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Lighthouse Pictures present the hottest event at VIFF, The Annual RED Carpet Film Party

This exclusive event, hosted by Entertainment Reporter Rick Campanelli, will take place September 30, 2017 at the Imperial Theatre

Vancouver, BC – On Saturday, September 30th, 2017, Lighthouse Pictures rolled out the red carpet at the Imperial Theatre for their Annual Red Carpet Film Party during the Vancouver International Film Festival. Always the hottest party at the festival, featuring A-List filmmakers, international producers, directors and actors, the event is a must for festival partygoers and industry VIPs. “Once again we are excited to welcome the entertainment industry to celebrate with us. It is a wonderful event and a great way to showcase our local talent. Our Red Carpet has become a tradition at VIFF,” says Lighthouse Pictures’ Jamie Goehring. This year Rick Campanelli, as seen on ET Canada, returned to host the red carpet movie party during the Festival! Media were invited to attend the red carpet to interview and photograph celebrities between 8:00 p.m – 10:00 p.m. The party continued until 1:00 a.m.

This VIP Party, presented by Lighthouse Pictures in conjunction with event partners Sim Group, William F. White Int’l, Finale, Hub International, Bridge Studios, and Strategex, consisted of industry decision makers and brought together incredible cinema, amazing fashion and music. With a reputation as being the best party during the Vancouver International Film Festival, this was an event you did not want to miss.

Annual RED Carpet Film Party during the VIFF

When:  Saturday, September 30th
2017

8:00pm to 10:00pm – Red Carpet hosted by Rick Campanelli

8:00pm to 1:00am – VIP Party

Where: Imperial Theatre

Media were welcome to attend the Red Carpet Party to interview & photograph local and international celebrities and industry professionals.

ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE PICTURES

Lighthouse Pictures is a venture that specializes in producing genre and mid-to small-budget film and television projects. Industry leaders Shawn Williamson and Jamie Goehring helm Lighthouse Pictures. With over 65 productions in the past ten years, Lighthouse Pictures productions continue to be recognized.  Year after year, Lighthouse projects have received industry praise with Canadian Screen Awards nominations and numerous Leo Awards wins.

Most recently the overwhelming successful Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart (Lex Scott Davis) won four 2017 Leo Awards. Other past productions include the Academy Award nominated writer of Nebraska, Bob Nelson’s directorial debut, The Confirmation starring Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Patton Oswalt, and Matthew Modine). For Netflix, the film 1922 is a story based on Stephen King’s novella starring Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, and Neal McDonough. Lighthouse Pictures also teamed up with Muse Entertainment and Hallmark for the successful Aurora Teagarden Mystery series starring Candace Cameron Bure, Marilu Henner and Yannick Bisson, among other notable actors. The Show, starring Giancarlo Esposito, Famke Janssen, and Josh Duhamel recently premiered at SXSW. The original movie Cocaine Godmother, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Raúl Méndez and Juan Pablo Espinosa, is currently in post-production.

With a production team that has decades of experience in the film business, Lighthouse is able to leverage our numerous relationships in the industry to provide feature film quality on smaller budgets.

ABOUT IMPERIAL THEATRE

In 2007, after more than a 2.5 million dollar renovation, Oscar nominated film producer Bill Vince (Capote) re-opened the once Golden Harvest theatre as District 319. Gutting the old theatre to its foundation, Bill was able to successfully turn the rundown Chinese theatre into one of the coolest boutique theatres in the city, maybe even the country.

The theatre’s current incarnation, now called the Imperial, is a cross between your typical art-house screening room and a high-end steak house. Its lobby features a full-service bar as a centerpiece to facilitate the fully licensed premises. In addition to its unique design the theatre was renovated to include a state-of-the-art theatre with 35-mm and HD digital projectors, and Dolby THX surround sound.

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NICOLE G. LEIER STARS WITH DAVID CUBITT IN THE SHORT FILM ‘BLACK CHICKS’ SCREENING AT THE INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL IN NASHVILLE OCTOBER 6th

“A man and a woman. One white. One black. What could possibly go wrong?”

Black Tree Pictures is pleased to announce that the short film Black Chicks will screen at the upcoming International Black Film Festival on ttober 6h at the Watkins College of Art, Design, and Film starting at 12 pm. https://www.ibffevents.com Actress Nicole G Leier (Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, The Bridge Part 2) stars alongside David Cubitt (Van Helsing, Medium) in Black Chicks directed by Neil LaBute (Nurse Betty, In the Company of Men) and shot by cinematographer Brendan Uegama (Van Helsing, Riverdale). Leier and Uegama’s production company, Black Tree Pictures, consolidated some of the brightest talents in the business to produce this award-winning short film.

