Trailer of Xavier Dolan's 'Les amours imaginaires'

At last! Before the beginning of the Cannes International Film Festival, the trailer of Les amours imaginaires, the second film from acclaimed director Xavier Dolan, can now be seen.

This drama is the story of Francis (Xavier Dolan) and Marie (Monia Chokri), two friends. They fall in love with the same person, Nicolas (Niels Schneider). However, Francis and Marie will fiercely compete for the love of Nicolas while nothing indicates that Nicolas actually loves one of them.

This drama is the story of Francis (Xavier Dolan) and Marie (Monia Chokri), two friends. They fall in love with the same person, Nicolas (Niels Schneider). However, Francis and Marie will fiercely compete for the love of Nicolas while nothing indicates that Nicolas actually loves one of them.

Finally, the film will be released in Quebec on June 11, 2010.

'Leslie, My Name Is Evil' In Canadian Theatres On May 21

After a presence at the latest Toronto International Film Festival and Montreal's Festival du nouveau cinéma, Reginald Harkema's Leslie, My Name Is Evil will finally be released in Canada on May 21, 2010. This Canadian film is obviously a mix of drama, comedy and horror.

Synopsis:

Perry (Gregory Smith), a sheltered chemical engineer, falls in love with Leslie (Kristen Hager), a former homecoming princess, when he is selected to be a jury member at her hippie death cult murder trial. Perry has always done what is expected of him. He was a straight A student who got a good job at a chemical company and proposed to his virgin Christian girlfriend, Dorothy (Kristin Adams).

Leslie took a different path after she was traumatized by Kennedy’s assassination, her abortion and the divorce of her parents. She took LSD, joined a hippie death cult and helped murder a God-fearing citizen in her own home. When Perry and Leslie lock eyes in court, Perry is forced to confront the darkest deepest parts of himself and by extension, the American society.

Other stars of the film include Ryan Robbins (jPod), Peter Keleghan (Coopers' Camera), Kaniehtiio Horn (The Trotsky), Sarah Gadon (Siblings), Anjelica Scannura (Nothing Really Matters), Travis Milne (Rare), Tom Barnett (The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day), Peter MacNeill (The Stone Angel), Tracy Wright (The Five Senses) and Don McKellar (Blindness).

Trailer of 'Jonah Hex'

Since summer is coming quicker than you think, let's talk about what we'll have on our screens. Whether you've been waiting for it or not, the first trailer of the action/Western film Jonah Hex has arrived online. Besides, the film will hit theatres in North America on June 18.

As the trailer suggests [cough], the film takes place in the 19^th century in the USA. Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) escaped from death, had been scarred and lost his family because of a scum named Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). After that incident, Hex has become a legend in the USA's West and has had a price on his head for a while. However, after the American army had located Jonah, they propose him a deal he can't refuse: in exchange for the freedom on the warrant on his head, Jonah Hex must stop Quentin Turnbull, who is gathering an army and who intends to unleash Hell on Earth. Moreover, in his quest, Jonah will be helped by Leila (Megan Fox), a prostitute.

Other stars of the film include Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds), Will Arnett (Despicable Me), Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) and Aidan Quinn (Evelyn).

Finally, if Wild Wild West - that movie with Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Salma Hayek and Kenneth Branagh - made you guffaw, wait until you see the trailer of Jonah Hex. Moreover, am I the only person who thinks that Megan Fox is more gorgeous with a very limited amount make up?

Séries+ Picks Up Miniseries 'Malenfant'

Séries+, a Quebecker cable network, announced that it picked up Malenfant, its first historical miniseries ever. Now that the show's casting is complete, it will be in production from May 3 to June 14.

While Luc Picard (Babine) will portray the late businessman Raymond Malenfant (1930-), Julie McClemens (Le banquet) will play his wife Colette and François Chénier (Fortier) will play their son.

The story, which was penned by Claude Paquette (Willie), is centred on Raymond Malenfant. Because of his belief in his skills, Malenfant will get from nothing to everything and will build a vast motel empire in Quebec. Besides, during his life, Malenfant will also be an important investor. However, his business will be bankrupt and the provincial government of Quebec will press charges of fraud against him in the 1990s. Besides, as if it wasn't enough, his son, Alain, is apparently hanging out with criminals.

Finally, the show will premiere in spring 2011.

Showcase Picks Up New Series 'Endgame'

Showcase, a Canadian cable network, announced that it picked up Endgame, a new original series created by Avrum Jacobson (ReGenesis, Republic of Doyle). The one-hour show made of 13 episodes will premiere in spring 2011.

The story is centred on a former chess master. Using the skills that made him chess champion of the world, Arkady Balagan solves the crimes that mystify others. Traumatized by the murder of his fiancée, Balagan has become a prisoner in his luxury Vancouver hotel, and is terrified to step outside. To pay his bill, Balagan starts solving mysteries by using an unlikely band of hotel employees and chess fanatics to do his legwork. Arrogant, brilliant and charismatic, the Russian-born Balagan is able to envision his unknown opponent’s motives and moves. He imagines events, interviews the living and the dead, and runs conflicting scenarios – all in his head. And we get to watch right along with him as he solves crimes that baffle the police.

