News

Telefilm Canada and Screen Ireland have boarded “Cry From the Sea,” a co-production between Canada’s Sepia Films and Ireland’s ShinAwil, which has been greenlit to shoot in the Fall.

To be directed by Vic Sarin, the romantic drama centers on Edith, an enigmatic American widow who visits an Irish island to be near the spot where her childhood boyfriend drowned during World War I. She meets Seamus, a solitary lighthouse keeper who is at loggerheads with the island locals because of a personal tragedy he blames on them. He bonds with Edith, much to the chagrin of his loyal housekeeper who has silently loved him for years. The resulting love triangle brings unexpected changes that impact all their lives.

Los Angeles and Paris-based Cinema Management Group (Cmg) handles worldwide sales rights. “‘Cry From the Sea’ has been well received in Cannes this year and we’re thrilled for...

Claire van der Boom and Todd Lasance with director Vic Sarin.

Claire van der Boom and Todd Lasance are playing a US-based couple whose young daughter is abducted while they are on holiday at an Australian resort in Kidnapped, an unofficial Australian-Canadian co-production.

Produced by the Steve Jaggi Company and directed by Canadian Vic Sarin, the thriller is mid-way through a four-week shoot at Port Douglas.

The screenplay by Shanrah Wakefield follows Savannah Morgan (van der Boom) and her US husband Brad (Lasance), who go to the resort with their four-year-old daughter Aria (Molly Wright).

When Aria goes missing from the resort’s Kidz Club, a heart-pounding race to find her daughter leads Savannah to a shocking discovery about her family.

“I feel very lucky to be shooting here in Far North Queensland; It’s an idyllic, tropical setting that brings a contrast to the story of my character searching for her kidnapped daughter,...

Exclusive: U.S. sales firm Cmg, which recently found success with Oscar-nominated box office hit Loving Vincent, has boarded world sales rights to upcoming Ireland-Canada co-production Cry From The Sea.

The deal was inked with Vancouver-based production company Sepia Films and Dublin-based outfit ShinAwiL. Cmg will handle sales in all markets outside of Canada, where LevelFILM is distributing, and Ireland, where Wildcard will release.

The feature is scheduled to begin shooting in Donegal and County Mayo, Ireland in October 2019. Tina Pehme and Kim Roberts of Sepia Films and Larry Bass, Mary Callery, and Aaron Farrell of ShinAwiL are producing.

Canadian director and cinematographer Vic Sarin (A Shine Of Rainbows) will direct the screenplay penned by Irish screenwriter Ciaran Creagh (Parked). The film is being cast by Hubbard Casting, Ros and John Hubbard Csa out of the UK in association with Paul Weber Csa in the U.S.

Set in the...

17 year old Scottish actor John Bell leads the cast in WWII drama The Man in the Box which started filming on location near Innsbruck in Tirol (Austria) in mid-December, with filming now recommencing on location in Austria and Germany, as well as in Italy, near Bressanone.

The Man in the Box is a screen adaptation of Thomas Moran's novel by the same name, set in August 1944 in a small village in the Austrian Tyrol.

John (represented by Independent Talent) plays 15 year old Niki, who's family, with some reluctance, take into hiding a Jewish doctor who saved the boy's life before the war. A member of Hitler Youth, Niki is appalled by the idea, his mother frightened, but his father insists. Combined with the growing attraction between him and an almost blind neighbour girl (Sigi), a relationship gradually evolves between the boy and Doctor Weiss, the 'man in the box',...

Strategic Partners, a presentation of the Atlantic Film Festival, has announced the producers selected to participate as part of the inaugural project exchange with Mexico’s Los Cabos International Film Festival and Brazil’s RioContentMarket, in addition to an incredible line-up of producers and projects. As part of a two year spotlight on Latin America, one Mexican producer with a feature film in development and one Brazilian producer with a television project in development have been invited to participate at Strategic Partners 2014, September 11 - 14 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A Canadian feature film in development will then be selected from this year’s Strategic Partners to participate at Los Cabos International Film Festival, November 11 - 14, 2014. Additionally, a Canadian television project in development looking for Brazilian co-production partners will be chosen to attend RioContentMarket, February 2015. This initiative is sponsored by the Canadian Media Production Association.