Neil LaBute, renowned showrunner, filmmaker, and Playwright wrote, directed and co-produced the film. Neil is known for his true-to-life characters and his ability to write the ugly sides of human nature. Nicole originally performed the role in Neil’s play “Black Girls” at James Franco’s Studio 4 in L.A. She knew it would make an excellent film so she contacted Neil who was eager to adapt the play for the screen, renaming it ‘Black Chicks.’ As Nicole was raised in a Caucasian household, this is an important story as it allowed her to understand uncomfortable situations she faced in her life, accept them and even embrace them.

David Cubitt as the co-star was an honor to work with, says Nicole. “He is so generous and an all-around cool guy. The fact that he took the time to work on this script while still shooting Van Helsing showed how giving he is of his time.”

The title of the film, Black Chicks, gives nothing away to what unfolds. A seemingly innocent conversation between two coworkers has an underlining message. Leier unveils an important story, addressing huge issues in an understated yet emotional way. Throughout the film, racial stereotypes are questioned and brought to light.

Black Chicks was recently nominated for five 2017 Leo Awards including Nicole G. Leier’s nomination for Best Performance by a Female in a Short Drama.  The film was also nominated for Best Short Film and Best Direction of a Short Drama. In addition, the film won two Leo Awards for Best Screenwriting for Neil LaBute and Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama for David Cubitt.

Leier and Uegama have worked together on many projects with their production company, Black Tree Pictures. This one, according to Leier, felt different. The subject matter being addressed and the commitment from the cast and crew made this piece feel like they were really part of something meaningful. Black Chicks has also screened in the Oscar-qualifying L.A. Short International Film Festival and the San Francisco Black Film Festival.

Nicole’s acting skills are evident and have kept her busy since her recurring role on Edgemont. This exceptionally talented actress’ ambition has kept her motivated and driven to work hard and succeed in both countries. She also has a passion for producing and directing which has allowed her to produce and direct a number of films on the YouTube Lot. Leier has also worked with many productions in Vancouver and Los Angeles. Nicole Leier has been quoted to have a ‘poised presence who manages to find the passion in her films and the truth in her roles’.

With many exciting projects coming up, it is a true testament of what hard work can achieve. Nicole studies with Matthew Scott Snyder at James Franco’s Studio 4 and with Larry Moss.

Nicole and Brendan will be in attendance at the International Black Film Festival in Nashville and are available for interviews, appearances, and photographs upon request.

 

Please contact: Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

Nicole Leier IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0500133/

Black Chicks IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5811556

Twitter: @NicoleGLeier

Instagram: @nicolegleier

Nashville International Black Film Festival: https://www.ibffevents.com Friday, October 6th starting at 12pm at the Watkins College of Art, Design, and Film, 2298 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37228

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NICOLE OLIVER PLAYS THE ROLE OF PRINCESS CELESTIA IN MY LITTLE PONY MOVIE OUT OCTOBER 6TH, 2017

She joins an all-star voice cast including Emily Blunt, Kristin Cheoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Pena, Sia, Tay Diggs, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana.

In demand for her voice-over roles in cartoons both on the small (LEGO Nexo Knights, Kate & Mim Mim) and big screen (Seth Rogen’s “Sausage Party”), Nicole Oliver is thrilled to bring her role as Princess Celestia to theaters nationwide with the release of “My Little Pony: The Movie” on October 6th, 2017.  Nicole is the voice of Princess Celestia on the television series and now joins an all-star voice cast including Emily Blunt, Kristin Cheoweth, Live Schreiber, Michael Pena, Sia, Tay Diggs, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana.

In “My Little Pony: The Movie” a dark force threatens Ponyville, and the Mane 6 embark on an unforgettable journey beyond Equestria where they meet new friends and exciting challenges on a quest to use the magic of friendship to save their home. The movie features original music and songs performed by Sia, Diggs, Saldana, Chenoweth and Blunt.  Nicole also sings on the song “Time to be Awesome” as Lix Spittle, one of the new creatures the Mane 6 encounters during their adventures outside of Equestria.

Recent career highlights include a lead role in the acclaimed film festival circuit indie-gem “Marrying the Family” (VIFF, Long beach Indie FF, Texas FF), and earlier this year, Nicole Oliver expanded her diverse entertainment career in the role of Britney Spears’ mother Lynne Spears in the Lifetime Movie Britney Ever After. Starring Natasha Bassett, the movie follows the tumultuous story of pop icon Britney Spears’ rise to fame, fall from grace and eventual triumphant resurrection, firmly securing her position as one of the world’s greatest entertainers. This isn’t Nicole’s only recent work alongside impressive A-list actors: She also has a role in “Wonder”, a feature film starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay set to be released on November 17th, 2017.

