Tag Archives: premiere

Read Sonja Bennett’s journey to writing her first screenplay for the now popular feature film Preggoland now playing in theatres in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal in Canada and opens in the US on May 8th to a limited release in 10 cities.

MongrelMedia_Preggoland_Onesheet_V2By Sonja Bennett

The almost rise, kinda fall, and sorta resurrection of a Canadian actress

In 2001 I was in theatre school getting the dregs of the acting roles. In the last production, I played eight parts – two of which were barnyard animals. My career goal at that point was to be a Bard on the Beach regular and maybe not have to live with three roommates. But my prospects weren’t looking great.

Then something happened. My father, Guy Bennett, was about to direct his first feature, Punch, about a father-daughter relationship. The story goes that the producer said offhandedly, “Too bad your daughter isn’t an actress, that’d be a good hook.” Um, does a proficiency in the back half of a horse costume count? I was “cast” in the movie and my career in film was put in motion.

Headhunters from Fox television were at our TIFF premiere and put me on a contract old-school style like I was Shirley Temple or something. Me and a little unknown comic named Zach Galifianakis. Ever heard of him?

Suddenly I was being groomed as “the next Calista Flockhart.” But my body rebelled against this idea. Somewhere I had read that cashew nuts were a healthy snack and I was eating them by the Dan-D-Pak. I gained 20 pounds, had a stress rash all over my face and had developed an audition-selective stutter. I was completely unprepared for 12-page last minute auditions in LA where I had no support network except my loyal agent, Dylan Collingwood, who came down and tried to help jam lines in my head and figure out the LA highway system.

Needless to say, I didn’t get my Ally McBeal, nothing came of my Fox contract and I slinked back to Vancouver with my tail between my legs. My ego was bruised pretty bad and I took to embarrassing behaviour like hitting gold-level tanning beds to give the town the impression I was “just up from LA for the weekend.”

Six months after my Fox contract had ended, I booked the new lead character on the seventh season of the Canadian series Cold Squad, and despite my whole management team’s disappointment, I was very happy. From that point on I worked steadily for almost a decade. I did comedy, I did drama, I got to work with Atom Egoyan and I won awards and stuff. Life was pretty sweet. I’d once again redefined what my dreams were and could say I was now living it.

A_EDA3254nd then the recession happened.

Movie stars were turning to shitty TV for work, and the roles I realistically had a shot at were getting smaller and sillier and less lucrative. I had also turned 30 and was apparently no longer the “right kind” of pretty for Smallville. So I did what most actresses do when the work dries up. I decided it’s time to have a baby!

I’m kidding – sort of. Motherhood gave a context to my career. I tried being pickier with roles, but all the good ones went to Oscar winners.

My body was starting to rebel against the slog of being a Vancouver actress in her 30s; to the high probability that the project I was auditioning for had the word “Fatal” or “Tornado” in the title.

I was getting bitter-actress-itis.

I remember my kid saying, “Mama sad, mama have dish-in.” I guess I was sad about my “dish-in” and more importantly I wasn’t a good enough actor to hide it from my son.

So I stopped acting. For almost three years. It was hard. But it was the right decision. I detoxed from the crack that is the highs and lows of the entertainment industry, I had a second child without consulting the UBCP/ACTRA “what’s shooting” list, and I went back to university to seek out another career path cause god knows if I’m not pretty enough for Smallville I’m definitely not getting a job at Cactus Club.

But I still found myself drawn to my husband’s (actor Stephen Lobo) callsheets and scripts. I missed being creative and telling stories and making movies. I wanted back in but knew it had to be different this time round.

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I decided to write myself the juicy lead role that no one was going to give me otherwise. The plan was to write a starring vehicle to resuscitate my nearly dead career. I had stories from my motherhood experiences and I came up with the concept for a movie called Preggoland.

And then I wrote. Before my kids woke up, during their naptimes, in the middle of the night if I couldn’t sleep. I channeled all that creative energy into a story. My dear friend Kevin Eastwood agreed to produce. Ironically, by far the most difficult thing about getting the film made was convincing the decision makers to have me star in it. But the producers and the director, Jacob Tierney, supported me entirely – which meant a much smaller budget and a bigger pain in the ass for all involved. They did it anyway and never made me feel guilty.

Now, of course, I would never be so cavalier as to suggest the answer to all out-of-work actresses is to just “go out and make a feature.” It was the simple act of being creative on my own terms and taking control of my own destiny that empowered me. My bitter actress-itis was cured long before Preggoland went into production.

And did all my dreams come true with this film? Has Hollywood come knocking?

I guess the answer is, I don’t know yet. I’m not thinking about it all that much because I’m too busy with my family and the new ideas in my head. In my quest to write a vehicle to launch a “comeback,” I fell in love with writing along the way. And so the parameters of my dream life have shifted once again.

I won’t pretend that it doesn’t twinge my heart a little when I see Zach Galifianakis hosting Saturday Night Live and wonder what could have been if I’d laid off the cashews. But then I move on fast because I’m too busy writing my next feature.