Producer and co-founder of the Mexican production company Agrupación Caramelo Cinematografica, April Shannon, has been selected to participate in this year’s Strategic Partners from Los Cabos International Film Festival. Shannon’s impressive career includes working as producer on Bernardo Arellano’s "Between Night and Day" as well as production manager on James Franco’s "The Broken Tower." Shannon recently produced Arellano’s second feature "The Beginning of Time," now in post-production, to be released in late 2014. Shannon will bring the dark thriller "Franco’s Night" to Strategic Partners with production slated for 2015 in Mexico.

Brazilian producer Marcelo Galvão has been selected from RioContentMarket’s esteemed alumni of 2014. Galvão established production company Gatacine in 2001 and has since directed six features including "Farewell," "La Rina and Bellini"and the "Devil." He has won over 50 renowned awards including Best Film at the Gramado Film Festival, Best Director at the Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival and Best Screenwriter at Paulína Film Festival (Brazil) among many others. Galvão will bring the highly anticipated television miniseries, The Gardener, to this year’s Strategic Partners.

“Ushering in the very first project exchange with producers April Shannon and Marcelo Galvão sets the bar incredibly high and truly complements the illustrious roster of delegates we will have at this year’s events,” says Strategic Partners Director, Laura Mackenzie. “The results couldn’t have been more ideal and I look forward to continuing our newly founded relationships with Los Cabos International Film Festival and RioContentMarket.”

A snapshot of the producers and 108 projects slated for Strategic Partners 2014:

"Prisoner’s Dilemma," (Feature Film, Sci-Fi Noir Thriller): Rebecca Knapp, The Content Providers/Dark Engine (UK), Director: Mark Anthony Galluzzo (RSVP), Attached: Lynn Collins ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine")

"Give Me Your Hand" (Feature Film, Romantic Comedy): Mariela Besuievsky, Tornasol Films (Spain), Director: Maria de Medeiros ("April Captains", "Je t’aime, moi non plus"), screenplay by Alicia Luna and Maria de Medicos

"Las Elegidas," (Feature Film, Drama): Marta Núñez Puerto, Canana (Mx), Director: David Pablos, ("The Life After")

"Dreamland,"(Feature Film, Fantasy): Amber Ripley, Foundation Features (Cad), Director: Bruce McDonald ("The Tracey Fragments," "Pontypool"), Attached: Stephen McHattie ("Watchmen," "300")

"Buzz Me," (Feature Film, Comedy): Raj Panikkar, Fifth Ground Entertainment (Cad), Director: Ken Girotti ("Vikings," "Orphan Black")

"A Prayer Before Dawn," (Feature Film, Action): Sol Papadopoulos, Roy Boulter, Hurricane Films (UK), Attached: Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy)

"The Sandman" (Feature Film, Horror): Daniela Tully, Shivertown Road (USA/Germany), Director: Dario Argento ("Philomena," "Opera"), Attached: Iggy Pop ("Trainspotting")

"The Portal," (TV Fiction, Fantasy): Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith, First Love Films (Canada). Director: Jonathan Williams ("The Portal"), Attached: Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica, Bomb Girls, Supernatural), Erin Karpluk (Being Erica)

"Are We A Bus" (TV Fiction, Comedy Drama): Mark Montefiore, New Metric Media (Canada), Show-runner: Daegan Fryklind (Bitten)

"Orovida" (TV Fiction, Romance): Mariela Besuievsky, Tornasol Films (Spain) - based on the novel by Yael Guiladi (portraying a passionate story of forbidden love at a time when an interracial liaison could result in death)

"Guardian Council" (TV Fiction, Procedural Drama): Carlos Andrade, Visom Digital (Brazil). Director: Rudi Lagemann ("Angels of The Sun")

A stellar line-up of some of the world’s most influential production companies will descend upon Halifax this fall including:

Sepia Films ("A Shine of Rainbows") - Canada

Blue Ice Pictures ("Nebraska") - Canada

Sienna Films ("Titanic") - Canada

Amaze Film + TV ("Call Me Fitz") - Canada

10x2y inc. ("The Samaritan") - Canada

Alazraki Entertainment ("Nosotros Los Nobles") - Mexico

Axman Productions ("Corn Island") - Czech Republic

Easy There Tiger ("Julie & Juila") - USA

Pampa Films ("The Games Maker") - Argentina

Utopia Group ("The Dead Man and Being Happy") - Argentina

Sikhya Entertainment ("The Lunchbox") - India

Each year, top Canadian and international industry players, including producers, investors, sales agents, funding agencies, broadcasters and distributors are selected to attend Strategic Partners. Offering over 1,000 pre-scheduled 1-2-1 meetings, co-production focused roundtable sessions, cutting edge panels, visionary keynote speakers, and screenings and receptions – Strategic Partners is a convergence of talent and innovation, producing tangible results.