She is the recipient of the UBCP/ACTRA award for Best Voice for her work in animation and has been nominated for Best Voice again this year for her work on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Nicole has guest starred on numerous television series including “Supernatural,” “Rogue,” and “Somewhere Between” She has also starred in many MOW’s including “Radio Hype” starring Alison Sweeney, Lifetime’s “Ungodly Acts”, “The Christmas Ornament” starring Cameron Mathison and Kellie Martin, “The Woodcarver” with John Ratzenberger; “Taken Back – Finding Haley” with Amanda Tapping and “Innocent” with Bill Pullman and Marcia Gay Harden. For four seasons, Nicole was also the host of the hit Slice Network series “Crash Test Mommy”. A highlight for Nicole was acting alongside her young son, William Ainscough, who starred as Billy in City TV’s “Seed” for two seasons.

Well known throughout the world at Brony and Fan Conventions as Princess Celestia and Cheerilee on “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” and Zoe on the cartoon “Littlest Pet Shop”, her acclaimed voice-over work continues to thrive. In animation, she has popular roles on “Bob The Builder”, and “Lego Elves”, and will continue to appear in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Season 7). She has provided her voice to over 100 companies including American Express, Starbucks, Salon Selectives, Club House, and IKEA.

Nicole Oliver has worked for over twenty years in the entertainment industry as an actor, producer, and director. This multi-talented, incredibly busy mother and professional has mastered the balance between family and work and has furthered her education with a Masters of Arts in Communication from Royal Roads University (2011). She is the recipient of both the Founders Award for leadership and sustainability and the Chancellors Award for highest academic achievement.

Nicole Oliver is available for interviews upon request.

For interviews, photos and more information please contact:
Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726- 5575

Casting requests: Red Management – Murray Gibson | murray.g.gibson@gmail.com

Nicole Oliver Handles:

Website: www.nicoleoliver.com

Twitter: @mouthnoize

Nicole Oliver’s IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646955/

My Little Pony The Movie

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4131800/

Twitter: @MLPMovie

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Actor Curtis Lum is back for the new season of CW’s Supergirl and joins the ensemble cast in the new Freeform television series Siren

Curtis makes his big screen debut in Mina Shum’s highly anticipated feature film Meditation Park opening the Vancouver International Film Festival

Actor Curtis Lum makes his big screen debut this fall in Mina Shum’s highly anticipated feature film Meditation Park opening the 2017 VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival), with a gala screening on September 28th.  With an all-star cast that includes Chinese movie legend Cheng Pei Pei (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy), and Hong Kong-American actor Tzi Ma, Meditation Park premiered at this year’s TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).

Meditation Park is about a devoted Chinese wife Maria (Cheng Pei Pei) discovering her husband’s infidelity when finding another women’s thong in her husband’s laundry, propelling her on an empowering journey of mental, financial and physical emancipation. Curtis makes a cameo in this film playing a young fishmonger that Maria always goes to hassle and bargain with.

“Being a part of Meditation Park is somewhat like sending a love letter to my Mom,” says Curtis, “Meditation Park honours family, tradition, community and the unique culture of our city. It hit me close to home as they shot in a part of Vancouver’s Chinatown where I used to buy fish with my dad and grandfather from the market I shot in for the film!”

On the small screen, Curtis returns to CW’s American superhero action-adventure TV series Supergirl to premiere October 9th. In Supergirl, Curtis plays Agent Demos, an agent in the DEO that works with Supergirl and her team to keep National City safe from the bad guys. Supergirl is based on the DC Comics character Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), and stars Melissa Benoist in the title role.

Currently, Curtis is filming the new Freeform original drama Siren, which is slated for release in 2018. In his recurring role on Siren, Curtis plays Calvin a local fisherman.

At the age of 20, Curtis did whatever it took to make his leap as an actor landing a recurring role on the Canadian teen-drama Renegade Press as Conor Ying. Soon after, Curtis booked his first movie playing a sperm-donating monk on an Anna Chi film called Dim Sum Funeral. In the recent years, he played Henry Kishida in FOX’s Prison Break and other guest roles in TV series including Travelers, The Arrangement, The Romeo Section and Psych.

Curtis is a “bonafide hustler” and a “fighter”, willing to take roles at any capacity to breakthrough an industry where Asian Americans are still a minority. He produced Jaded and Chasing Mood and a short experimental film called Pyramid, which was taken from the award-winning piece Spoken Word written by Andy Garland. He also produced the music video HeadLights featuring Cadence and starring Nalani Weston, breaking boundaries with his talent as he also sang in that song.