Moreover, the production on Endgame is slated to begin this summer and the casting will eventually be announced.

'Women Without Men' To Be Screened in Montreal

Thanks to the DHC/ART Foundation, the first feature film of American-Iranian visual artist Shirin Neshat, Women Without Men (Zanan-e bedun-e mardan), will be screened in Montreal.

The film is adapted from a novel by Sharhnush Parsipur. It chronicles the intertwining lives of four Iranian women in the summer of 1953 – a crucial moment in Iranian history – when an American led, British backed coup d’état brought down the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh and re-installed the Shah to power. Opposition to the monarchy ultimately led to the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

If this film interests you, here's the schedule of its screening at Montreal's Musée des beaux-arts:

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Maxwell Cummings Auditorium
Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion
Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal
1379 Sherbrooke Street West

Finally, note that the doors will be opened at 6:30 p.m. Furthermore, the admission for the screening is free. As for Nishat, she will be present to introduce the film and for a Q&A period after the screening. If you can't see the film on this day, have in mind that it will eventually be in theatres.

Women Without Men - Trailer from IndiePix on Vimeo.

Today I Feel Like This

For those who don't live in Canada, you probably have no idea how your host is happy. In fact, the Montreal Canadiens had eliminated the Washington Capitals in the first round after seven games!

Besides, I predicted that my Canadiens will win in six games. Well, a one-game margin of error doesn't hurt. Most of all, the Canadiens beat the most threatening team in the league. Now, let's see if my team will kick out last year's winners of the Stanley Cup, which means the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Finally, here's my prediction: Montreal wins the series in seven games against Pittsburgh.*

*: A true fan always believe in his team, especially in the playoffs.

Second Trailer of TV Series 'Shattered'

About two weeks ago, the first trailer of Shattered surfaced on the net. However, The Cultural Post specified that it was a preview of an old pilot shot before Shattered's script was modified. Now, the second and official trailer of Shattered has finally surfaced on the net.

In this procedural drama created by Rick Drew, Callum Keith Rennie (Californication) plays Ben Sullivan is a tough, smart homicide detective with Multiple Personality Disorder. In the first moments of the series, Ben and his new partner, Amy Lynch (Camille Sullivan), pursue a murder suspect and Lynch is forced to shoot. The resulting SIU investigation bonds the two partners in blood. Moreover, as Ben and Amy work on homicide cases, he doesn't know which personality will surface or when it will.

Moreover, the show also star Karen LeBlanc (Defying Gravity), Clé Bennett (The Line), Molly Parker (Deadwood), Martin Cummins (Dark Angel), Ty Olsson (Battlestar Galactica), Nimet Kanji (Blood Ties) and Brian Markinson (Caprica).

Finally, this show - which was shot in and around Vancouver, B.C. - will premiere at some point in 2010 on Showcase, a Canadian cable network. As for an American premiere, the identity of the broadcaster has yet to be confirmed.

Second Trailer of 'Splice'

A few weeks ago, the first trailer of Splice, a Canadian science-fiction film, surfaced on the net. Now, the second trailer can be seen and it unveils more details about the film's story.

The story - which was penned by Vincenzo Natali, Antoinette Terry Bryant and Doug Taylor - follows Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody), two scientists who wish to conduct an experience bordering on human cloning (something that is illegal). Therefore, they splice together human and animal DNA in order to create a new organism. As a result of that, a creature called Dren is born. This creature came to life as a deformed female infant (Abigail Chu) and it will age quickly to the point of becoming a beautiful but dangerous winged human-chimera (Delphine Chanéac).

Finally, Splice will be released in North America on June 4, 2010.

Trailer of 'New Year'

While it's still in post-production, New Year's trailer has been online for quite a while. For the moment, a release date (or peperhaps a presence at the next Toronto International Film Festival) has yet to be announced.

According to New Year's Facebook fan page, the story goes like this:

A group of 20-something “Gen Y”-ers reunite at a New Year’s Eve bash in middle-class suburbia. Numbed by the 9-to-5 conformity of real life after university, the party provides a welcome escape full of drinking, smoking, making-out, and bag-tag. But when a near-death experience, a pregnancy, and the appearance of past rivals disrupt the night, each must take a crash course in growing up or risk succumbing to a life of false comfort and complacency

Finally, the film was directed by Phil Borg. He also wrote the script with Julian DeZotti.

Besides, the film stars Julian DeZotti, Joanna Douglas (Happy Town), Nicholas Rose (Instant Star), John Bregar (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Morgan Kelly (Falcon Beach), Eli Ham (An Insignificant Harvey), Romina D'Ugo (How She Move), Tommie-Amber Pirie (The Trotsky), R.H. Thomson (The Englishman's Boy) and Kate Lynch (Lie With Me) just to name a few.

'Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand Up' Renewed for 5th Season by Starz

Starz, an American premium cable network, announced yesterday that it will renew its longest running original series for a fifth season. In fact, Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand Up is slated to premiere in October.

Moreover, in the fifth season, comedian Sheryl Underwood, the announced host, will replace Doug Williams, the original host. Moreover, she'll be accompanied by a line-up of new and seasoned comedians and Williams will keep serving as the show's executive producer.

Comedians scheduled to appear in the series include Deon Cole, who will also guest host two episodes, Sandra Bernhard, Jimmie “J.J.” Walker, Roz G, D’Militant, Scruncho, Darren Carter, Pierre, Jay Phillips, Melanie Comarcho, Ian Edwards, Chocolate and Damon Williams just to name a few.

Finally, performances for the fifth season will be taped from May 13 to 16 before a live audience at the Chicago Theatre.

Short Film 'Day Before Yesterday' Wins an 8th Award

During the last week-end, Day Before Yesterday (my review), an eleven-minute short film directed by Patricia Chica, won its 8^th award at the Sacramento International Film Festival.

This means that this short psychological thriller about an amnesiac woman received the Outstanding Foreign Short Film Award. The week before that, Patricia Chica's work (starring Michelle Boback, Jacques Godin, Richard Robitaille and Leif Anderson) had won the Platinum Remi Award (1^rst Place for Best Directing - Short Film category) at the WorldFest - Houston International Film Festival.

Moreover, if you're curious about this short film, you can see it at the Ex-Centris movie theatre on Friday, June 4, 2010 at 5 p.m. during a retrospective of Chica's films that Festivalissimo is presenting this year. This event will also be an opportunity to discover the filmmaker's earlier works; such award-winning shorts like The Promise (featuring a cast of Montrealers: Victoria Sanchez, Stéphane Gagnon, Manuel Tadros, Serges Turbide, Christian Paul and Francine Grimaldi).

Finally, Patricia Chica is preparing a new documentary called Lost in Salvation. Obviously, we should also expect her to move into the world of feature films.

TV Series 'Haven' Begins Production

Showcase, a Canadian cable network, announced that its all new original one-hour series Haven began production on April 20. No Canadian premiere date has been announced. Nonetheless, The Cultural Post announced a few weeks ago that Haven will premiere July 9 in the USA on Syfy, an American cable network.

The TV series is based on a novella, The Colorado Kid, written by American novelist Stephen King. It was shot in Lunenburg and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The story is centred on Audrey Parker (Emily Rose), an FBI agent. She arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine. Before long, her natural curiosity lands her in the epicenter of activity in this curious enclave, which turns out to be a longtime refuge for people that are affected by a range of supernatural afflictions. As the townspeople’s dormant abilities begin to express themselves, Audrey helps keep these forces at bay while discovering the many secrets of Haven – including one surrounding her own surprising past in this extraordinary place. Among the citizens who cross Audrey’s path are local cop Nathan Wuornos (Lucas Bryant), who eventually becomes Audrey's partner, the mysterious and charming Duke Crocker (Eric Balfour) and her new boss, Police Chief Wournos (Nicholas Campbell).

'Southland' Renewed for Third Season by TNT

TNT, an American cable network, announced today that it will renew Southland, a police drama, for a third season. This means that ten episodes were ordered. Besides, the third season of this show created by Ann Biderman (NYPD Blue, Public Enemies) will be aired in January 2011.

For those who don't know (this includes me), Southland is centred on police constables (or "officers" in case you didn't understand), detectives and members of a gang unit from Los Angeles. Besides, the show documents the life of these workers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on and off the job.

The ensemble cast includes Kevin Alejandro (Ugly Betty); Arija Bareikis (Crossing Jordan); Clifton Collins Jr. (Star Trek); Michael Cudlitz (Band of Brothers); Shawn Hatosy (Alpha Dog); Regina King (Ray); Michael McGrady (The Thin Red Line); Ben McKenzie (The O.C.); and Tom Everett Scott (Boiler Room).

Finally, here's the teaser of the second season.

Winners at the 25th Artis Gala

Yesterday, the 25^th Artis Gala took place. For those who don't know, this is some sort of people choice award that regards only Quebec's TV industry. So, without further ado, let's have a look at what Quebeckers, who took the time to vote, had to say.

Best News Anchor - Sophie Thibault (TVA Nouvelles).

Best Host of a Public Affair Show - Jean-Luc Mongrain (Mongrain).

Best Host of a Morning Show - Gino Chouinard (Salut, bonjour!).

Best Host of a Variety or Entertainment Show - Éric Salvail (Dieu Merci!).

Best Host of a Cultural Magazine or Talk-Show - Guy A. Lepage (Tout le monde en parle).

Best Artist in a Humoristic Show - Louis-José Houde (Ici Louis-José Houde).

Best Host of a Game Show - Patrice L'Écuyer (Des squelettes dans le placard, Le moment de vérité et L'union fait la force).