-Sonja Bennett

Social Media Handles

Website: sonjabennett.camongrelmedia.com/film/preggoland.aspxindiegogo.com/projects/preggoland-help-us-finish-the-movie
Twitter: @sonjabennett123@Preggoland
Facebook: facebook.com/Preggoland
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm1060641/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

STAR AND SCREENWRITER SONJA BENNETT’S FEATURE FILM “PREGGOLAND” OPENS MAY 1ST IN CANADA AND MAY 8TH IN THE USA THE FILM SHOWCASES HER MANY TALENTS WITH CO-STARS OSCAR NOMINEE JAMES CAAN AND DANNY TREJO

The Promotion People - Sonja BennettTaking two years off to make Preggoland Sonja books her first role back on ABC’s “Mistresses”

Star and Screenwriter Sonja Bennett’s Feature Film Preggoland will be released Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal in Canada on May 1st and in the US on May 8th to a limited release in 10 cities.

Preggoland is very much Sonja Bennett’s baby (pun intended!). The movie marks her foray into screenwriting; in addition to starring in the Canadian indie, the award-winning actress penned the script.  Sonja realized there weren’t as many roles for women over 30, so she decided to be proactive about her career by writing herself the juicy lead she’d been craving.   “I was interested in exploring of how motherhood changes female friendships, the artifice of this giant clique of motherhood and the pregnancy pedestal,” Sonja shares. Inspiration came from Bennett’s 
own experience of becoming pregnant with her now five-year-old son.

Montreal’s Jacob Tierney (The Trotsky) directs Preggoland, a laugh-out-loud comedy about a 35-year old woman Ruth (Sonja Bennett) whose high school friends have moved onto motherhood, while she’s still partying in the parking lot. But when Ruth is mistakenly thought to be “with child,” 
her life changes – old pals embrace her, strangers give up their seats and her father (James Caan) approves of her for the first time. How can she keep up the ruse? Also starring are Lisa Durupt (Ruth’s baby-wanting sister), Paul Campbell (the 
boss Ruth bonds with over a song), Jared Keeso (the doctor she surprises) and 
Danny Trejo (the co-worker who surprises her).

Photo by Ed Araquel
BCBGMAXAZRIA

Preggoland_Lisa Durupt, Sonja Bennett and James Caan

 

The film opened to a much-hyped premiere as a Special Presentation at TIFF and in Sonja’s hometown at the Vancouver International Film Festival where it won the Most Popular Canadian Feature Film Award and was nominated for best BC film by the VFCC. Preggoland won the Best screenplay award at the Fargo film festival and most recently, on March 15th, the film won the audience choice award for best feature film at the Omaha Film Fest and screened at Miami 2015. Upcoming festivals include Sonoma International Festival on March 27th, the Gasparilla Film Festival in Tampa Bay Florida where Preggoland will be the closing night film and the film has also been accepted into the Bejing Film Festival.

Dorkshelf says “Preggoland has a stellar script and a star making performance from writer and lead Sonja Bennett.” Scene Creek billed the film “smart and savvy” while NOW Magazine said “Bennett’s written a sharp comedy that explores the societal pressure on women without children and gives a knockout performance as bad girl Ruth.”

After taking two years off to make Preggoland Sonja books her first role back as a ballerina with a blood disorder in the third season of ABC’s drama/thriller Mistresses. She and her husband (Ed Quinn) get tangled up in the lives of one of the Mistresses in an interesting way. Sonja will join the series stars Jes Macallan, Rochelle Aytes, Yunjin Kim, and Jennifer Esposito.

Acting for more than 10 years, Sonja Bennett has appeared in critically acclaimed films such as Atom Egoyan’s Where the Truth LiesElegy starring Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz, and TIFF opening night film Young People Fucking – for which she earned a Vancouver Film Critics Circle award. The Vancouver native has kept an equally busy profile on the small screen with recurring roles in Eureka, Battlestar Galatica, Blade: The Series. Her performances in Random Acts of RomanceIn No Particular Order, Cole and the TV series Godivas and Cold Squad garnered her Leo Gemini, and Genie nominations.

Shot in Vancouver, the film is produced by Kevin Eastwood (Fido) and Dylan Collingwood, Fake-a-baby Productions, Titlecard Pictures Inc. and Optic

Nerve Films Inc. with the support of Telefilm. Preggoland is being released in Canada by Mongrel Media.

Social Media Handles

Website: sonjabennett.camongrelmedia.com/film/preggoland.aspxindiegogo.com/projects/preggoland-help-us-finish-the-movie
Twitter: @sonjabennett123@Preggoland
Facebook: facebook.com/Preggoland
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm1060641/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

NEW SHAW TV SERIES ‘FIONA FORBES’ AIRS THURSDAYS 6 PM AND 10 PM

FF Logo BlackInsightful interviews and a lively panel discussion
Only on Shaw TV-Vancouver

channel 4

About the Show
Shaw TV – Vancouver is poised to launch the newest talk show on the local scene: Fiona Forbes is a 30-minute gabfest that includes an intimate conversation with a notable personality, followed by candid panel commentary about headlines making waves in pop culture.

Coming up this week CBC’s Dragon Den’s Restauranteur Vikram Vij is Fiona’s feature guest. Vikram will stick around for the panel with Chelah Horsdal and Brent Furdyk (editor of TV Week). Steve Darling and Sophie Lui will answer the “7 Questions” segment.

Past interviews include comedy icon John Cleese, Astronaut and all ‘round cool dude Commander Chris Hadfield and Social Entrepreneur Mark Brand. Past panelists have been CBC’s Grant Lawrence, CFOX’s Karen Khunkhun, Prevail from Swollen Members, Global News Anchor Chris Gailus, Vancouver’s Man About Town Fred Lee, Style Expert Susie Wall, Recording Artist Bif Naked and Writer-Broadcaster Steve Burgess. Plus we’ve also had Mayor Derek Corrigan, Scottish Design Duo Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan and the one and only MICHAEL ECKFORD!!