Curtis was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. He grew up in the family restaurant business with parents who taught him everything he needed to know about hard work. Curtis remains humble and takes all life as learning experiences, which he can apply to his craft. Curtis is involved with a non-profit community-based group called “Help Change My City”. To stay healthy, he keeps up with a regular fitness regimen with boxing, kickboxing or playing basketball and when he needs to get in shape for a role, he relies on his go-to celebrity fitness trainer Anna Wong to whip him into shape.

His world of entertainment doesn’t stop there. Curtis has been hosting club nights and MC parties since he was 16, going by the name of “CuLu”. Along with acting, Curtis is a fashionista, style-setter, a bit of a rogue, rebel, and a trailblazer all at once, turning unconventional ways into his own conventional.  Curtis currently resides in Vancouver and splits his time in LA.

Curtis Lum is available for interviews upon request.

For more information and interview requests please contact:

Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

Agent: Aaron Alexander | aaron@triskotalent.com 604.637.7009

Curtis Lum Links

Website: www.curtislum.com

Demo Reel: https://vimeo.com/150982103

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2980899/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtislum

Instagram: @hansumlum https://www.instagram.com/hansumlum

Twitter: @culu www.twitter.com/culu

 

Meditation Park trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59BpEiTWLGk

Meditation Park

MINA SHUM, CANADA, 2017, 94 MIN.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 7:00 PM, CENTRE FOR ARTS
SAT SEP 30, 12:30 PM, PLAYHOUSE
WED OCT 11, 6:15 PM, RIO THEATRE

Buy tickets online

https://www.viff.org/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=f24176-meditation-park&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id= 

Siren: http://freeform.go.com/shows/siren

Siren Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rlY8cGxafc

Jaded: https://vimeo.com/100393754

Headlights music video: https://vimeo.com/142354622

The Promotion People

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Unnerving Feature Film ‘Once There Was a Winter’ set for world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival

The white-knuckle thriller, seen through a female lens, stars Kate Corbett, Teach Grant, Juan Riedinger, and Kris Demeanor

For immediate release: Vancouver, BC–Search Engine Films / Violator Films / Rodeo Queen Pictures are pleased to announce the feature film Once There Was a Winter will have its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival. The first showing of the edge-of-your-seat, finger nail-biting suspense film will take place on Sunday, October 1st at 9pm, at The Rio Theatre. It will also screen on Friday, October 6 at 4:30pm, at International Village. The anticipated thriller is written and directed by Ana Valine and produced by Lori Lozinski and Seanna McPherson. Starring Kate Corbett, Teach Grant, Juan Riedinger and Kris Demeanor, the film was shot in a remote location in Northern British Columbia.

Once There Was Winter is the story of the Canadian North’s unforgiving nature, amplified to chilling effect. This northern tale takes unseemly turns when a young woman, The Lady, played by Kate Corbett (Fargo, Good Witch, Lost Girl), working as a welder’s helper finds herself in over her head with three men: The Welder (portrayed by Teach Grant – Lucifer, Damnation, Altered Carbon), The Hunter (played by Juan Riedinger – The Romeo Section, Narcos, It Stains the Sands Red, Good Behavior) and The Plumber (played by Kris Demeanor – The Valley Below, Making Treaty 7, and The Irrelevant Show), in a secluded doublewide trailer. A guilty secret, a grudge between brothers and a hidden relationship are all revealed; muted at first, but more menacing as the night wears on. Wolves, booze, and guns fuel this psychological powder keg. Entangled in a web of unresolved family drama, she learns the hard way about surviving nature in the North.

Northern BC is a central character of its own in the film, with cast and crew flying in from Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and L.A. to shoot in the isolated location.

Once There Was a Winter twists the thriller and Western genres by locating the perspective in the female lead, in the midst of  a masculine world. This intention has been the creative force behind all technical and creative choices throughout the filmmaking process.  Lady has no name because the men in the story have no need to name her. To them, she is an object. But, the story is told through her eyes. When she first enters the trailer, she sees the three men, and the audience sees them, through her eyes.  The audience feels what she feels. To be seen and objectified by them. The threat of sexual violence permeates the story.

Told from her point of view, she is an object to the whim of men in this story. From a female director, these elements play themselves out very differently than we’ve come to expect.

This film was made with the explicit purpose of targeting a female audience, of addressing the notion of the female gaze, the role of, and construction of, genre in narrative, and creating a female subject to stir the discourse of the role of gender in cinema.

