg Poehler, Rachel Blanchard and Priscilla Faia as the unconventional threesome.

Season 4, which premiered April 9, picked up with the throuple settling back in after a surprise poly commitment ceremony in a pizza joint at the end of Season 3. Season 4 sees them settling back into the ‘burbs to live a tweaked version of the conventional “married with children” life. The scenario begs the questions: Are “the accidental polyamorists” trying to jam a triangular peg into a round-hole world? Will they break the neighborhood,...

At&T Audience Network has set premiere dates for season 6 of sports interview show Undeniable with Dan Patrick and Season 4 of poly-rom-com You Me Her, as well as a production start date for season 3 of the Stephen King adaptation Mr. Mercedes.

Undeniable with Dan Patrick will premiere its sixth season on January 30 at 8 Pm Et/Pt. Sports figures Patrick will be interviewing this season include former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis, former NFL player Rod Woodson and Nascar racer Tony Stewart among others.

Undeniable with Dan Patrick is executive produced by Vince Vaughn, Peter Billingsley, Victoria Vaughn and Micah Mason with Wild West Productions.

You Me Her premieres its fourth season April 9 at 10 Pm Et/Pt. The series picks up with the throuple settling back in after a surprise poly commitment ceremony in a pizza joint at the end of last season. Creator John Scott Shepherd continues as showrunner and executive producer.

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.

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

V Wars

TV Series

Idw (Netflix)

Prod.: Tom Vencelides

Dir.: Brad Turner

Jun 11 – tba

Christmas By The Book

TV Movie

By The Book Productions Ltd.

Prod.: Shane Boucher, Curtis Crawford

Dir.: Letia Clouston

Apr 30 - May 18/18

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

Shazam! (Aka Franklin)

Feature

New Line Productions Inc. / Jellystone Films Inc.

Prod.: Peter Safran

Dir.: David F. Sandberg

Feb 5 - May 8/18

Titans (Aka Freebirds)

TV Series

Warner Bros. TV / Berlanti Entertainment

Prod.: Robert Ortiz

Dir.: John Fawcett, Brad Anderson

Nov 14/17 - May 11/18

Green Harvest Season 2

TV Series

CBS Studios Inc.

From VancouverFilm.Net, here is the Vancouver Film Production Update for December 2017 including "Purple Harvest", "Supergirl", "The Magicians" and a whole lot more:

A Dogs Way Home

Feature

Local Production Company: Singularity Productions

Director: Charles Martin Smith

Producer: Gavin Polone

Oct 16/17 - Dec 15/17

Noelle

Feature

Local Production Company: True Meaning Productions

Director: Marc Lawrence

Producer: Heather Meehan

Pm: Heather Meehan

Oct 23/17 - Jan 18/18

Peace

Feature

Local Production Company: Peace Pictures Canada Inc

Director: Robert Port

Producer: Rick Dugdale

Dec 03/17 - Dec 21/17

Purple Harvest

Feature

Local Production Company: Tcf Vancouver Productions

Director: Drew Goddard

Exec. Producer: Mary McLaglen

Jan 29/18 - Apr 06/18

Two/One

Feature

Local Production Company: Khai Productions

Director: Juan Cabral

Producer: Dave Valleau

Nov 15/17 - Dec 03/17

Deadly Class

TV Pilot

Local Production Company: Pica Productions (BC) Limited

Director: Lee Toland Krieger

Producer: John Lenic

Nov 15/17 - Dec 05/17

A Series Of Unfortunate Events ~ Season 2

TV Series

Local Production Company: Olaf...

Winners of the 2016 Whistler Film Festival were announced at the Awards Celebration this morning on the final day of the 16h annual Festival.Before The Streets (Avant Les Rues) Canadian director Chloé Leriche’s first feature, won the $15,000 cash prize sponsored by the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia and the $15,000 post-production prize sponsored by Encore Vancouver in the 13th edition of the coveted Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature Film. The moving story of Shawnouk, a young First Nations man who banishes himself into exile after committing a horrible crime during a routine break-in at one of the local summer homes. The first feature film ever shot in the Atikamekw language is an accomplished first film by filmmaker Chloé Leriche.

The Borsos Jury chose Before The Streets for the Best Canadian Feature because “this surprising, unexpected film grips you from its powerful, intense opening chant, to well beyond the final credits,...

Thanks to VancouverFilm.Net, here is the Vancouver Film Production Update for December 2016, including "Ollie", "The Mountain Between Us", "Altered Carbon" and a whole lot more:   

Beautiful Voice

Feature

Local Production Company: Beautiful Voice Pictures Inc.

Director: Chuck Russell

Exec. Producer(s): John Curtis

Producer: Alexandra Julson

Nov 02/16 - Dec 01/16

Ollie

Feature

Local Production Company: Tcf Vancouver Productions Ltd.

Director: Shane Black

Exec. Producer(s): John Davis, Bill Bannerman

Oct 17/16 - Feb 08/17

Parallel

Feature

Local Production Company: Para Productions BC Inc.

Director: Isaac Ezban

Exec. Producer(s): John Zaozirny, Aaron Gilbert, Garrick Dion

Producer: Aaron Gilbert

Nov 10/16 - Dec 05/16

The Mountain Between Us

Feature

Local Production Company: Tcf Vancouver Productions Ltd.

Director: Hany Abu Assad

Producer: Becki Trujillo

Dec 01/16 - Feb 17/17

Altered Carbon ~ Season 1

TV Series

Local Production Company: Altered Carbon Productions I Inc.

Director: Miguel Sapochnik, Nicholas Hurran

Exec. Producer(s): Laeta Kalogridis, Steve Blackman,...

The 15th anniversary celebration of the Whistler Film Festival wrapped Sunday night, living up to its title as ‘Canada’s coolest film fest’ by hosting more premieres, filmmakers, industry executives, and celebrities than ever before, including unique experiences from films, music and parties to high adrenaline races.

The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.

Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”

Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."

Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the

204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.

Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.

Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.

Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.

Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.

The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.

To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.

Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.