Best Host of a Sport Show - Marie-Claude Savard (BoxeRock).

Best Actor in a TV Series - Marc Messier (Lance et compte: le grand duel).

Best Actress in a TV Series - Marina Orsini (Lance et compte: le grand duel).

Best Actor in a Soap-Opera - Denis Bouchard (Annie et ses hommes).

Best Actress in a Soap-Opera - Anne Dorval (Les Parent).

Best Artist in a Youth Show - Guy Jodoin (Tactik).

Artis Award for the Female Personality of the Year - Véronique Cloutier.

Artis Award for the Male Personality of the Year - Patrick Huard.

Lisa Kudrow's 'Web Therapy' Comes to Showtime

Showtime, an American premium cable network, announced it picked up Web Therapy, a web series created by Lisa Kudrow (Friends). Besides, the show will be aired on Showtime in 2011 and ten half-hour episodes were ordered.

The web series, which went through a third season, is centred on Fiona Wallice (Lisa Kudrow), a self-professed psychotherapist who clearly doesn't have training. While professionals have a session of at most fifty minutes with their clients, Fiona would rather have a session that lasts three minutes and via web cam. However, she doesn't notice that her sessions are way too brief to ever make any progress in her clients' life.

Speaking about the actors who will play the clients, it was announced that Jane Lynch (Glee), Rashida Jones (The Office), and Courteney Cox (Cougar Town), among others, will be cast. Moreover, we should also expect to see Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine), Michael McDonald (Mad TV) and veteran star Bob Balaban (For Your Consideration).

Finally, here's the first webisode of Web Therapy's first season.

The Sweet Hereafter

If you want to see director Atom Egoyan at the peak of his shape, watch The Sweet Hereafter. The film tackles many depressing subjects. However, while it leaves some questions unanswered, Egoyan makes the whole story stand on one leg with a graceful illustration of the pain that strikes the characters.

The story is centred on Mitchell Stevens (Ian Holm), a lawyer. He's trying to recruit residents of a small Canadian community in a class action suit against the makers of a bus. In fact, the latter went off the road and sank into an icy lake. Besides, the few who managed to survived are Nicole Burnell (Sarah Polley), a young student, and the bus driver (Gabrielle Rose).

Obviously, Mitchell doesn't see this as an opportunity to make money. As he tries to recruit the inhabitants of the small town into a class action suit, Mitchell sees that they're hit by a big pain and that some of them have some secrets. Furthermore, Mitchell also sees the reflection of his own personal pain, because his own daughter is a drug addict.

As you can see in the script, the film tackles many subjects and and develop itself into subplots. Needless to say that they all try to have a link with the central story, which means the bus accident. In the end, Egoyan's film is not much about a bus accident, the pain striking a small Canadian town or the personal problems of Mitchell.

This means that with its silence and implicit suggestions, this adaptation of a novel by Russell Banks rather superficially deals with the bus accident, the townspeople's bereavement and Mitchell's problems with his daughter. In fact, by giving us just enough informations on the subplots, Egoyan elegantly illustrates the sad side of life that awaits us all, that desire in each of us to find the roots of our problems and our powerlessness when they try to solve them. All in all, with its well chosen cast, The Sweet Hereafter is a tragedy that teaches us one lesson: whether the characters do something significant to illuminate their life, they must move on.

Finally, although the film doesn't always say much about the characters, Atom Egoyan's beautiful script didn't need improvement. In fact, the script is left to our intelligence to analyze it. Moreover, Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) and Sarah Polley deliver a solid performance.

Rating: 5/5

Origin:	Canada (1997)
Length:	112 minutes
Genre:	Drama
Screenplay:	Atom Egoyan
Director:	Atom Egoyan
Starring:	Ian Holm, Sarah Polley, Tom McCamus and Bruce Greenwood

CBC Renews 'Being Erica' for a 3rd Season

Although CBC, a Canadian public TV network, hasn't formally made an announcement, The Cultural Post has a strong proof that the TV series Being Erica got renewed for a third season. Therefore, this is not an attempt to spread a rumour on the net.

First of all, according to the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), the third season of this show created by Jana Sinyor will be in production from May 17 to October 15.

Moreover, since there's no formal announcement of CBC that The Cultural Post can speak of, this also means that there are no details about the third season's story. Nonetheless, if any of you don't know what Being Erica is all about, here's a description of the synopsis.

Erica Strange (Erin Karpluk) is a woman of 32 years old. Since the events of the first season, she has been in relation with Ethan Wakefield (Tyron Leitso), a school teacher. Moreover, she's a Junior Editor at a publishing house. In order to fix her regrets, Erica sees Dr. Tom (Michael Riley). This therapist sends her in her past so that she can fix a specific regret and learn how to feel better about life. The second season left us when Erica and Julianne (Reagan Pasternak), her former Senior Editor, got fired and decide to found a publishing house of their own.