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In Brief
Shaw TV – Vancouver’s newest talk show on the local scene – Fiona Forbes! And ‘talk’ is the operative word: the 30-minute gabfest includes a fun & casual personality-driven conversation, followed by candid panel commentary about headlines that are making waves in pop culture.

The series is hosted by – you guessed it – one of Vancouver’s favourite TV personalities* Fiona Forbes who brings her trademark conversational style to insightful interviews with celebs and public figures, and delves into issue- oriented discussion with an ever-changing gang of notable – and opinionated – panelists. Eclectic. Energetic. Entertaining.

* The Georgia Straight, 2014

At Length
Fiona Forbes is a 30-minute talk series that includes fun & casual personality-driven conversation, and combines it with a candid panel commentary featuring distinct views on matters of interest to the community.

The show will include two integral segments – a feature interview and a roundtable discussion – and will introduce a short and fun signature Q&A piece 7 Questions that will wrap each episode.

The key word is TALK: no demos, no performances, no gimmicks. The show offers interesting and revealing personality profiles, along with honest opinions, ideas, banter and debate. The interview capitalizes on Fiona’s lighthearted conversational style as she engages with high-profile guests, while the roundtable allows Fiona and her always-changing group of notable panelists to delve into more issue-centric chat with a focus on headlines, trends and pop culture buzz.

Hosted by award-winning broadcaster Fiona Forbes.

Thursday 6pm and 10pm only on Shaw TV-Vancouver.
Friday 10am, 2pm, 10pm; Saturday 10am, 6pm; Sunday 10am, 6pm

Social Media Handles

Website:  fionaforbes.com
Twitter: @FionaForbes@FionaForbesShaw
Facebook: facebook.com/fionaforbes
Instagram: @fionaforbes

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

Brightlight Pictures’ Short film, “GREECE”, heads for colder climate with Whistler International Film Festival Selection

Writer/Director/Actor Sarah Deakins’ award winning short film, “GREECE” is set for its Canadian premiere at the Whistler International Film Festival as a part of the Canadian Short Works Competition. “GREECE” will screen on Thursday, December 4th, 12:00pm at Millennium Place www.whistlerfilmfestival.com

The Promotion People - GREECE

“GREECE” centers on a daughter’s final attempt to connect with her seemingly catatonic mother. Brightlight Pictures president Shawn Williamson saw something in local writer Deakins’ script, and took the project on as a creative labour of love. A recent co-recipient of the inaugural Brian Linehan Actor Award, Deakins also stars in the character driven drama and as a director she was finally able to fully realize her vision, in her hometown of Vancouver.

Already a triple award winner, GREECE continues to garner praise following its debut in October on the US Film Festival circuit. A fresh, local Vancouver crew, all volunteers, worked closely together to produce a short with incredible production value, inspired by a strong creative vision from the film’s writer/director, Sarah Deakins, and captured beautifully by cinematographer Jon Joffin.

The Best Shorts Competition says of GREECE, “A tribute to the complicated relationships between parents and children with moving dialogue and expressions…A deeply personal journey with beautiful cinematography” and film critic David Spaner tweeted,  “…catch director/actor/writer Sarah Deakins’ Greece when you can. Beautifully executed short making festival rounds”.

The Promotion People - GREECE

In response to the three awards before the film has even hit the Canadian festival circuit, Ms. Deakins states, “Everyone who worked  on this film is thrilled to have been recognized by the Best Shorts Competition and The Accolade Global competition judges, and we are most grateful that the film is connecting with people. The whole team worked really hard to bring this vision to life and to know that people are now responding to the artistry that we took such care with is most gratifying. And we’re thrilled to have our Canadian premiere at Whistler!”

Producer Arielle Boisvert says, “We have been very pleased with the response to our film. The subject matter is close to our hearts and we are looking forward to our Canadian premier in Whistler.”

About Brightlight Pictures
Brightlight Pictures develops, packages and produces independent feature films and television projects, and its President, Shawn Williamson, has produced more than 90 productions in the last 15 years and over 35 productions since launching Brightlight in 2001. Recently, Williamson has worked as an executive producer on the feature film THE INTERVIEW (Seth Rogen, James Franco) for Columbia Pictures and the television series WITCHES OF EAST END (Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum) for Fox 21. His recent producer credits include the feature film HORNS (Daniel Radcliffe) for Mandalay and Red Granite Pictures; 50/50 (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt;) and THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, a Sony Picture directed by Robert Redford and starring Robert Redford and Shia LaBeouf.

For more information regarding “GREECE” please contact Producer Arielle Boisvert, at Brightlight Pictures: (604) 628-3000 or 778-866-1647Arielle@brightlightpictures.com.