Amidst the festival success of Sitting on the Edge of Marlene, Writer/ Director Ana Valine wrote the first draft of Once There was a Winter in a creative maelstrom. Compelled to make a film that challenges genre, propels women’s cinema and expands the conversation of the female perspective, award-winning Producers Lori Lozinski, and Seanna McPherson were drawn to the project.

 

Other film crew credits include:

Director of Photography: Michael LeBlanc

Production Design: Grant Pearse

Editor: Ana Valine

Music Supervisor: Matthew Safran

Interviews with the cast and crew are available upon request.

For more information, interviews and photos please contact:

Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

The Promotion People

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‘Gabriel and the Mountain’ (‘Gabriel e a montanha’) winner of two 2017 Cannes Critics’ Week Awards premieres in North America at the Vancouver International Film Festival

Brazilian director Fellipe GamaranoBarbosa is thrilled to announce the North American premiere of his film Gabriel and the Mountain (‘Gabriel e a montanha’) at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Gabriel and the Mountain had its World Premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. The film won the prestigious France 4 Visionary Award (Prix Révélation France 4), Gan Foundation Support for Distribution Award (Prix Fondation Gan a la Diffusion) and was nominated for the Critics’ Week Grand Prize (Semaine de la Critique). The Vancouver screenings are October 2nd at 8:30 PM and October 3rd at 2:00 PM. (www.viff.org)
With rave film reviews by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline Gabriel and the Mountain is based on a true story of Barbosa’s school friend, Gabriel Buchmann, who traveled to Africa and died on the slopes of Malawi’s Mount Mulanje in 2009. Barbosa recreates his friend’s journey in this warm-hearted feature with the help of men and women who met Gabriel along the way. This movie is a tribute – a gift, really – to his dear friend.  “Because death is not only sad, tragic, and painful – it’s also the greatest mystery of life. It makes us stronger to look at it,” says Barbosa.

Thanks to the performance by actor João Pedro Zappa (Auto Exposure, Eden, Ressaca), who deserves a great deal of credit for making Gabriel so vibrant. He gives Gabriel an authentic charm and depth. Opposite Zappa, Caroline Abras (Something Like That, If Nothing Else Works Out) plays Cristina, Gabriel’s girlfriend at the time. Cristina travelled through Tanzania and Zambia with Gabriel during his African journey. Barbosa and his actors do a beautiful job of investing audience emotions in Gabriel’s joy for a sense of brotherhood, his hunger for new experiences and his love for Cristina.

Determined to research poverty experientially far away from his comfortable Rio de Janeiro upbringing, Gabriel lived cheaply, explored widely and attempted to give away 80% of his daily budget to those in need.  The most immediately striking element of Gabriel’s personality is his sense of urgency, as his outsize appetite matches his impatience to achieve his goals. His eagerness often drifts from well meaning but naïve to arrogant but passionate, serving as a shrewd light comic skewering of traveler stereotypes.

Barbosa took to astounding lengths to make this film happen. Retracing the steps of his friend’s journey was no easy feat: from finding the people who interacted with Gabriel from eight years earlier, working partially with a non-professional cast and to tackling what was clearly a complex production, shooting in various countries in Africa and in locations that aren’t always easily accessible.

Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa was born in Rio de Janeiro, he directed the short films La Muerte es pequeña and Salt Kiss, selected at NYFF, Clermont-Ferrand, Guadalajara and Sundance. In 2008, he developed the screenplay of Casa Grande at the Sundance labs; the film premiered at Rotterdam’s competition in 2014. Gabriel e a montanha (Gabriel and the Mountain) is his second fiction feature.

Fellipe Barbosa will be in Vancouver from October 1st to October 3rd and available for interviews. The screening on October 2nd is at 8:30pm at the Vancity Theatre and at the Cineplex Odeon International Village cinemas on October 3rd is at 2pm. Gabriel and the Mountain will open in theatres in Vancouver and Toronto on November 10th, 2017.

 

For all media requests, information, interviews and photos please contact:

Lesley Diana | lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

For Canadian Distribution opportunities please contact 

Maison 4:3 – Claire Guidicelli | Director of Distribution | Claire@maison4tiers.com | phone: 438-387-1547

Gabriel and the Mountain – Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdA1c1ujTs8

Links

http://www.semainedelacritique.com/en/edition/2017/movie/gabriel-e-a-montanha

Film Reviews

Variety

http://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/gabriel-and-the-mountain-review-1202439773/

Hollywood Reporter

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/gabriel-mountain-gabriel-e-a-montanha-review-1003951

Screen Daily

https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/gabriel-and-the-mountain-cannes-review/5118171.article