For program updates and information on all things co-production, you can now follow the newly developed Strategic Partners presence on social media:

Twitter: [At]SPcopromarket Facebook: www.facebook.com/atlanticfilmfestivalstrategicpartners Youtube: www.youtube.com/atlanticfilmdotcom

About Strategic Partners: An International Film, Television and Digital Co-Production Market The Atlantic Film Festival’s Strategic Partners is one of the world’s preeminent co-production/co-financing markets focusing on feature film, TV and web based fiction. Strategic Partners offers an intimate, organized forum for projects looking for financing as well as those still at an early stage, looking for the right partner.

Over the past 17 years, Strategic Partners has established itself not only as a one of a kind co-production market, but also as a cutting edge, intimate environment that delivers solutions to existing and foreseeable industry challenges. The intelligence and program offered at Strategic Partners is developed over many months of research into current global issues. However, this information is only a complement to Strategic Partners’ primary function – to build, establish and nurture relationships between producers and their partners. Strategic Partners is a part of the Atlantic Film Festival family of programs. Today’s Atlantic Film Festival is now a year-round celebration, growing beyond our eight-day cornerstone event in September to include: ViewFinders: Atlantic Film Festival for Youth, the Aff Outdoor Film Experience, and Strategic Partners. Learn more Here...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: May 22, 2012

Price: DVD $24.98, Blu-ray $29.98

Studio: IFC/Mpi

Ewan McGregor and Eva Green get sensory in Perfect Sense.

Ewan McGregor (Haywire) and Eva Green (TV’s Camelot) are two damaged people who come together to face a global catastrophe in the 2011 science fiction drama-romance film Perfect Sense.

The story begins with a strange wave of sadness sweeping the globe, with people everywhere breaking down in sobbing fits. When they regain their composure, something has changed: everyone has lost their senses of smell and taste. Two people come to the fore: Susan (Green), a scientist in Glasgow with a broken heart who is studying the odd pandemic, and Michael (McGregor), a successful and happily single chef at a restaurant near Susan’s apartment. When Susan and Michael meet, they share an intensely emotional and erotic night just as the rest of the world is losing its sensory perception,...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: March 5, 2012

Price: DVD $59.99, Blu-ray $79.98

Studio: HBO Home Entertainment/Warner Home Video

Sean Bean sits atop the Iron Throne -- for now -- in HBO's Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones, HBO’s elaborate, fully rigged primetime fantasy television series, was an instant hit upon its broadcast premiere in April2011.

Based on George R. R. Martin‘s best-selling series of novels A Song of Ice and Fire, the sweeping fantasy saga is set in the mythical land of Westeros, where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. It’s here that two powerful families — royal clans of kings and queens, knights and renegades, and liars and noblemen — engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. As betrayal, lust, intrigue and supernatural forces shake all parts of the land, their bloody struggle for the Iron Throne will have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.

DVD Playhouse—April 2011

By

Allen Gardner

Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.

DVD Playhouse—April 2011

By

Allen Gardner

Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.

Science-fiction fans, Warner Home Video is debuting two movies on high-definition Blu-ray for you on July 26: 2000 film Red Planet and 1998’s Soldier.

Soldier

Both have decent casts, but our favorite of the two is Soldier. The futuristic R-rated movie stars Kurt Russell (Grindhouse: Death Proof) as a soldier trained since he was a child to be a killer. When he’s left for dead by genetically engineered replacements (including Jason Scott Lee, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story), Russell is taken in by a peaceful community and becomes their last hope when the same soldiers come back with orders to destroy. Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) and Connie Nielsen (A Shine of Rainbows) also star.

The simple story shows that a soldier’s heart is never changed, no matter how much brain-washing, and the movie, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (Avp: Alien vs. Predator) features a nice score by Joel NcNeely.

Hitting movie theaters this weekend:

Limitless – Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro

The Lincoln Lawyer – Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe

Paul – Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen

Movie of the Week

Limitless

The Stars: Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro

The Plot: A copywriter (Cooper) discovers a top-secret drug which gives him super-human abilities.