For tickets and information, go to http:// www.whistlerfilmfestival.com/

http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=96662~065377bc-134d-43b4-bdf6-5c488f454cc8&epguid=c8e308ba-1308-4874-b76e-e3506cb394e3

Social Media Handles

Website: sarahdeakins.combrightlightpictures.com
Twitter: @sarahcdeakins@GREECEthefilm@BrightlightPict
Facebook: facebook.com/GreeceAShortFilm
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm0212639/

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

Brightlight Pictures Makes “Short” Work of Writer/Director Sarah Deakins’ Labour of Love ‘GREECE’

Screens at the Sunscreen West, LA Femme International & Hollywood Film Festivals 

The Promotion People - GREECE

Sarah Deakins’ short film, “GREECE,” already an Accolade Global Competition 2 time Award Of Excellence Winner, and a Best Shorts Film Competition Award Of Excellence winner is set to premiere in LA with 3 festival selections in October at the Sunscreen West Film Festival (supported by the Academy of Motion Pictures), the LA Femme International Film Festival and the Hollywood Film Festival

Brightlight Pictures president Shawn Williamson saw something in local writer Deakins’ script, and took the project on as a creative labour of love.  A fresh, local crew, all volunteers, worked closely together to produce a short with incredible production value, inspired by a strong creative vision from the film’s writer/director, Sarah Deakins, and captured beautifully by cinematographer Jon Joffin.

A successful actor for decades in Vancouver, Deakins had been living in LA and was on a trip home to visit family when Williamson requested the script, and a creative partnership was born. Having written the film, Deakins also stars in the character driven drama. As a director she was finally able to fully realize her vision, in her hometown of Vancouver.

In response to the three awards before the film has even hit the festival circuit, Ms. Deakins states, “Everyone who worked on this film is thrilled to have been recognized by the Best Shorts Competition and The Accolade Global competition judges, and we are most grateful that the film is connecting with people. The whole team worked really hard to bring this vision to life and to know that people are now responding to the artistry that we took such care with is most gratifying.”

“GREECE” centers around a daughter’s final attempt to connect with her seemingly catatonic mother.

Producer Arielle Boisvert says, “We have been very pleased with the response to our film.  The subject matter is close to our hearts and we are looking forward to kicking off our festival run.”

Tickets to the October 11th 12:15pm screening at the Sunscreen Film Festival can be purchased online at www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com (Narrative Shorts Block #5, Drama – Families These Days)

Tickets to the October 16th 11:30am screening at the Hollywood Film festival can be purchased at www.hollywoodfilmfestival.com/ (SHORTS program #1: On the Battlefield)

Tickets to the October 16th 6pm screening at LA Femme F.F. can be purchased online at www.lafemme.org  (Shorts, Venue #2)

The Promotion People - Brightlight Pictures Brightlight Boilerplate

Brightlight Pictures develops, packages and produces independent feature films and television projects.  Brightlight’s President, Shawn Williamson, has produced more than 90 productions in the last 15 years and over 35 productions since launching Brightlight in 2001 including WHITE NOISE (Michael Keaton) which has grossed over $100 million since its world-wide theatrical release in 2005.  Recently, Williamson has worked as an executive producer on the feature film THE INTERVIEW (Seth Rogen, James Franco) for Columbia Pictures and the television series WITCHES OF EAST END (Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum) and RUSH (Tom Ellis) for Fox 21.  His recent producer credits include the feature film HORNS (Daniel Radcliffe) for Mandalay and Red Granite Pictures; 50/50 (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt); and THE COMPANY YOU KEEP for Sony Pictures Classics directed by Robert Redford and starring Robert Redford and Shia LaBeouf.  Other feature producing credits include THE POSSESSION (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick) for Mandate Pictures and Lions Gate Films; WHITE NOISE 2: THE LIGHT (Nathan Fillion, Katee Sackhoff) with Gold Circle Films; IN THE NAME OF THE KING (Jason Statham); 88 MINUTES (Al Pacino); WICKER MAN (Nicolas Cage) for Nu Image/Millennium Films and Emmett Furla Films; SLITHER with Gold Circle Films and Universal and APOLLO 18 for the Weinstein Company.  Williamson is currently producing the feature film THE 9th LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX (Jamie Dornan, Aaron Paul) with Miramax.

Social Media Handles

Website: sarahdeakins.combrightlightpictures.com
Twitter: @sarahcdeakins@GREECEthefilm@BrightlightPict
Facebook: facebook.com/GreeceAShortFilm
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm0212639/

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

Star and Screenwriter Sonja Bennett’s feature film “Preggoland” showcase her many talents at TIFF and VIFF with co-star Oscar nominee James Caan

The Promotion People - Sonja BennettEarly reviews are in. Critics love Sonja’s edgy comedy-drama

Preggoland is very much Sonja Bennett’s baby (pun intended!). The movie marks her foray into screenwriting; in addition to starring in the Canadian indie, the award-winning actress penned the script.  Opening to a much-hyped premiere at TIFF Canadian feature Preggoland will screen in Sonja’s hometown at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Sonja realized there weren’t as many roles for women over 30, so she decided to be proactive about her career by writing herself the juicy lead she’d been craving.   “I was interested in exploring of how motherhood changes female friendships, the artifice of this giant clique of motherhood and the pregnancy pedestal,” Sonja shares.

The Promotion People - Sonja Bennett & James CaanThe early reviews are in and critics love the edgy comedy-drama written co-starring Oscar-nominee James Caan and veteran actor Danny Trejo.  Dorkshelf says “Preggoland has a stellar script and a star making performance from writer and lead Sonja Bennett.” Scene Creek billed the film “smart and savvy” while NOW Toronto said “Bennett’s written a sharp comedy that explores the societal pressure on women without children and gives a knockout performance as bad girl Ruth.”