The show also star Vinessa Antoine, Morgan Kelly, Joanna Douglas, Adam MacDonald, Paula Brancati, John Boylan, Kathleen Laskey, Devon Bostick and Sarah Gadon.

Finally, The Cultural Post doesn’t have any information about the premiere date of the third season in Canada.

OMDC: Productions currently shooting in Ontario As of April 23, 2010

Teaser of 'Peepers'

Yesterday, The Cultural Post learnt through Twitter that the teaser for the upcoming feature film Peepers is already online.

While the film's director is Seth W. Owen, the story was created by the imagination of Automatic Vaudeville, a Canadian comic trio made of Owen, Mark Slutsky and Daniel Perlmutter.

The story follows a group of voyeurs - or "peepers" (Joe Cobden, Paul Spence and Howard Bilerman) - who like to sneak across rooftops with binoculars at night. Moreover, they have an eye on women. However, an university student (Janine Theriault) plans to give to the "peepers" a taste of their own game. With a plot like that, needless to say that the film's story has been compared to Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window.

Besides, the film also stars Jessica Paré, Ricky Mabe and Amy Sobol.

Finally, a theatrical release date has yet to be announced for this comedy that was shot in Montreal.

Two New Posters for 'Les amours imaginaires'

A few days ago, the first poster of Les amours imaginaires, Xavier Dolan's second film, was released online by Remstar, a Canadian production company. Yesterday, the last two versions of the film's poster were unveiled.

This drama is the story of Francis (Xavier Dolan) and Marie (Monia Chokri), two friends. They fall in love with the same person, Nicolas (Niels Schneider). However, Francis and Marie will fiercely compete for the love of Nicolas while nothing indicates that Nicolas actually loves one of them.

Furthermore, Les amours imaginaires will be presented at the upcoming Cannes International Film Festival. It will be featured in the category Un certain regard. Obviously, Xavier Dolan's film won't be the only Canadian film in Cannes. Indeed, Noah Pink's ZedCrew will be presented at the Directors' Fortnight.

Finally, Les amours imaginaires will be released in Quebec on June 11, 2010.

For those who are attending the Cannes International Film Festival, it will be held from May 12 to 23, 2010.

'Flashpoint' Will Have a Third Season

CTV, a Canadian TV network, still hasn't officially announced the renewal of Flashpoint for a third season. However, according to the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), the third season of this procedural drama created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern has been in production since January 13, 2010.

Indeed, after a visit on the OMDC's web site, The Cultural Post found a document that lists all the films and TV series that are "filming in Ontario [...] as of April 9, 2010". Besides, to top it all, the OMDC indicates two things about the show. First of all, Flashpoint's production crew can be contacted through this e-mail adress (flashpointproductions@gmail.com). Secondly, the TV show's production team is considered as being "FULLY CREWED - NO CALLS PLEASE".

Finally, Flashpoint's production will wrap up on May 28. Moreover, CTV has yet to announce the premiere date of this Canadian show. As for the American premiere on the TV network CBS, nothing has been confirmed.

For those who don't know, Flashpoint is a drama about a team of the tactical unit of Toronto's police department. It stars Hugh Dillon, Amy Jo Johnson, David Paetkau, Enrico Colantoni, Sergio Di Zio, Michael Cram and Olunike Adeliyi.

Ontario Media Development Corporation: Productions currently shooting in Ontario as of April 9, 2010

Meet the Cast of the Western Comedy 'Gunless'

Yesterday, The Cultural Post revealed the first production images of the upcoming western comedy Gunless. Now, that we all have an idea about how the film's story looks like, let's meet the leading members of the film's cast.

Paul Gross (Passchendaele), who plays the Montana Kid, talks about what it was like to work with the cast of Gunless and the film.

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British actress Sienna Guillory (Inkheart), who plays Jane, talks about why she took the role, her impressions of the 1880s, working with Paul Gross, the romance of Gunless and what she took away while filming it.

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Dustin Milligan (90210) plays Corporal Jonathan Kent, a constable of the North-West Mounted Police (the ancestor of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police). He talks about his character’s moustache, wanting to work on a western, meeting with writer director William Phillips and what he got out of the film.

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Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) plays Ben Cutler, the leader of a posse that is chasing the Montana Kid. In this clip, Rennie talks about being in a western, working with Paul Gross, the film's cast and the cast of Gunless.

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Tyler Mane (X-Men) plays Jack, the blacksmith of the small Canadian town of Barclay's Bush. He talks about his character and being in a western.

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Finally, Gunless will have its advanced premiere on August 27^th, 2010 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (in Gatineau, Québec). Afterwards, it will be released in Canadian theatres on August 30^th.

Casting Confirmed for 'The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom'

A few weeks ago, The Cultural Post indicated that Macha Grenon was attached to the upcoming film The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom. Now, some informations have surfaced about the identity of the other members of the cast.

Besides Macha Grenon (L'âge des ténèbres), Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal) and newcomer Julia Stone will join her to be the leading characters. While Grenon and Bellows will play a couple, Stone will play that couple's adoptive child.