The Buzz: Until recently, I couldn’t stand Bradley Cooper — and no, it wasn’t his role in A-Team that won me over, it was, hearkening back a decade, his role in the television series ‘Alias.’ Yes, I’m a total johnny-come-lately when it comes to that show, but I love it, and I love Bradley Cooper in it. He can act, I was surprised to see. His success with ‘Alias’ ultimately launched his career, and now, ten years later, here he is approaching A-list status, starring in a fine-looking action film,...

This Week in DVD & Blu-ray is a column that compiles all the latest info regarding new DVD and Blu-ray releases, sales, and exclusive deals from stores including Target, Best Buy and Fry’s. The Fighter [*Warning: Obvious spoiler ahead*] Great care was paid to ensure that The Fighter be as authentic a true story as possible, which is also why its ending feels a tad misguided. Was it necessary to close the film on a note of uplifting triumph? That's the expected conclusion, certainly, and it's not as though there's ever a moment where The Fighter seems like it might be veering down a path that hasn't already been laid out for it in countless other sports films. But the humanity of the picture stems from its acrid family dynamics, and it's in those moments that the film transcends the genre in which it's forced to reside. In fact, so much time is dedicated...

A look at what's new on DVD today:

"Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection"

Directed by Fernando Di Leo

Released by RaroVideo

Fans of badass '70s cinema and the stoic Henry Silva rejoice! Underappreciated Italian crime master director Fernando Di Leo finally comes to the U.S. via this set of four films -- "Caliber 9," "The Italian Connection," "The Boss," and "Rulers of the City" -- that shows what made him an influence of filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and John Woo.

"The Absent" (2011)

Directed by Sage Bannick

Released by Passion River

Twin brothers are bonded by the experience of having their parents try to kill them for insurance money, only to become killers themselves in this slasher film from Sage Bannick.

"Be My Teacher" (2011)

Directed by Lakisha R. Lemons

Released by Maverick Entertainment Group

A student's (Derek Lee Nixon) flirtations with his English teacher (Lateace Towns-Cuellar) has serious...

Your Weekly Source for Blu-Ray and DVD Release News

What could be better than a young Nicole Kidman in classics 80′s era flickdom? Well, lots… but, we’re talking apples and oranges here. BMX Bandits is only one of the schlocky titles to go Blu this week, the other is Roger Corman’s Sharktopus, a modern schlockterpiece that was spawned from the recent giant mutant killer animal revival on DVD and the SyFy Channel. If you sit on the serious/schlock fence, perhaps you’ll appreciate the emergence of the Harry Potter franchise finally conjuring itself onto Blu. If your tastes are a bit more refined, I would suggest one of Criterion’s new Blu titles: Louis Malle’s Au Revoir Les Enfants — set during WWII, about a French boarding school run by priests and a friendship that could risk the entire school’s safety; or, Edward Yang’s Yi Yi...

Check out clips and bonus features from A Shine of Rainbows, starring Connie Nielsen and Aidan Quinn! Vic Sarin directs as well as writes the family drama which also includes John Bell, Jack Gleeson, Tara Alice Scully and Niamh Shaw. The film opened in limited areas on April 23rd last year and finds DVD release on March 15th via 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Freestyle Releasing distributes A Shine of Rainbows theatrically. We have 3 bonus feature clips as well as 3 film clips. Check them all out below the featured video. A Shine of Rainbows Featured Clip is DVD Bonus Feature 1 "So Many Colours: The Making of A Shine of Rainbows. Connie Nielsen talks about reading the script.

Check out clips and bonus features from A Shine of Rainbows, starring Connie Nielsen and Aidan Quinn! Vic Sarin directs as well as writes the family drama which also includes John Bell, Jack Gleeson, Tara Alice Scully and Niamh Shaw. The film opened in limited areas on April 23rd last year and finds DVD release on March 15th via 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Freestyle Releasing distributes A Shine of Rainbows theatrically. We have 3 bonus feature clips as well as 3 film clips. Check them all out below the featured video. A Shine of Rainbows Featured Clip is DVD Bonus Feature 1 "So Many Colours: The Making of A Shine of Rainbows. Connie Nielsen talks about reading the script.

We have an exclusive special features clip from A Shine of Rainbows, which will be released on DVD March 15. Click on the video player below for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film entitled "So Many Colours: The Making of A Shine of Rainbows."

Click to watch Exclusive: Making of Featurette!

A Heartland Festival "Truly Moving Picture" Award Recipient, A Shine of Rainbows tells the inspiring story of hope, transformation and love while surrounded by the beauty and power of nature.