Filmed in Vancouver, Preggoland centers on a boozing 35-year-old woman (Bennett) whose life turns upside down when is mistakenly thought to be pregnant. All of a sudden Ruth (whose life was more in tune with a teenager than a 30-something grown woman) earns her father’s approval, nabs the attention of her friends, and saves her job.  Ultimately she finds the glorious perks of pregnancy to seductive to ignore.

Laura Harris (24, Defying Gravity), Paul Campbell (Spun Out, Battlestar Galatica), Jared Keeso (Godzilla, Elysium, 19-2), and Lisa Durupt (Shall We Dance, Less Than Kind) round out the talented cast. The Trotsky’s Jacob Tierney directs with Kevin Eastwood and Dylan Collingwood as producers.

Preggoland premiered at TIFF as part of the prestigious Special Presentations programme. The buzzed-about film will have its hometown debut during VIFF.

Acting for more than 10 years, Sonja Bennett has appeared in critically acclaimed films such as Atom Egoyan’s Where the Truth Lies, Elegy starring Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz, and TIFF opening night film Young People Fucking – for which she earned a Vancouver Film Critics Circle award. The Vancouver native has kept an equally busy profile on the small screen with recurring roles in Eureka, Battlestar Galatica, Blade: The Series. Her performances in Random Acts of Romance, In No Particular Order, Cole and the TV series Godivas and Cold Squad garnered her Leo Gemini, and Genie nominations.

Preggoland is produced by Fake-a-baby Productions, Titlecard Pictures Inc. and Optic Nerve Films Inc. and with the support of Telefilm.

Social Media Handles

Website: sonjabennett.ca, mongrelmedia.com/film/preggoland.aspx
Twitter: @sonjabennett123@Preggoland
Facebook: facebook.com/Preggoland
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm1060641/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

Two Provinces, Two Crews – HIGHWAY THRU HELL Expands for an Epic Third Season, September 2 on Discovery

Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue maintains operations in B.C., while expanding into Alberta to service the infamous highways through the oil patch

“The Coquihalla Experience” puts viewers in the driver’s seat for an interactive immersion at Discovery.ca

When it comes to wicked weather and wild wrecks, there’s only one other highway system that rivals B.C.’s Coquihalla. As HIGHWAY THRU HELL returns to Discovery for Season 3, premiering Tuesday, September 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue moves into Alberta to tackle Highways 881 and 63, basing a second operation out of Lac La Biche – while maintaining Davis’ decade-old business in Hope, B.C. Two provinces, two teams, new crew, old rivals, more trust, more friction, and vastly different types of weather and crash conditions – this hellish third season of the original Canadian hit series from Vancouver’s Great Pacific TV is the most epic season yet!

Highway Thru Hell - The Promotion People

The heroes of the highway return for Season 3 of HIGHWAY THRU HELL, premiering September 2 on Discovery.

Click here to view the Season 3 trailer!

Back with 13 new episodes, HIGHWAY THRU HELL travels some of the most economically vital – and most inhospitable – trucking routes in North America. Plagued by winter storms, truckers spin out and smash up, and heavy rescue teams hustle to clear the highway carnage and get the road open again. These highway heroes are a hit with viewers –Season 2 of HIGHWAY THRU HELL was #1 in its timeslot on Canadian entertainment specialty television among all key adult and male demos, and was the #3 Canadian entertainment specialty program among Adults 25-54 and 18-49 overall. The 2012 debut still ranks as the #1 series premiere in Discovery’s history*.

Changes and challenges mark every moment of Season 3. Last season, Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue lost a significant amount of business when a new competitor has scooped up half the recoveries, forcing Davis to seek new opportunities to off-set these restrictions. Gambling big, Davis rolls into northern Alberta’s booming oil patch to stake a new claim on another road worthy of the title “highway thru hell.”

Highway Thru Hell - The Promotion People

Highway 881 runs north 300 kilometers through remote forest, muskeg, and tundra between Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray. But it’s the only route into newly-discovered oil and gas fields, worth billions of dollars. On a route supplying more energy to the U.S. than Saudi Arabia, hundreds of millions of dollars of heavy equipment must be moved daily on this narrow, two-lane highway. Almost 60,000 shift workers are in camps serviced by Highway 881, and on shift-change day, thousands of workers need to get home. Davis sends his best drivers and trucks to the Alberta oil patch; he tasks Adam Gazzola to manage the new Alberta startup. His crew includes Colin McLean, a city driver fresh from Vancouver who has to earn Gazzola’s respect. Deep snow, bitter cold, and big recoveries that dwarf most loads in B.C. push Gazzola’s team to the limit.

Back in B.C., Davis faces more challenges. During the heaviest snowfall and worst avalanche conditions in decades, he’s left with a skeleton crew of new hires and old trucks in his battle to keep the Coquihalla Highway open. New drivers include Howie Irwin, a highly-skilled heavy recovery vet who used to work the Coq for Davis and his brother before buying his own truck and moving to the city; and Don Starr, a 20-year mountain veteran with MacGyver-like ingenuity. But Davis isn’t the only guy on the road. With Davis’ team stretched across two provinces, rival rescue operator Al Quiring steps into the void. For years, Davis and Quiring  have gone “tow to tow” for the title of “King of the Coq”. And like Davis has done with this stepson Brandon, Quiring is teaching the family trade to the next generation, his son Cary by his side. These young bucks have a lot to prove. Brandon is setting his sights on the Alberta operation, but must first show Davis that he has what it takes at home in B.C. Brandon attends a “wreckmaster heavy rescue bootcamp,” and this season Davis offers Brandon the chance to patrol in the quick response truck, aimed at securing accident scenes for heavy rescue… before the competition.