Film-Forward

http://film-forward.com/documentary/three-gems-cannes-2017

Deadline

http://deadline.com/2017/05/critics-week-prizes-2017-makala-gabriel-and-the-mountain-cannes-1202102964/

 

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SHORT FILM MUST KILL KARL BY AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER JOE KICAK HAS ALBERTA PREMIERE AT THE EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ON OCTOBER 6TH

 Everyone has ‘that’ friend…

Director Joe Kicak is pleased to announce that the short dark comedy MUST KILL KARL will have its Alberta Premiere at the Edmonton International Film Festival on October 6th 2017. Funded by Bravo!Fact, directed by Joe Kicak (Frigid) and written by Karen Moore (Workin’ Moms), Must Kill Karl stars Mike Lobel (Degrassi: The Next Generation) as Karl and co-stars Peter Mooney (Burden of Truth, Rookie Blue), Sarah Power (American Gods, Killjoys), Scott Cavalheiro (Mary Kills People), Claire Stollery (Man Seeking Woman), Jamie Spilchuk (Good Witch), and Stacey McGunnigle (Ellen More or Less). Must Kill Karl is produced by Broken Compass Films (A Sunday Kind of Love). 

Everyone has “that” friend – The one who shows up uninvited, drinks all your booze, and hits on your girlfriend – Who we all secretly hate and wish would just go away. One night, a group of friends decide enough is enough and there’s only one way to get rid of him for good – They MUST KILL KARL.

Must Kill Karl is an absurdist examination of a friend group that have outgrown one of their own – where Karl has gone from being a nuisance, to actually destructive to the group. The story is about how the friends reach a boiling point and come to the (abrupt) conclusion that killing him is the only solution to rid him from their lives. But at the heart of this dark story, it’s really about the enduring nature of lifelong friendship and that maybe, just maybe, we’ve all got a little Karl in us.

Starring Mike Lobel as Karl, best known for his roles as Jay Hogart on CTV’s “Degrassi: The Next Generation” and DJ on the Family Channel sitcom “Really Me”.  A trained musician, Mike has been a member of the indie-pop band Future Peers. Co-starring an ensemble cast, Must Kill Karl takes an unexpected turn that will take you by surprise.

Award-winning filmmaker Joe Kicak is a writer/director/producer keeping busy with his other award wining short ‘Frigid’ on the festival circuit. Joe is currently in development with CBC Kids with a Digital Original series. His previous directing credits include the award-winning short film Distilled Love, which received the National Screen Institute’s Drama Prize. His feature film, Two Days Till Tomorrow, screened at festivals across North America and won a limited Canadian theatrical release with AMC theatres.

Karen Moore is a Toronto-based writer and producer of narrative TV and films. Karen’s currently a writer/co-producer on the hit comedy series Workin’ Moms (CBC). Her TV writing/story editing credits include What Would Sal Do? (Crave) and Rookie Blue (ABC/Shaw). Karen is in development with CBC Kids on a Digital Original series. Karen wrote/produced the 2012 BravoFACT drama, Your Place or Mine, and the award-winning drama, Frozen Marbles.

Must Kill Karl is already garnering praise, and premieres on Bravo in January 2018 and on CBC’s Canadian Reflections in February 2018.

Director Joe Kicak, lead actor Mike Lobel, and writer Karen Moore will be in attendance at the Edmonton Film Festival screening of Must Kill Karl

For more information, interviews and photos please contact:

Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

Website: mustkillkarl.com

Trailer: http://www.mustkillkarl.com/trailer

The Promotion People

Website: thepromotionpeople.ca
Twitter: 
@PromotionPeople
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Instagram: @promotion.people 

DIRECTOR JOE KICAK’S SHORT FILM ‘FRIGID’ STARRING DAMON RUNYAN & HELI KENNEDY TO SCREEN AT THE CALGARY FILM FESTIVAL

Filmmaker/Producer/Director Joe Kicak is pleased to announce that the award-winning drama/suspense short film Frigid will have its Alberta premiere at the Calgary Film Festival on September 23rd and October 1st. Exhausted by her newborn, a first-time mother’s home becomes a trap as her husband’s sinister intentions emerge. Starring Damon Runyan (Star Trek Discovery, Gangland Undercover) and Heli Kennedy (Distilled Love) the film is directed by Joe Kicak and written by Heli Kennedy (Orphan Black graphic novel writer). 

Frigid is inspired by true events experienced by the director, Joe Kicak. “During high school, I opened up to a teacher about my mother’s life-long battle with bi-polar disorder.  She then shared her struggle with post-partum psychosis, which the film is based on. Coming from an immigrant family that didn’t believe in – let alone speak about – mental illness, I find sharing stories of people’s struggles important. That way we can get through the isolated horror, and begin the hard discussions to heal together.”

