From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to announce that Jennifer Mullin, CEO of Fremantle (pictured above left), is confirmed as a keynote speaker as part of its renowned Summit Series lineup. In addition, BANFF has announced two exclusive ‘In Conversation With’ sessions featuring multi-faceted entertainer, actress, producer, writer, creator and New York Times bestselling author Lilly Singh (The Muppets Mayhem, The Bad Guys, Dollface, Battle of the Generations) as well as the World of Wonder co-founders and EPs behind the Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, Oscar-winning The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Emmy-winning Party Monster and owned-and-operated pioneering streaming service WOW Presents Plus, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. The 44th edition of the Festival will take place in-person June 11 – 14 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

“Each of these incredible individuals have changed the face of the industry in unique and important ways,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director, Banff World Media Festival. “Jennifer Mullin no doubt will have us rapt with her vision of what it takes to helm one of the world’s global content powerhouses. Lilly Singh is a Canadian-born superstar, and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate and explore what drives her talents in front of and behind the screen. And it’s just impossible to quantify the good that Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have put into the world via the legendary global juggernaut that is Drag Race and many other productions. They have changed minds and opened hearts and continue to demonstrate that beauty is about authenticity and joy, that love conquers hate, and that despite horrific efforts to the contrary in many places around the globe, the civil rights and human rights of the LGBTQ+ community must be protected.”

BANFF is the international conference and marketplace where new business partnerships are forged and new TV, film and digital media projects are ignited. With delegates from 50+ countries, the Festival attracts the world’s top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press and media companies.

ABOUT JENNIFER MULLIN
As CEO of Fremantle (part of the RTL Group), one of the biggest production companies in the world, Mullin oversees a business that achieved revenues of €2.3 billion ($2.44 billion) in 2022.

Under her leadership as Fremantle’s first American head, the creative powerhouse behind iconic entertainment franchises such as Idol, Got Talent, and Family Feud, has continued expansion of its high-end global drama and film output, producing the likes of Bones and All, My Brilliant Friend, The Responder and Academy-award nominated The Hand of God. The company has also set ambitious plans to continue its growth in the documentary space.

Fremantle has grown its global footprint through strategic M&A activity welcoming companies including Element Pictures, Lux Vide, 72 Films, Wildstar and Eureka to the Group. The company also continues to enter into high-profile creative talent partnerships with the likes of Angelina Jolie, Edward Berger, Paolo Sorrentino and Michael Winterbottom.

Mullin has served as Group CEO since 2018 having been promoted from her senior leadership role as CEO of Fremantle North America.

Before joining Fremantle, she worked as an executive and producer at such companies as Disney, Paramount and Universal.

ABOUT LILLY SINGH
Named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list, Fast Company’s Most Creative People, and as one of the most influential people on the internet by TIME, Lilly Singh (pictured above right) is an award-winning, multi-faceted entertainer, philanthropist, actress, producer, writer, and NYT-Bestselling author. A leading force in popular culture, she has amassed a global audience of nearly 40 million followers across her social media channels.

Up next, Singh is starring as the human lead and first woman of colour to lead a Muppets project in Disney+ upcoming comedy series The Muppets Mayhem. Singh also hosts and serves as executive producer of CTV’s upcoming primetime quiz series BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS. In 2022, Singh starred in the DreamWorks Animation action-comedy The Bad Guys, which premiered to a global box office of over $230 million. Singh is also a judge on CANADA’S GOT TALENT, that just returned for Season 2. Singh was the only woman to host a late-night show on a broadcast network television in nearly two decades for her show A LITTLE LATE WITH LILLY SINGH. As an author, she has published the #1 New York Times bestseller “How To Be A Bawse: A Guide to Surviving Conquering Life” and “Be a Triangle: How I Went from Being Lost to Getting My Life Into Shape”, which debuted as an instant best-seller in Canada and India.