Highlights from the first episodes of HIGHWAY THRU HELL, Season 3, include:

HIGHWAY THRU HELL: “New Hell Old Hell”
Tuesday, September 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
A new winter season starts with Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue split in two… Adam Gazzola has taken half the fleet north to Alberta’s rich and dangerous oil fields while Jamie Davis stays back to fight and keep the Coq open all by himself.

HIGHWAY THRU HELL: “New Hope”
Tuesday, September 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Jamie Davis realizes he can’t do it all alone in B.C. and hires a new driver. But the newest addition ends up needing rescuing himself after he crashes Bruce Hardy’s legendary blue truck. Davis’ stepson Brandon is forced to prove himself after his plans to join the Alberta team are put on hold.  And rookie operator, Colin McLean, learns just how tough his new boss Adam Gazzola can be… when a seemingly simple job goes sideways.

When “closure is not an option,” Davis’ teams struggle to make a go of it as the season continues. In Alberta, the crew must sleep in their trucks when they can’t find homes to rent, face the bitter cold of an Alberta winter, and endure the pain and heartache of leaving family behind. In B.C., 300 centimetres of snow falls in February, creating the worst avalanche conditions on the Coq in its 27-year history, which Davis must tackle with his newest crew and oldest trucks. At the end of the season, Davis faces the ultimate decision: should he throw all his resources into his new Alberta business, or rebuild his B.C. operations and wage a renewed battle on the Coq?

The HIGHWAY THRU HELL experience continues at Discovery.ca exclusive video, photo galleries, and show information – updated throughout the run of the series. Fans of HIGHWAY THRU HELL can delve even deeper with two rich interactive experiences that put viewers in the driver’s seat and feature the show’s silent stars: the highways themselves. Fully immersive and interactive, “The Coquihalla Experience” builds community and sparks conversation through “Explore the Coq / Coq Stories,” offering users an opportunity to drive the highway, explore the wrecks, and contribute their own stories about the Coquihalla. Also, armchair experts can test their skills in simulated challenges clearing difficult wrecks – and claim social bragging rights. Viewers can extend their experience on mobile via the Discovery App, and join the HIGHWAY THRU HELL conversation with the cast and crew during LIVE chats on Twitter (@HWYThruHell) during each Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET broadcast (hashtag #hwythruhell).

Discovery - The Promotion People

About Discovery:
The world is just awesome! With compelling real-life programming that inspires and entertains, Discovery reveals the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. Discovery offers a signature mix of adrenaline-charged stories, larger-than-life personalities and vivid imagery for viewers with curious minds. With the best non-fiction programming from Canada and around the world, Discovery captures the excitement of a passion for life – one lived fully and at its most extreme. With exceptional and immersive storytelling, the channel offers in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the extraordinary people and places that shape our world. Launched in Canada in 1995, Discovery is now available in more than eight million Canadian homes. Discovery is offered in standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) simulcast – for viewers who want an even bigger and bolder experience. Discovery Canada is a joint venture between Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company, and Discovery Communications Inc. Find more information and interactive online features at Discovery.ca.

Social Media Handles

Website: discovery.ca/highwaythruhellgreatpacifictv.com
Twitter: @HWYthruhell@DiscoveryCanada@GreatPacificTV
Facebook: facebook.com/discoverycanada

Source: Numeris (Formerly BBM Canada)

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

Award Winning Local Film ‘Lawrence & Holloman’ Opens in Theatres in Vancouver July 18th presented with The First Weekend Club

“The laughs just kept coming in this must see dark comedy. Perfectly cast … so well written .. audiences are going to love it. Put it on your calendars and get ready for those belly laughs!”
– The Cinequest Film Review, San Jose

“A kind of comic apocalypse … the unlikeliest best buds in the history of buddy comedy.”
– Edmonton Journal

The Promotion People - Lawrence and Holloman

The feel-bad comedy of the year …

LAWRENCE & HOLLOMAN 

Directed by Matthew Kowalchuk based on the play by Morris Panych
Starring Ben Cotton, Daniel Arnold, Katharine Isabelle, Amy Matysio

Having swept North America with “must-see” reviews and 11 awards in 11 festivals, this darkly twisted buddy comedy – currently nominated for 4 Canadian Comedy Awards — is now making its theatrical premiere …

Synopsis:
Lawrence is an ever-optimistic suit salesman for whom everything always goes right. That is until he meets Holloman, a cynical and suicidal credit collector, and everything starts to go wrong. Very wrong. Is happiness determined by our outlook on life? Or can our destiny be changed … by another.