Award-winning filmmaker Joe Kicak is also the director of the dark comedy short, Must Kill Karl, currently on the festival circuit. Joe is in development with CBC Kids with a Digital Original series. His previous directing credits include the award-winning short film Distilled Love, which received the National Screen Institute’s Drama Prize. His feature film, Two Days Till Tomorrow, screened at festivals across North America and won a limited Canadian theatrical release with AMC theatres.

Heli Kennedy won the City of Toronto Award for Best Actress at the Lakeshorts Film Festival 2017 for this role. As a writer and actor, Heli has a passion for creating (and portraying) strong, diverse female characters that challenge and explore tired stereotypes. Currently, she’s penning a comic book series for the award-winning TV show ORPHAN BLACK (BBC America) and IDW Publishing.  She is alum of the Canadian Film CentreThe Second City and a recipient of a Panavision Award of Excellence for Screenwriting.

Damon Runyan is an award winning actor with an impressive list of film and TV credits that include The Bridge, the role of Coach Carson on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and guest star roles on Nikita, Covert Affairs, Call Me Fitz, Supernatural and Smallville. Runyan also starred opposite Tricia Helfer in Mistleltoe Over Manhattan. He is also a writer and director of the award-winning shorts Fade IN, Triple A and the National Film Challenge winner Cassidy. Damon currently stars in the international hit mini series as Charles Falco in Gangland Undercover and the hotly anticipated new Star Trek Discovery TV series.

The award-winning short film Frigid was created with the generous participation of the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council. Frigid has also been accepted to the New Filmmakers Festival in Los Angeles screening on October 21st.

Frigid director/producer Joe Kicak and lead actress/writer Heli Kennedy will be in attendance at the Calgary screenings for Q & A’s and available for interviews upon request. 

For more information, photos and interviews please contact:

Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/films/2017/frigid

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Meet Beau Dick: Maker of Monsters to have world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival

The documentary film gives an intimate look into the life of one of Canada’s greatest artists  Athene Film Inc. is pleased to announce the documentary Executive producers Natalie Boll, Randall Perry, and LaTiesha Ti’si’tla Fazakas have spent over five years completing this highly anticipated documentary. In the roles of directors, producers, and writers, Natalie and LaTiesha put their hearts and souls into telling a story that needed to be told.

Meet Beau Dick – Maker of Monsters is a portrait of Canadian art legend, Beau Dick, an enigmatic carver from a small remote village on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. His remarkable masks have been celebrated across the global art scene as vibrant expressions of West Coast Indigenous culture and a sophisticated crossover into the contemporary art world. Dick had an unprecedented ability to tap into the collective memory of his people and breathe new life into age-old traditions.

The film strives to capture the essence of Beau Dick and his mysterious enigma as an artist who symbolized Canada’s history with the First Nations and the ethical dilemmas faced in reconciling with that colonialist history. Dick was able to use his celebrity to call attention to the injustices done to his people and the environment.

Weaving together the personal and cultural until both become inseparable, Meet Beau Dick – Maker of Monsters presents an artist who succeeded in reconciling the two. Sadly, Beau passed away in March 2017, but he was able to see a rough cut of the film before his passing at 61 years old. This film has become a beautiful legacy of who Beau Dick was.

Meet Beau Dick – Maker of Monsters illuminates a man whose art and life continue to transcend expectations and boundaries. Natalie Boll explains, “We wanted to tell a story of both the artist and the world that informed his work. We aimed to present Beau in an intuitive and authentic tone, and to define his position within Canada’s complex colonial history and the larger struggle for Indigenous rights.”

“There are always good local artists and craftsmen, but only a few in each generation who are recognized on the international stage. Beau’s masks are wonderful to look at, but more than that, one can see the colour interactions, design, and balance in the indefinable blend that truly makes them special. Beau was also a work of art himself, as wonderful a person as he was quirky,” adds Randall Perry, past gallery owner and member of London’s Chelsea Art Club.

The project started with LaTiesha Fazakas in 2010 as Beau’s representative, close friend, and adopted family member. After two years of development, she met Natalie Boll, and together they worked for the next five years on the project as co-directors/partners. “I wanted the storytelling to be reflective of Beau’s cultural background, and yet accessible to a non-Native audience, says LaTiesha. “And so we proceeded, throughout the journey, in an organic fashion that put us in the place of listener rather than speaker. And we listened very closely to everything that Beau said.”