An orphaned boy named Tomas is adopted by Maire O'Donnell (Connie Nielsen) to live on a whimsical Irish isle filled with new friends, secret caves and a lost baby pup seal stranded on the coast. But when Maire's reluctant husband Alec (Aidan Quinn) refuses to accept Tom's as his own son, the boy drifts down a fateful path of adventure and self-discovery, illuminating how rainbows can shine...

The nominees for the 31st Annual Genie Awards, Canada’s answer to the Oscars, were unveiled at simultaneous press conferences in Montreal and Toronto yeseterday. After being snubbed by the major Hollywood awards, only receiving 1 nomination and win for Paul Giamatti at the Golden Globes, Barney’s Version has been highly recognized by Canadian audiences. This is no surprise as its source material is a novel from beloved Canadian treasure Mordecai Richler and the film was partially shot in Montreal. Barney’s VersionIncendies leads the pack with 11 nominations including Best Motion Picture and populating most of the acting categories including one for Paul Giamatti for a Performace by an Actor in a Leading Role and Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Dustin Hoffman. Following closely is the other Canadian darling this year, Incendies , which garnered 10 nominations such as Adapted Screenplay (Denis Villeneuve) and Performance by an Actress...

Richard J. Lewis’ “Barney’s Version,” a festival favorite and big-screen version of the Mordecai Richler, garnered 11 nominations — including Best Motion Picture and Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Paul Giamatti) — to lead the way for the 31st Annual Genie Awards, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies,” a contender this year for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards, was next with 10 nominations, including Best Motion Picture and Achievement in Direction.

The Genies will be handed out on Thursday, March 10, at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The following is a list of nominees in some of the major categories.

Best Motion Picture

“10 ½”

Pierre Gendron

“Les amours imaginaires” (“Heartbeats”)

Xavier Dolan, Carole Mondello, Daniel Morin

“Barney’s Version”

Robert Lantos

“Incendies”

Luc Déry, Kim McCraw

Splice

Steven Hoban

Achievement in Direction

Podz

“10 ½”

Xavier Dolan

“Les amours imaginaires” (“Heartbeats”)

Denis Villeneuve

“Incendies”

Vincenzo Natali...

Richard J. Lewis’ “Barney’s Version,” a festival favorite and big-screen version of the Mordecai Richler, garnered 11 nominations — including Best Motion Picture and Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Paul Giamatti) — to lead the way for the 31st Annual Genie Awards, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies,” a contender this year for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards, was next with 10 nominations, including Best Motion Picture and Achievement in Direction.

The Genies will be handed out on Thursday, March 10, at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The following is a list of nominees in some of the major categories.

Best Motion Picture

“10 ½”

Pierre Gendron

“Les amours imaginaires” (“Heartbeats”)

Xavier Dolan, Carole Mondello, Daniel Morin

“Barney’s Version”

Robert Lantos

“Incendies”

Luc Déry, Kim McCraw

Splice

Steven Hoban

Achievement in Direction

Podz

“10 ½”

Xavier Dolan

“Les amours imaginaires” (“Heartbeats”)

Denis Villeneuve

“Incendies”

Vincenzo Natali...

Yesterday, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (Acct) announced the nominees for the 31rst Genie Awards, Canada's own Oscars.

Best Motion picture:

* 10 1/2

* Les amours imaginaires

* Barney's Version

* Incendies

* Splice

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

* Jay Baruchel in The Trotsky

* Paul Giamatti in Barney's Version

* Robert Naylor in 10 1/2

* Timothy Olyphant in High Life

* François Papineau in Route 132

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

* Martin Dubreuil in 10 1/2

* Dustin Hoffman in Barney's Version

* Alexis Martin in Route 132

* Callum Keith Rennie in Gunless

* Rossif Sutherland in High Life

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

* Lubna Azabal in Incendies

* Tatiana Maslany in Grown Up Movie Star

* Molly Parker in Trigger

* Rosamund Pike in Barney's Version

* Tracy Wright in Trigger

Best Actress In a Supporting Role:

* Sonja Bennett in Cole

* Anne-Élizabeth Bossé in Les amours imaginaires

* Minnie Driver in Barney's Version

* Terra Hazelton in Fubar 2

* Mary Walsh in Crackie

Best Adapted Screenplay:

* Michael Konyves...