PREMIERE: FRIDAY JULY 18
VIFF VANCITY THEATRE
1181 Seymour Street
Reception at 6:45 | Screening at 7:45.
Presented with First Weekend Club
Reception with live musical performance by Jessica Harvey and Daniel Doerksen 

Film followed by Q&A with filmmakers and after-party at Subeez
THEN:
July 19 @ 6:30 | July 21 @ 6:30 | July 22 @ 8:30 | July 23 @ 6:30
Tickets & Info: viff.org/theatre/films/fc8165-lawrence-holloman | 604 683 3456
Join the FB event at: facebook.com/events/851610758257396

CONTINUED RUN @
THE RIO THEATRE
1660 E Broadway @ Commercial
Thursday July 24 @ 9:30pm
Friday July 25 @ 7pm
Tickets & Info: www.riotheatre.ca | 604 878 3456

“A must-see! … the sleeper hit of the entire festival.” – The Gazette, EIFF
“Dark, twisted, and really very funny … a multi-dimensional screamer. One of the events top flicks.” – The Province
“Debuted to waves of laughter… a darkly funny, sometimes insane buddy comedy.” – YVR Shoots
“The writing is witty … the actors’ comedic timing is fantastic.” – The Examiner, Washington DC
“Clever, witty, and playful … This film is just dark enough that I feel a bit guilty about having enjoyed it as much as I did!” – AlienatedinVancouver
“Enjoyable to anyone … this film will please. It could also inspire you to choose to be optimistic and happy!” – Reellife
“Morbidly hilarious! … and that is sickly awesome.” – JasonWatchesMovies
“BEST BC FILMS AT VIFF” List – Vancouver Magazine
“TOP CANADIAN FILMS TO SEE AT VIFF” – The Huffington Post
“Rich humor … appealing performances … and something remarkable happens: the story starts to resonate in your heart — and when the dust settles this richly dark film may very well force you to re-examine your perspective.” – GayVancouver.net

Awards
Best Feature Comedy – RxSM
Best Canadian Feature – EIFF
Rising Star: Filmmaker – EIFF
Rising Star: Actor (Ben Cotton) – EIFF
Best Emerging Director – VIFF
Best Director of a Comedy – VTXIFF
Best Actor in a Comedy (Daniel Arnold) – VTXIFF
Best Canadian Film – BNFF
Best Comedic Acting (Ben Cotton) – BNFF
Excellence Award – Rincon, Puerto Rico
Best Casting – Leo Award

8 more Leo Award nominations (BC Film Awards):
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay
Best Lead Actor (Daniel Arnold), Best Lead Actor (Ben Cotton), Best Supporting Actress (Katharine Isabelle)
Best Editing, Best Sound Editing

4 Canadian Comedy Award nominations:
Best Feature, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay

The Promotion People - Lawrence & Holloman

Cast & Creatives
This debut feature from director Matthew Kowalchuk is based on the highly successful stage play by two-time Governor General’s Award winner Morris Panych. Adapted for the screen by Daniel Arnold & Matthew Kowalchuk, the script received story editing from Kyle Hunter & Ariel Shaffir (Seth Rogen’s co-writer/producers on 50/50, This is the End), and story consultation from Daniel Petrie Jr (Academy Award nominated writer of Beverly Hills Cop and The Big Easy).

Starring: Ben Cotton, Daniel Arnold, Katharine Isabelle, Amy Matysio
The film stars four-time Leo Award-nominated BEN COTTON (Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, The Killing) who for this role has won Rising Star Actor (EIFF) and Best Comedic Acting (BNFF); Gemini and Leo Award-winning KATHARINE ISABELLE (American Mary, Ginger Snaps) who was also nominated for a Leo Award for this role; 7-time Canadian Comedy Awards nominee AMY MATYSIO (Single White Spenny, inSAYSHAble); and introduces the internationally acclaimed theatre actor DANIEL ARNOLD in his debut starring role in a feature film, for which he has been nominated for “Best Actor” (Leo Awards) and won “Best Actor in a Comedy” (VTXIFF).

Executive Producers Mary Anne Waterhouse & Andrew Currie of Quadrant Motion Pictures have produced numerous features including Donovan’s Echo starring Danny Glover, The Thaw starring Val Kilmer, and FIDO starring Carrie Ann Moss, while producer Paul Armstrong of Ameland Films, Crazy8s Film Event and the Celluloid Social Club has produced the multi award-winning features See Grace Fly, Ill Fated, and Moving Malcolm starring Elizabeth Berkley, and co-producer Robyn Wiener has co-produced or line produced numerous films including Amazon Falls, The Wingman, and American Mary. Don Thompson of Finale Editworks is the Associate Producer.

The film was funded by Telefilm Canada, Super Channel and OUTtv and developed with the participation of Creative BC, Astral the Harold Greenberg Fund and Movie Central. Support also from Finale Editworks, Bridge Studios and William F White.

Distributor John Bain of Search Engine Films is the former Senior VP of Distribution at Lions Gate Films and Maple Pictures, and has overseen the Canadian release of movies such as Drive, Our Idiot Brother, Winter’s Bone, Hurt Locker, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Hunger, and Biutiful.

Search Engine will be releasing Lawrence & Holloman theatrically in at least 3 Canadian cities, starting in the film’s hometown of Vancouver.

We encourage you to get your tickets, and invite your friends! If you saw it at VIFF, try seeing it again for the very first time …

Social Media Handles

Website: lawrenceandholloman.comfirstweekendclub.casearchenginefilms.com 
Twitter: @LHthemovie
Facebook: facebook.com/lawrenceandholloman

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

‘THE BIRDER’ starring Tom Cavanagh, Fred Willard and Graham Greene to screen at the LA Comedy Festival in Los Angeles with an official selection for its U.S. release on May 2nd at 7:00pm

The Promotion People - Tom Cavanagh 'TheBirder'

IndustryWorks Pictures is excited to announce that Theodore Bezaire’s Sophomore Indie Comedy THE BIRDER will be screening in Los Angeles at the LA Comedy Festival on May 2nd at the Let Live Theatre at 7:00pm. This funny feature film is starring Tom Cavanagh (Ed, Scrubs), Mark Rendall (30 Days of Night), Jamie Spilchuk (Hard Rock Medical), Tommie-Amber Pirie (What If), Academy Award Nominee Graham Greene (Dances With Wolves, The Green Mile) and Hollywood funny man Fred Willard (Anchorman, Best in Show).   The film makes its U.S. Premiere at the LA Comedy Festival.