Natalie Boll’s career included over 15 years of production experience as a Producer, Writer, and Production Manager. The first time Natalie held a Beau Dick mask, she felt it had power, it had spirit, and it was alive. Natalie committed herself to the documentary after she flew to Alert Bay to meet Beau and found he was just as magical as his mask. Natalie has worked as a producer in both scripted and non-scripted television specializing in online content strategies. Natalie has also managed a variety of productions including Food Networks’ World’s Weirdest Restaurants, HGTV Canada’s Urban Suburban and the feature film Rampage 3 now on Netflix.

Director of the Fazakas Gallery in Vancouver BC, LaTiesha Fazakas’ experience managing galleries, curating, and art consulting gives her a unique insight into the art world. A leading expert in Northwest Coast Native art, LaTiesha represents some of the genre’s most talented individuals. LaTiesha’s close personal and professional relationship with Beau spanned over two decades and forged the dynamics of this project.

Meet Beau Dick – Maker of Monsters (part of VIFF’s #mustseeBC) will screen on Saturday, September 30, 9:15pm, and Wednesday, October 11, 3:45pm at SFU, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W Hastings St, Vancouver. Producers will be in attendance and available for interviews. For tickets, visit: www.viff.org.

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Natalie and LaTiesha are available for interviews upon request please contact:

Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

www.makerofmonsters.ca

http://archive.viff.org/e-blasts/viff/2017/PR/02_SeaToSky_PR.html

For film requests please contact:

Natalie Boll: natalielizboll@gmail.com

For Beau Dick Art requests please contact:

LaTiesha Fazakas: latiesha37@gmail.com

The Promotion People

Website: thepromotionpeople.ca
Twitter: @PromotionPeople
Facebook: The Promotion People
Instagram: @promotion.people

 

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David Sancious, world renowned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, keyboardist, guitarist, and composer to perform in Monmouth, Maine on September 29th at 8:00 p.m.

David will perform a magical musical evening with drummer Joe Bonadio in the beautiful Cumstom Hall

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, keyboardist, guitarist and composer David Sancious, is pleased to announce that he will be performing a concert at Cumston Hall, on September 29th at 796 Main Street in Monmouth, Maine at 8:00 P.M. Tickets are $28.00 at the door.

David will be performing with Joe Bonadio, drummer and percussionist with Sting, Chris Boti, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, and many others. The performance will include: Duo improvisations. Solo Piano / Synthesizer, Electric & Acoustic Guitar , and songs from the new album “The Treehouse Sessions”. The concert will be followed by a Q&A session with photo and autograph opportunities.

An original member of Bruce Springsteen’s beloved E Street Band, David recorded three albums together and toured the country before he left the band to form his own group, “Tone”. David recorded multiple albums with Tone and the accomplishments of these albums led him to become one of the most talented and respected keyboardists in the industry. David is currently working on his ninth album, “The Treehouse Sessions”.

The notable artist has since worked with celebrities such as Sting, Peter Gabriel, Eric Clapton, Seal, Aretha Franklin, Santana, Jeff Beck and many others. David has performed on more than 50 albums since his 1973 debut album, “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The versatility of his sensational career has made it difficult to categorize his music. David, however, considers his art a mixture of harmony and melody from the jazz and classical traditions combined with rhythms from the rock and R&B traditions. David is well respected by his peers, considered by many as a “musician’s musician”.

David has spent the last five years touring with some of the most sought-after musicians of our time. He joined both Sting and Peter Gabriel on separate tours, and then a combined tour “Rock Paper Scissors” last year. In 2014 Bruce Springsteen presented to David when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the other members of the E Street Band.

Drummer percussionist Joe Bonadio came to NY from Wisconsin 38 years ago.
Since then he has had the opportunity to work in a very wide variety of musical situations. He has played on hundreds of jingles, movie soundtracks including Hope Floats, State and Main, Girlfight, Heist and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He has recorded with Sting, Rob Mathes, Martin Sexton, Marc Cohn, Rosanne Cash, Jimmy Scott, Pat Martino, and many others.

The environment at Cumston Hall is beautiful and very intimate. The music will be magical at this one time only concert. Seating is limited up to 350 seats. Tickets are $28.00 US at the door or through Ed Desjardins http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3077045

 

 

David is available for interviews and photos upon request.

For media interviews please contact:

Lesley Diana | Lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca 604-726-5575

Social Media Handles:

Twitter: @DavidSancious

Website: www.davidsancious.com

For Ticket and Concert information please contact: Ed Desjardins | edjtunes@gmail.com |  207-557-3955 | www.facebook.com/ed.desjardins | http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3077045

The Promotion People

Website: thepromotionpeople.ca
Twitter: 
@PromotionPeople
Facebook: 
The Promotion People
Instagram: @promotion.people 

 

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