In this film shot with a budget of $3 million, we're brought in 1976 in a suburb of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Elizabeth Alison Gray (Julia Stone) is an average girl of eleven years old. She finds out that her current mom, Marion (Macha Grenon), is her adoptive mom in actuality. While she lets herself being guided by a Ouija board, Elisabeth runs away from her house in order to find her real mom. Obviously, Marion will strive to find Elisabeth, but she'll have to eventually face the truth.

Other members of the cast include Rebecca Croll (The Business), Rebecca Windheim (Family Biz), Mung-Ling Tsui (The Bridge) and Trevor Hayes (The Phantom).

Finally, the film's production in Montreal will be over on May 1^rst. Afterwards, the cast and crew will head to Winnipeg. Once there, The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom will resume its production for fourteen days.

Other informations:

The film's Facebook fan page.

The film's blog.

Télé-Québec Picks Up Reality Show 'Huis clos'

Télé-Québec, a public TV network from Quebec, announced that it picked up the new reality show Huis clos. This TV show, which will allow its participants to debate on the hottest topics, will be aired this fall.

Each week, the show will introduce us to a different group of seven people with different backgrounds. During the show, they will debate on the hottest topics of the moment on a set that looks like a bunker. Should we use euthanasia on people with an incurable disease? Should Quebec's electricity fees be increased? Must the criteria of success in the French exams for future teachers be upped? These are some topics that we'll be introduced to.

Of course, each of the seven participants don't know what will be discussed before coming to the show. Moreover, in order to make their mind, they'll be exposed to opinions of experts on the topic of discussion, news footages, complementary informations and people who are affected by what is being discussed (ex: euthanasia).

In the end, the participants will have to make an unanimous decision.

Moreover, since the taping of the show can take hours, each episode of Huis clos will be condensed in one hour. With that said, Télé-Québec promises that we'll see the strongest moments of the debate before the seven participants make their call.

First Poster of 'Les amours imaginaires' Unveiled

Remstar, a Canadian production company, unveiled the first of three posters of the upcoming film Les amours imaginaires (Love, Imagined), the second film by director Xavier Dolan (J'ai tué ma mère).

This drama is the story of Francis (Xavier Dolan) and Marie (Monia Chokri), two friends. They fall in love with the same person, Nicolas (Niels Schneider). However, Francis and Marie will fiercely compete for the love of Nicolas while nothing indicates that Nicolas actually loves one of them.

Obviously, Les amours imaginaires will have its world premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival in May. This time, Xavier Dolan's film will be part of the official selection in the category Un certain regard.

Afterwards, the film will be released in Quebec on June 11.

First Images of the Western Comedy 'Gunless'

Yesterday, The Cultural Post learned that the first images of the upcoming western comedy Gunless have been online for a few days. As you can see on the poster, the film will be released in Canada on April 30.

The film follows the Montana Kid (Paul Gross), a notorious American gunslinger.He staggers into the tiny Canadian hamlet of Barclay’s Brush, life for the town’s 17 inhabitants is about to get exciting. The Kid immediately gets into an unfortunate altercation with Jack (Tyler Mane), the town’s surly blacksmith, which leads to the The Kid ‘calling him out’ for some good old frontier justice – a showdown. But in a place totally ill prepared to deal with a classic gun fight and without a single working pistol to be found, adhering to the code of the American Wild West may prove difficult.

Not able to let go of the ‘code’, The Kid remains stuck in Barclay’s Brush, getting drawn into a strange world of eccentric rituals and characters; among them Jane (Sienna Guillory), a smart sassy woman who becomes his only hope of finding a way out or perhaps his only reason for staying…

Moreover, the film also star Callum Keith Rennie, Dustin Milligan, Graham Greene, Melody Barbara-Jean Choi, Alex Zahara, Michael Eklund, Glynis Davies, Donavon Stinson, Teach Grant and Bronwen Smith.

Finally, stay tuned, because tomorrow, The Cultural Post will thoroughly introduce you to the leading actors of Gunless. Moreover, note that this film directed by William Phillips will have an advanced premiere at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (in Gatineau, Québec) on April 27, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Poster of 'À l'origine d'un cri'

TVA Films, the Canadian distributor of the upcoming film À l'origine d'un cri, has put online the poster of this film. For now, the trailer is not available and a release date (some time in fall) hasn't been announced for Robin Aubert's latest film.

As for the story, the details that The Cultural Post has are few. It's said on TVA Films's web site that it's about a young man who feels compelled to travel with his grand-father. Indeed, the young man wants to find his father who ran away with the corpse of his ex-wife.

Finally, the film stars Jean Lapointe, Michel Barrette and Patrick Hivon.

A Second Canadian Film Goes to Cannes

Telefilm Canada, a federal funding agency for films, announced that another Canadian film will be presented at the Cannes International Film Festival, which be held from May 12 to 23. This film is ZedCrew. It was directed Noah Pink, a 26-year-old director from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Moreover, ZedCrew will be presented at the Directors' Fortnight.