The Promotion People - Tom Cavanagh 'TheBirder'

Co-written by Theodore Bezaire & Mike Stasko and directed by Bezaire, THE BIRDER is a revenge-comedy set inside the world of bird watching.  It’s the story of Ron Spencer (Cavanagh), a mild mannered birder who seeks revenge on a younger rival (Spilchuk) after losing the highly coveted position of Head of Ornithology at the National Park.

“THE BIRDER is a wonderful film and an excellent comedy.  The film is a perfect combination of laugh out loud moments and a heartwarming story that the whole family can enjoy.” says Caterina Scrivano, VP Marketing, IndustryWorks Pictures.  “We’re very excited to partner with IndustryWorks and see our film take flight!” adds producer Gerry Lattmann of The Dot Film Company.

IndustryWorks plans a market release at The Marché Du Film in Cannes, France this May and will start its release schedule later this year.

SELECTED MEDIA QUOTES 

“Easily one of the best comedies you’ll see all year.” – RAINDANCE

“The Birder is a sweet, hilarious film, which is so successful due to the performances of Cavanagh and Rendall.” – TORONTO FILM SCENE

“This is a funny movie!” – SLATE

About The Dot Film Company – The Dot Film Company develops and produces content for Film and Television. They have worked in association with some of Canada’s most reputable organizations, such as Telefilm Canada, CMPA, TVOntario, Corus Entertainment, VideoFACT, BravoFACT! and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Promotion People - Industry Works Pictures

About IndustryWorks Pictures – IndustryWorks is a fully integrated company that distributes and produces feature films, television and new media content worldwide. IndustryWorks Pictures sets itself apart by having the keen sense of recognizing potential in projects for production and its primary function is to release unique and marketable content to the market place. IndustryWorks’ mandate is to release films that appeal to the mainstream and niche audiences. The company has several in-house projects in development on an ongoing basis. IndustryWorks distributes its content to all ancillary media outlets, including box office, VOD, SVOD, airlines, Internet and digital platforms, retail and rental outlets.

Social Media Handles

Website: industry-works.comthebirdermovie.comlacomedyfest.com
Twitter: @IWPictures@TheBirderMovie@LAComedyFest, @tbezaire@CavanaghTom@Fred_Willard
Facebook: facebook.com/IndustryWorksPictures

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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

The Canadian Premiere of Tommy Smith’s ‘White Hot’ starring Loretta Walsh, Noel Johansen, Stefania Indelicato and Charlie Carrick to be directed by Ben Ratner at The Shop Theatre from May 8th to May 17th, 2014

The Promotion People - White HotPlaywright Tommy Smith will be in attendance on Opening Night May 8th

Director Ben Ratner and Actor/Producers Loretta Walsh and Noel Johansen are teaming up again for the highly anticipated Canadian Premiere of Tommy Smith’s ‘White Hot’ coming to Vancouver audiences from May 8th to May 17th at The Shop Theatre.

Fresh off the theatrical release of his award-winning film Down River, Ratner has assembled a fine cast to take on this provocative and challenging script. Produced by Walsh’s Kindred Entertainment, this promises to be another top-notch production from strong new voices in the Vancouver theatre scene.

After a successful collaboration last year with the play ‘Dinner with Friends’, Ratner (Down River) will be directing, while Walsh (When Calls the Heart) and Johansen (Adeline) are acting, joined by fast-rising actors Stefania Indelicato (Annual Getaway) and Charlie Carrick (The Borgias) in the Canadian Premiere of this powerful and engaging play.

” **** Incendiary … [Tommy Smith’s] dialogue has brass on its knuckles … WHITE HOT brands Smith forcefully as a talent to watch and to stomach.” — Adam Feldman, TIME OUT NEW YORK

“A beautifully written study in nihilism … revealing why so many marriages, based on such blind attempts at controlling another person and some understandably devious responses to it, lead to duplicitous affairs.” – Steven Leigh Morris, LA WEEKLY

The Promotion People - Ben Ratner

“White Hot is a fever blister of a play. It’s not nice. It’s not pretty. It’s raw and tough and meaty, grown up theater for adults who crave intellectual and artistic drama.” – Michael Strangeways, SEATTLE GAY SCENE

White Hot’ is a darkly comedic psycho-drama crammed into a love triangle between a troubled woman, her opportunistic husband, and her trashed sister. Burrowing fearlessly into themes of sexual deviance and social depravity, White Hot playfully struts the razor’s edge between hilarity and horror.

New York based Playwright Tommy Smith will be in attendance opening night on May 8th

Photography Credit:  Chara Berk

Social Media Handles

Website: kindredentertainment.comlorettawalsh.combenratner.com
Twitter: @kindredent@loretta_walsh@noel_johansen@Haven_Studio, @IndelicateStefa
Facebook: facebook.com/kindredentertainment

Contact The Promotion People

Lesley Diana – Founder, President and Publicist
lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca
604.726.5575

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