Singh struck first-look deals with Universal Television Alternative Studio (unscripted) and Blink49 Studios and Bell Media (scripted) with her Unicorn Island Productions banner that she leads with Polly Auritt, highlighting South Asian storytelling. Debuting from the company in 2023 as a YouTube Original series is the animated series, “The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island” in partnership with Headspace Studios. She is also attached to star in a Netflix comedy series which she is developing with Kenya Barris’ Khalabo Ink Society.

In addition to her projects under Unicorn Island Productions, Singh launched “Lilly’s Library” to further her mission of spotlighting South Asian stories for everyone, as well as the Unicorn Island Fund – focusing on girls who continue to be systemically undervalued across cultures and geographies and empowering them to live without limits. UNICEF appointed Lilly as one of their Goodwill Ambassadors, where she’s advocated for gender equity in countries around the world since 2017.

She currently resides in Los Angeles and was born and raised in Scarborough, Ont.

ABOUT WORLD OF WONDER’S FENTON BAILEY AND RANDY BARBATO
For three decades, World of Wonder has introduced audiences to new worlds, talent and ideas; reshaping international pop culture, while earning 30 Emmys and inspiring Oscar®-winning performances. Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato first met as film students at NYU film school in the mid-80s before becoming creative and business partners in 1991 when they launched World of Wonder. Since then, they have been behind the Emmy® Award-winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1/Logo) and “Million Dollar Listing” LA & NY (Bravo) franchises, as well as award-winning subversive documentaries.

Together they have produced more than 250 projects and share nearly three dozen credits as co-directors, including award-winning and critically acclaimed films such as “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” inspiring the Oscar-winning scripted film by the same name; “Monica in Black and White”; “Wishful Drinking”; “Inside Deep Throat”; “Party Monster”; “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures”; “Every Brilliant Thing”; and Emmy® Award-winning “Out of Iraq.” Recent projects include “Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes,” based on Ronan Farrow’s explosive Harvey Weinstein investigation, and “Small Town News,” both with HBO.

Working together as directors in both the scripted and unscripted space, the dynamic duo seamlessly creates culture-shifting projects — a vision characterized by an appreciation for the quirky yet tell-tale details that grant access to a greater truth. Fenton and Randy believe that storytelling is not limited to the size of the screen, but rather it is the dimensions of the story that counts. Whether it is a convention (DragCon), a live show in Vegas, a book (ScreenAge) or a line of cocktails and mocktails (House of Love) – World of Wonder’s library inspires people to proudly and authentically live out their dreams, and give a voice to outsiders and marginalized communities.

Fenton and Randy have been honoured for their trailblazing work with the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen’s Global 100 list, Variety’s Reality Leaders List, and Variety’s Reality TV Impact Report, as well as the OUT 100. They have also been named by The Hollywood Reporter as the #1 unscripted producers working in the non-fiction space today. Most recently, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.

Featured

Must Watch Canadian TV Shows in 2023

April 19, 2023 Greg David

Although it’s not often talked about, Canada has produced some of the best TV series in recent years. While they sometimes get overlooked because American and British shows dominate the global market, once you delve deeper, they don’t disappoint.

These TV shows have something to offer just about everyone. Whether you enjoy quirky comedies or gripping dramas, you’ll find something you like. Keep reading to learn about some of the must-watch Canadian TV shows in 2023.

Casino

Whether we’re playing games on our phones or listening to a podcast about our favourite series, entertainment plays an important role in our lives. Casino games are some of the most popular games in the world, so it’s not surprising they also make an appearance on TV shows. One of Canada’s most famous programs is named Casino, and it’s based on a true story guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The main character is tasked with building a new casino, and he has to do so while dealing with various forces, including high-powered officials. It’s so good, most viewers won’t want to stop watching until they’ve finished all of the episodes.