ZedCrew, a Canada/Zambia co-venture, is a medium length film directed by 26-year-old Noah Pink from Halifax, Nova Scotia. The film gives a unique and raw insight into the contemporary lives of urban Zambian hip-hop musicians. Director Noah Pink was recently selected to participate in the Talent Campus of the Berlin International Film Festival where his first feature film script I Am North was one of three international scripts presented in the event's coveted Talent Project Market.

Finally, this will be the second Canadian to be presented in Cannes for this year. The other film is Les amours imaginaires, the second film from young award-winning director Xavier Dolan (J'ai tué ma mère) that will be presented in the category Un certain regard.

CBC Picks Up Action Comedy 'InSecurity'

CBC, Canada's public TV network, announced that it ordered 13 episodes of the action comedy InSecurity (formerly known as The B Team). The production on the show's first season will begin principal photography in July 2010 in Regina, Sakastchewan, with additional shooting in Ottawa, Ontario.

The series star Natalie Lisinska (Young People Fucking, Chloe) as Alex Cranston, a rookie agent of the fictional National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).

Each week, Alex and her team of espionage misfits take on a mission vital to Canada's national security. As Canadian spies, they get to go where others can't go thanks to the NISA's budget. Besides, they do what others don't want to do. However, even though Alex and her team always screw up, they always manage to get the bad guys and make the world safer in the end.

Joining Lisinska will be William deVry (The Bold and the Beautiful) as the political-savvy boss Peter McNeil; Matthew MacFadzean (Human Resource) as the Jack Bauer wanna-be Burt Wilson; Richard Yearwood (The Plan) as the loyal and unpredictable Benjamin N'udu; Grace Lynn Kung (Being Erica) as the super-smart field specialist Jojo Quan; and Rémy Girard (Les Boys) as the team's jaded veteran, Claude Lesage.

Finally, the show was created by Kevin White (Corner Gas), Robert de Lint (renegadepress.com) and Virginia Thompson (Corner Gas). Moreover, no premiere date has been announced for the show yet.

'Murdoch Mysteries' Renewed for a 4th Season by CityTV

Readers from Canada and Great Britain, The Cultural Post received a press release from Shaftesbury Films, a Canadian production company. Indeed, it announced that CityTV, a Canadian cable network, renewed Murdoch Mysteries for a fourth season.

This TV series is based on the detective novels of Maureen Jennings and is set in Toronto in 1895. It follows Det. William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson). This young man uses forensic techniques - that were new at that time - to solve murders. Needless to say that his boss, Inspector Thomas Brackenreid (Thomas Craig), is sceptical about Murdoch's approach, but Murdoch is often the only one who can crack the case. Moreover, Murdoch has people standing behind him. Dr. Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy), a young pathologist, shares the detective's fascination with forensic science and Constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris), a young inexperienced policeman.

The fourth season of the show will begin later this year. Moreover, Alibi, a crime-oriented channel of the British cable network UKTV, will broadcast Murdoch Mysteries's fourth season in Great Britain.

Winners at the 14th WGC Awards

Yesterday, the ceremony of the Writers Guild of Canada Awards was hosted by comedian Debra DiGiovanni. During that night, the winners, who work either in the film or television industry, were revealed.

Dishing out the awards were special guest presenters including Yannick Bisson (Murdoch Mysteries), Kristin Booth (Crackie, Young People Fucking), Inga Cadranel (The Bridge, Rent-a-Goalie), Enrico Colantoni (Flashpoint), and screenwriters Mark Farrell (Corner Gas, Dan for Mayor), Michael McGowan (Saint Ralph, One Week), Jennifer Pertsch (6Teen, Total Drama Island), Christin Simms (Captain Flamingo, Dino Dan), Shelley Eriksen (ReGenesis) and Leila Basen & David Preston (Heartland).

Now, without further ado, let's present the winners.

ANIMATION:
Total Drama Action - “The Sand Witch Project”
Written by Shelley Scarrow

CHILDREN & PRESCHOOL:
Max and Ruby - “Max Says Goodbye”
Written by Kate Barris

DOCUMENTARY:
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet – 40 Years of One Night Stands
Narration written by Robert Lower

EPISODIC half-hour:
Less Than Kind - “The Daters”
Written by Garry Campbell

EPISODIC 1 hour:
Stargate Universe - “Time”
Written by Robert C. Cooper

FEATURE FILM:
The Trotsky
Written by Jacob Tierney

MOW & MINISERIES:
The Summit
Written by John Krizanc

RADIO DRAMA:
Afghanada - “Episode 61”
Written by Barbara Samuels

SHORT SUBJECT:
Being Erica - “Webisodes”
Written by Jessie Gabe

VARIETY:
This Hour Has 22 Minutes (XVII^th season) - “Episode 6”
Head Writer: Ed Macdonald / Written by Mark Critch, Gavin Crawford, Kyle Tingley, Albert Howell, Dean Jenkinson, Joanne O’Sullivan, Tara Doyle, Erik van Wyck, Mike Allison and Joey Case

YOUTH:
How to be Indie - “How to be a Mehta”
Written by Anita Kapila

The WGC Showrunner Award – Heather Conkie

The WGC Writers Block Award – Rebecca Schechter

The Alex Barris Mentorship Award – Peter Mitchell

Starz Orders Two New Series

Starz, an American premium cable network, announced that it ordered two new TV series. Moreover, these TV series will be co-productions.