Back in 2007, 9 year old  Scottish school boy John Bell (represented by On It Artists) won a Blue Peter competition for the chance to appear in an episode of series 3 of Doctor Who.

Since then, his acting career has gone from strength to strength with  a role in feature film "A Shine of Rainbows", and regular TV roles as Anthony Weaver in Life of Riley, and Toby in Tracy Beaker Returns.

He is now on his way to Baton Rouge in the U.S to film a role in Hollywood feature film "Battleship", a movie adaptation of the classic game, depicting the tale of an international force uniting to fight an alien naval armada. The movie will be directed by Peter Berg, and stars Liam Neeson,  Alexander Skarsgard from True Blood and Taylor Kitsch, as well as singer Rihanna.

Now aged 12, John began acting when he was just seven and attends...

Aidan Quinn, 51, has been returning to Ireland all his life. Although he was born and raised in Chicago, the handsome Irish American actor with the steely blue eyes actually spent a good portion of his early life in Dublin and in Birr, Co. Offaly, located in the heart of the Irish midlands. Quinn was raised by his devoutly Catholic Irish parents, and in many ways it was a classic Irish American upbringing. His father was a professor of literature and his mother was a typical Irish homemaker (and a fellow bookworm, too). So Quinn’s intimate experience of Irish life and American life has helped him create remarkably insightful portraits of both Irish and Irish American men in films like "Michael Collins", "Songs for a Raggy Boy" and his recent star turn in playwright Conor McPherson’s "The Eclipse". But in "A Shine of Rainbows" Quinn tackles an entirely new kind of character -- Alec,...

Yesterday, The Cultural Post received an e-mail from Canadian screenwriter Dennis Foon (A Shine of Rainbows). In this announced e-mail, he announced that Life, Above All will have its world premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival on May 18.

First of all, the film was directed by Oliver Schmitz (Paris, je t'aime), produced by Oliver Stoltz (Lost Children) and scripted by Dennis Foon (A Shine of Rainbows). It was included in the festival's official selection in the category "Un certain regard". Obviously, Foon won't be the only Canadian competing in this category, for he'll be accompanied by director Xavier Dolan, who directed Les amours imaginaires, and Noah Pink, who directed ZedCrew.

Furthermore, the film is based on a novel of Canadian author Allan Stratton. The story addresses the knotty question of HIV/AIDS through the eyes of a 16-year-old girl living in a small African city.

As for the screening date,...

Yesterday, the nominees for the 2010 Leo Awards were announced. The objective of this award is to celebrate all the things that have been done in the film and television industry of the Prairies and the province British Columbia along with people who are based in these regions. Furthermore, foreign TV series and films that are produced in Canada's West are also included in the party. Obviously, this is not the full list of nominees. In fact, this is the presentation of the nominees for dramatic TV series, feature films, comedy series and web series.

Feature Length Drama

Best Feature Length Drama:

* A Shine Of Rainbows

* Alice

* Cole

* Excited

* The Thaw

Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama:

* Vic Sarin - A Shine Of Rainbows

* Carl Bessai - Cole

* Bruce Sweeney - Excited

* Mark A. Lewis - The Thaw

Best Screenwriting in a Feature Length Drama:

* Vic Sarin, Chatherine Spear and...

Irish actor Aidan Quinn, who was raised in Chicago and Rockford, as well as in Dublin and Birr, County Offaly in Ireland, gave an in-depth interview to the Chicago Tribune about his career to date and being from Ireland. Quinn is best known for playing Alfred Ludlow in "Legends of the Fall". Quinn who stared in Irish movies "Michael Collins" and "The Playboys", has a slew of other movies under his belt including "Avalon," Benny and Joon," "Desperately Seeking Susan" and Music of the Heart." His most recent movies, "A Shine of Rainbows" and "The Eclipse" are both set in Ireland. Quinn said working beside his friend Liam Neeson has been very special to him. He also said he "loved working with Meryl Streep twice." Quinn said being from Chicago is very like being from Ireland. "I think there's a down-to-earthness with Midwesterners and with people from the Midlands — which...

Today the Newport Beach Film Festival kicks off its Irish Spotlight. As a huge fan of Irish films, I was interested to learn that t first film to be screened is "A Shine of Rainbows" starring Aidan Quinn and Connie Nielson. Based on a novel by Lillian Beckwith, the film tells the story of an orphan whose life is transformed by an extraordinary woman who teaches him to conquer grief and discover magic in nature and himself. Other films include "Ondine", starring Colin Farrell and "Atlantic", directed by Conor Ferguson and starring Liam Cunningham.   Although I haven't heard much about this film or read the book, I'm excited to see that it is getting coverage as one of the 400 films being screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Now in its 11th year, the Newport Beach Film Festival is one of the leading film festivals in the United States.   After checking out the film,...