When not watching this series or others, fans may want to test their skills on their own. Smartphones have made it easy to play popular casino titles while on the go or from the comfort of home. Thanks to the arrival of the casino industry in the online world, today you can enjoy classic titles such as roulette or blackjack and their new adapted versions, or delve into any imaginable theme with slots. Undoubtedly, a big step that has allowed to improve the user experience in the sector.

Wong & Winchester

This show debuted on January 17th of this year, making it the newest on this list. It brilliantly mixes crime and comedy and has become one of the most talked-about series this year. The story focuses on a seasoned ex-cop turned private investigator paired with an inexperienced newcomer who tests her patience.

Despite their differing views on just about everything, the two must work together to solve new cases each week. The show covers a variety of themes and has great dialogue that’ll keep viewers both laughing and intrigued.

Run the Burbs

The second season of this sitcom follows a multicultural Canadian family as they build their lives in the suburbs. It features a stay-at-home dad and a mom who runs her own business. Although many think moving to the suburbs will doom them to a life of boredom, this TV show proves that’s not always the case, especially when you’re determined to live life to the fullest.

Comedian, writer, and actor Andrew Phung created the show with his best friend, filmmaker Scott Towsend. Get ready for lots of belly laughs while watching this series.

Plan B

If you like time-travel stories, you won’t want to miss the TV series Plan B. It revolves around the life of Phillip, who sees travel as an escape from his life problems. He travels into the past, hoping to change it for the better and wondering if he can undo the damage he’s done to himself.

The name of the TV show comes from the company that employs the protagonist, which lets people go back in time to fix their mistakes. It’s an adaptation of the French-language sci-fi drama that’s been translated for English-speaking audiences.

Sullivan’s Crossing

A renowned neurosurgeon is forced to leave her medical career behind after a scandal means she has to leave her job and home. That’s the story behind the gripping new drama Sullivan’s Crossing, which follows the life of Maggie Sullivan as she embarks on a new path after her career ends.

She returns to her hometown in Nova Scotia, where she reconnects with her past and tries to navigate her new life. However, the appearance of a mysterious person in the town threatens to disrupt the tranquility she’d hoped to find back home.

Red Ketchup

While this show hasn’t premiered yet, we recommend keeping an eye out for it if you’re a fan of animated series. It follows the story of a rogue FBI agent who’s shipped off to Antarctica on a fake mission. The series is based on the graphic novel series by Pierre Fournier and is sure to be highly entertaining.

Children Ruin Everything

CTV announces third season of original comedy Children Ruin Everything

April 18, 2023 Greg David

From a media release:

CTV announced today that Canadian Screen Award-nominated comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is set to return for a third season. Production on 10, half-hour episodes of the CTV Original series from New Metric Media is underway in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont. Meaghan Rath and Aaron Abrams return, alongside Logan Nicholson, Mikayla SwamiNathan, Ennis Esmer, Nazneen Contractor, Dmitry Chepovetsky, Veena Sood, Lisa Codrington, and Darius Rota. CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is created by Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’s CONVENIENCE).

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING follows parents Astrid (Rath) and James (Abrams), as they raise their three young children and struggle to hold on to their pre-kid life, while discovering all of the little ways that raising kids has reshaped their world. Season 2 of the CTV Original series is the Top Canadian Comedy broadcast year-to-date among key demos A25-54 and A18-49.

The first two seasons of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING are currently available for streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app, as well as Crave, and are available on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Season two of the series was split into two seasons in the U.S., with season three launching on The Roku Channel on Friday, May 12.

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is from award-winning comedy entertainment studio New Metric Media and is created and executive produced by Smeaton and executive produced by one of television’s premier comedy writers Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, SHORESY, BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), and Meaghan Rath, with Alyson Richards (The Retreat) serving as Producer.

Bell Media Distribution is the international rights holder for CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, and New Metric Media is the series’ exclusive International Sales Agent. The series is produced by New Metric Media in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and Bell Fund.