The first project will be called William the Conqueror, which was created by French director Pierre Morel (Taken). The show talks about William the Conqueror (1028-1087), a French monarch, who invaded England in 1066 and ruled it. By the way, William the Conqueror ordered the writing of the Domesday Book in 1085.

The second TV series is Peacekeeper. This action thriller created by Ben Silverman and Fisher Stevens (Awake, The Cove) will take place at the UN building in New York as well as hot spots from around the world.

Finally, no further informations regarding these two upcoming series has been given to the press.

'Passenger Side' in Canada's Theatres on April 23

After a run at the previous Toronto International Film Festival, Passenger Side, the next film from Matt Bissonnette, will be released in Canada on April 23.

Synopsis:

Michael Brown’s (Adam Scott) birthday begins with a telephone call from his estranged, drug addicted brother Tobey (Joel Bissonnette). Tobey is totally unaware that it is his older brother’s birthday, but he is very aware that his car is broken, and he begs Michael to drive him on various apparently legitimate, vital errands.

As Bruce Springsteen has astutely noted, a man who turns his back on his family just ain’t no good, and so Michael puts off his seemingly romantic birthday plans, and with his brother embarks on a sketchy, meandering day long odyssey though the mysteries of Los Angeles County.

As the day wears on, it becomes clear that this drive will lead them to some very unexpected destinations.

Other informations:

There's no doubt that the expectations for this film are really high. After all, Passenger Side was named as one of Canada's top ten films of 2009 by the Toronto International Film Festival.

Finally, if you're looking for other informations, check the film's official web page, Twitter page and Facebook page.

TV Series 'She's the Mayor' Has Begun Production

Today, The Cultural Post just learned that VisionTV, a Canadian cable network, announced on April 7 the beginning of the production for its new original comedy series She's the Mayor.

The show's leading actors will be Janet-Laine Green (The Stone Angel), humorist Colin Mochrie (The Ron James Show) and Tonya Lee Williams (The Young and the Restless).

In She's the Mayor, Green plays Iris Peters, a former elementary school teacher in her sixties. Iris becomes the mayor of a mid-sized city that has seen better days. Moreover, Iris tries to put some order in City Hall while she tries to fight her feelings for a roguish deputy mayor, Bill Clarke (Scott Wentworth).

Colin Mochrie plays tightly wound, germophobic city manager Scott Hawkins, and Tonya Lee Williams plays Iris's glamorous, self-involved communications director, Maxine Williams. The cast also includes Joseph Motiki, Denis Akiyama, Paul Constable and Derek McGrath. Moreover, the show was created by Jennifer Holness, Min Sook Lee and Sudz Sutherland.

Finally, the show's thirteen half-hour episodes will premiere at some point in 2011 on Vision TV. Besides, VisionTV hopes that viewers will be excited by this, because She's the Mayor "was chosen from among the 280 submissions that VisionTV received in response to our call last year for comedy-drama series proposals", said Joan Jenkinson, VisionTV's director of independent production.

Season 1 of 'Le gentleman' on DVD on April 20

TVA Films, a DVD/Blu-Ray distributor, announced that the first season of Le gentleman will come out on DVD on April 20.

For those who were too busy to watch hockey on Thursday nights, Le gentleman is a crime thriller that was aired on TVA, a TV network, during fall 2009.

The show introduces us to Det. Louis Cadieux (David Boutin), a young cop who is an expert in infiltration. On one day, his girlfriend (Marianne Farley) is murdered. While he's leading an investigation of his own, Louis discovers that his girlfriend used to be a deluxe escort. In order to find the killer, he'll infiltrate the milieu of deluxe prostitution. Besides, to make things worse, Louis's partner, Richard Beauvais (Michel Barrette), believes that a serial killer is at large after the discovery of a dead male escort (Charles Bender) in an expensive apartment of Montreal. Are Louis's personal research and Richard's investigation linked together?

Furthermore, the show also star Lise Dion, Marie-Chantal Perron, Guy Thauvette, Éléonore Lamothe, Hugo St-Onge-Paquin, Angèle Coutu, Frédéric Pierre, Steve Laplante and Marie-Hélène Thibault.

Finally, TVA announced on the show's Facebook fan page that it renewed Le gentleman for a second season. The production of Le gentleman will be underway from summer to fall 2010. Afterwards, the second season will be broadcasted on TVA in 2011.

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