Who says it always rains in Ireland? Whilst filing his latest flick Irish American film star Aidan Quinn didn't see a drop fall. "It did not rain one day while I was there," the blue-eyed leading man told the Toronto International Film Festival, where his latest film 'A Shine Of Rainbows' screened. "It didn't rain at all. It was the sunniest May and June that they'd had in years, and other parts of Ireland were getting soaked. But this northern county, way up there by Scotland, had the most magnificent weather." Quinn revelled in the Mediterranean like warm spell in the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, golfing 18 holes every day after 10 hours of filming and then hitting the local pub. "You'd order a big clam chowder, and you'd have a couple of brown soda breads, homemade, with slabs of butter on it, two pints of Guinness," Quinn said...

After a run in many film festivals, A Shine of Rainbows, a co-production between Canada and Ireland, will have a theatrical release. The film will come to Canada on April 9. Afterwards, it will have a limited release in the USA on April 23.

While the film is based on a novel by Lillian Beckwith, its scriptwriters are Vic Sarin, Catherine Spear and Dennis Foon. Moreover, Vic Sarin (Partition) directed this film.

Synopsis:

Tomas (John Bell), a frail, shy eight-year-old boy, has been living a solitary life in a drab orphanage – sad, friendless and alone. Then a joyous burst of colour comes into his world: Maire O’Donnell (Connie Nielsen), whose smile and spirit light up the darkest room – and Tomas’s heart. Before he knows it, Tomas is on a boat, sailing to wind-swept Corrie Island off the coast of Ireland, where he meets Alec (Aidan Quinn), her reticent husband who...

Here are the new MPAA ratings from Bulletin No: 2114.

2012: Doomsday - Special Edition Rated PG-13 For some violence and disturbing images. Accidents Happen Rated R For language, some disturbing images and brief teen drug and alcohol use. Bare Knuckles Rated PG-13 For violence and brief sensuality. Don't You Forget About Me Rated R For language. Eye For An Eye Rated R For some violence and language. Five Minutes Of Heaven Rated R For language and some violence. My Girlfriend's Boyfriend Rated PG For some mild thematic elements. Right Hand Drive Rated PG For thematic material including sensuality, and some language. Secretariat Rated PG For brief mild language. Release Date: October 8, 2010 Sexy Killer Rated R For strong bloody violence, sexual content, nudity and language. A Shine Of Rainbows Rated PG For some thematic elements, mild peril and smoking. Splice Rated R For disturbing elements including strong sexuality, nudity, sci-fi violence and language.

Organisers of the 2010 Cinemagic International Film Festival for Young People which takes place form May 5th – 12th in various venues around Dublin, have announced the highlights of the upcoming event. The festival programme will feature masterclasses with film and television industry guests, school workshops, screenings and a cross-border jury panel. The festival's special industry gusts include filmmaker Kirsten Sheridan (August Rush); presenters Dermot O'Leary (The X-Factor); Craig Doyle (The Craig Doyle Show); Aidan Power (The Cafe); Laura Whitmore (Six Semesters); Karen Koster (Xposé); DJ Ray D'Arcy; actress Rachel Kavanagh (Fair City); producer Ed Guiney (Garage); casting director Ros Hubbard (A Shine of Rainbows), Ifta winning director Ciaran Donnelly (The Tudors); Jon Slattery and Ciara Whelan (Producers/Presenters [Trilogy Media] and The Holiday Show).

Plus, Enver Gjokaj doesn't own a shirt, Nadal and Federer are flaming (soon), and what should we name the Italian Transformer?

The Los Angeles Times is crazy for Spartacus: Blood and Sand. And you know who else they think is crazy for hot, naked, sweaty gladiators? AfterElton.com. Yep – we get name checked for our love of loincloths.

Green Day’s American Idiot hasn’t even opened on Broadway, but Tom Hanks is already looking into taking the music of Billie Joe Armstrong and company and moving it to the silver screen. That’s some serious backing, but I never would have pictured Hanks as a Green Day fan.

Google’s corporate motto is “Do no evil” but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a little sneaky. After months of back and forth with the Chinese government and threats to leave the country entirely over censorship, they’ve simply pointed Google.