Little Bird

From Jennifer Podemski, Hannah Moscovitch, and Jeremy Podeswa, the Crave and APTN original drama series, Little Bird, premieres May 26

April 17, 2023 Greg David

From a media release:

Crave and APTN premiere their much-anticipated original limited series, LITTLE BIRD, Friday, May 26, which follows an inspirational journey of self-discovery and truth. From Crave, APTN, Rezolution Pictures,OP Little Bird, and in partnership with global producer and distributor Fremantle, the six-part, one-hour limited series explores universal themes of resilience in the face of trauma and loss. It follows Bezhig Little Bird (Darla Contois) as she embarks on a path to find her birth family and uncover the hidden truth of her family history. The series streams on Friday, May 26 on Crave and APTN lumi, in English and French, with subsequent episodes dropping Fridays.

Removed from her home in Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan, Bezhig Little Bird is adopted into a Montréal Jewish family at age five, becoming Esther Rosenblum. Now in her 20s, Bezhig longs for the family she lost and is willing to sacrifice everything to find them. Her search lands her in the Canadian Prairies, worlds apart from everything she knows. As she begins to track down her siblings, she unravels the mystery behind her adoption and discovers that her apprehension was connected to a racist government policy, now known as the Sixties Scoop. Bezhig’s sense of identity shatters, and she is forced to reckon with who she is and who she wants to become.

Led by Contois, the character-driven drama features a talented cast of Indigenous actors, including: Ellyn Jade; Osawa Muskwa; Joshua Odjick; Imajyn Cardinal; Braeden Clarke; Eric Schweig; and Michelle Thrush. Rounding out the cast is Lisa Edelstein (HOUSE) who plays Esther’s adoptive mother, Golda Rosenblum.

The recent winner of the Audience Award Prize at the 2023 SERIES MANIA Festival in Lille, France, LITTLE BIRD was filmed in and around Winnipeg and Brokenhead Ojibway Nation on Treaty 1 territory, in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation on Treaty 2 territory, and in Muscowpetung First Nation on Treaty 4 territory. LITTLE BIRD showrunner Jennifer Podemski was also recently presented with an Academy Board Of Directors’ Tribute Award at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards.

Alongside the final episode on June 30, Crave and APTN lumi are making available COMING HOME, a 90-minute companion documentary providing historical context, about the Sixties Scoop. Directed by Erica Daniels (Run as One), COMING HOME explores the connections between the ground-breaking movement for Indigenous narrative sovereignty and the impact of the child welfare system as experienced through the LITTLE BIRD series’ Indigenous creatives, crew, and Sixties Scoop advisors. COMING HOME provides a structuring through-line, interwoven with interviews with cast, crew, and community members revealing personal connections to the Sixties Scoop.

LITTLE BIRD is a co-production from Crave and APTN, produced by Rezolution Pictures and OP Little Bird with the participation of the Canada Media Fund (CMF), Manitoba Film and Music, the Rogers Cable Network Fund, the Bell Fund, and the COGECO Independent Production Fund. Additional training funding is provided by Bell Media, the Indigenous Screen Office, REEL Canada and the Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC). Fremantle is distributing the series globally.

Led by an Indigenous creative team, LITTLE BIRD is developed by showrunner Jennifer Podemski and Rezolution Pictures, and created by Podemski and head writer Hannah Moscovitch. The creative team includes directors Zoe Hopkins and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and was written by Hopkins and Moscovitch. The series is executive produced by Christina Fon, Ernest Webb, Catherine Bainbridge, Linda Ludwick (Rezolution Pictures), Kim Todd, Nicholas Hirst (Original Pictures), Jennifer Podemski, Hannah Moscovitch, Zoe Hopkins, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Jeremy Podeswa, along with Christian Vesper and Dante Di Loreto (Fremantle). Producers are Tanya Brunel and Jessica Dunn (OP Little Bird), Claire MacKinnon and Philippe Chabot (Rezolution Pictures) and Lori Lozinski and Ellen Rutter.

Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Spring has sprung! AMI-tv announces new and returning original series and documentaries to celebrate the season

April 13, 2023 Greg David

From a media release:

Spring is here, and with it comes warmer weather and flowers in bloom. Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is marking the season with new and returning original series and documentaries on AMI-tv to help viewers shake off the cold.

From discussing the misconceptions surrounding the sex lives of people with a disability in That Sex Show to new episodes of the ground-breaking Fashion Dis and Mind Your Own Business, AMI-tv offers a bouquet of programming for all Canadians.

Highlights of AMI-tv’s upcoming spring programming include:

April

That Sex Show debuts Wednesday, April 19, at 8 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv

Hosted by sex educator Rachele Manett, That Sex Show is a deep dive into the intersection of sex and disability. Join Rachele as she meets with experts and members of the disability community to discuss the myths and misconceptions surrounding the sex lives of people with a disability. That Sex Show is produced by Ocean Entertainment.

May

Disrupt debuts Tuesday, May 2, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv

Fast-paced, experimental and accessible, Disrupt showcases music, short films, poetry, animation, spoken word, comedy, dance, puppetry and other mediums, with a disability-first punk rock attitude. Produced by Rachel Bower Productions, Disrupt also features members of the disability community working in such key production roles as production manager, writer, assistant editor, assistant director, composer, assistant production designer and camera and sound assistants.

Fashion Dis returns Wednesday, May 3, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv

Hosted by Ardra Shephard, Season 2 of Fashion Dis celebrates the head-to-toe overhaul of a frustrated style seeker discouraged by an industry that lacks adaptive options. Utilizing innovative fashion design and transformative beauty techniques provided by partner companies, the Fashion Dis expert team reveals the latest in fashion-forward thinking and shows those ready to rock their best body exactly how to do it. Returning experts for Season 2 of Fashion Dis is makeup artist Bella Strange, hair stylist Susan Shipley, style expert Izzy Camilleri and art director Melonie Lawrence; Alkan Emin joins the team as the professional photographer.

Returning partners to Fashion Dis include Guide Beauty, June Adaptive, ByAcre, Rollz, MagnaReady, BILLY Footwear, Liberare, Slick Chicks and Cheekbone Beauty. New Fashion Dis partners include Will & Well, BeedleBug, Consonant Skincare, Elba London, Aille Design, MIGA Swimwear, Blue Dahlia, The Vault By Volpe Beringer, Chamiah Dewey Fashion, It Actually Fits, Auf Augenhoehe, Crease Piece, Deafmetal, Amaterasu Beauty, Sweet LeiLani, Elate Beauty, EazyHold, Roncy Packs, Ambutech and Sahajan. Fashion Dis is produced by Nikki Ray Media.

Womb Envy debuts Wednesday, May 10, on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App

Created by Toronto drag artist Champagna, the previously announced web series Womb Envy is a story of second chances and inclusion. When a gay party boy’s estranged small-town best friend shows up expecting him to play baby daddy, even a lover who is partially sighted and an imaginary drag queen can’t stop his womb envy. Two episodes will be released weekly on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App. Womb Envy is produced by Border2Border Entertainment.

Aging in Place airs Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv

The original documentary Aging in Place examines the challenges seniors deal with and the path they follow to live comfortably and happily in their own homes. Aging in Place is produced by Mountain Road Productions.

Mind Your Own Business returns Tuesday, May 30, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv

Hosted by entrepreneur Kevin Shaw, who is blind, entrepreneurs in the disability community aim to take their businesses to the next level with some help from high-profile Canadian mentors. Entrepreneurs and companies featured in Season 2 of Mind Your Own Business include Sawchuk Accessible Solutions, Deafinite Contracting, THG’s Hot Chicken, Zed Cuff, StopGap Foundation, Tru Faces and Kingston Circus Arts. Mind Your Own Business is produced by Apple Orchard Productions.

All AMI-tv originals are available post-broadcast on demand at AMI.ca or the AMI-tv App.