The Writers Guild of Canada (Wgc) just announced the finalists for the Wgc Screenwriting Awards. Those finalists come from the industry of television, filmmaking and web series. Besides, comedian Debra Digiovanni will host the 14th Annual Wgc Screenwriting Awards on April 19, 2010.

So, the finalists are...

Animation:

* Grossology - "New Recruits." Written by Richard Clark.

* Total Drama Action - "Crouching Courtney, Hidden Owen." Written by Alex Ganetakos.

* League of Super Evil - “Glory Hog." Written by Philippe Ivanusic-Vallee and Davila LeBlanc

* Total Drama Action - "The Sand Witch Project." Written by Shelley Scarrow.

Children & Preschool

* Max and Ruby - "Max Says Goodbye." Written by Kate Barris.

* Max and Ruby - "Ruby's Good Neighbor Report." Written by Shelley Hoffman & Robert Pincombe.

* Zigby - "Zigby's Collection." Written by Louise Moon

Documentary:

* Malls R Us (Feature Version). Written by Helene Klodawsky.

* The Royal Winnipeg Ballet - 40 Years of One Night Stands. Narration Written by Robert Lower.

HBO has given the green light to a pilot and nine episodes of George R.R. Martin's epic 'Game of Thrones'. The shoot of what is expected to be the biggest television series ever filmed in Europe will commence in June in Northern Ireland and will see the return of stars Sean Bean, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Mark Addy, Kit Harrington, Jennifer Ehle, Jack Gleeson, Peter Dinklage and Harry Lloyd. Hundreds of local cast and crew will be employed by 'Game of Thrones' which tells the larger-than-life tale of the constant struggle for power over a vast and violent fantasy kingdom. The series, directed by Tom Mccarthy (The Visitor), will star Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) as Eddard Stark, Jennifer Ehle (Possession) as Catelyn Stark, Lena Headey (300) as Cersei Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Black Hawk Down) as Jamie Lannister, Mark Addy...

The Vancouver International Film Festival (Viff) will be held October 1-16, 2009. Founded in 1982, Viff's mandate is "...to encourage the understanding of other nations through the art of cinema, to foster the art of cinema, to facilitate the meeting in British Columbia of cinema professionals from around the world and to stimulate the motion picture industry in British Columbia and Canada..." Here is a partial confirmed guest list guest of actors, producers and directors attending the October 1 Opening Night Gala Screening of A Shine Of Rainbows: Vic Sarin, director "A Shine Of Rainbows" Connie Nielsen, actress - "A Shine of Rainbows" Ryan Robbins . "Leslie, My Name is Evil" Christine Solomon, actress, Ahmad Abdella, director . "Heliopolis" Camille Sullivan + Jimmy Sigmund Fiona Forbes Emmauelle Vaugier - ("Two and a Half Men", "CSI NY") Byron Lawson ("Bloodletting") Sonja Bennet Chad Willett Richard de Klerk Agam Darshi Kevin McNulty Gabrielle Rose Paul Skrudland Kristine Cofsky Casey Manderson Bill Guttentag,...

Danish actress Connie Nielsen is keen to foster a "damaged child" after playing an adoptive mum in harrowing new movie A Shine Of Rainbows.

The Gladiator star, who is dating Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, has a two-year-old son, but she's interested in expanding on her family.

She says, "I think we should all get around to taking in any child who needs love. I wish there was a better system for foster care and then we would be able to do more for those children.

"It's just heartbreaking even thinking that there are children who are in families that are going through crises and they're not being taken to other families.

"If I had a different job, one that kept me at home, I would seriously consider fostering children from anywhere, especially older children.

"Everyone can fall in love with the cuteness of a baby but having the heart to reach out to the damaged child that has to learn to trust again is more important."...

Irish/Canadian co-production 'A Shine of Rainbows' beings to seven the number of Irish features to be screened at this years Toronto International Film Festival which runs 10 - 20 September 2009. Directed by Emmy award winning Indian Filmmaker/Dop Vic Sarin (Partition, Cold Comfort), the film stars Irish/American actor Aidan Quinn (32A, Legends of the Fall) and Danish actress Connie Nielson (Gladiator, One Hour Photo). With a budget of approximately €3.5 million, 'A Shine of Rainbows' was produced by Tina Pehme (Sepia Films), Kim Roberts and James Flynn (Octagon).