Cronenberg Plugs Into "Videodrome"

The start of year-long programming @ Toronto's TIFF Bell Lightbox, will include a live appearance from Toronto-based director David Cronenberg, Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 9:15pm and Friday, September 24, 2010 at 9:30pm, introducing a special screening of his 1983, science fiction thriller "Videodrome":

FX Gets Boxed In With "Lights Out"

"Lights Out", the new FX Network 'boxing' TV series, debuts January 2011, from executive producer Warren Leight ("Mother's Day"), starring actor Holt McCallany (CSI: Miami") as former heavyweight boxing champion 'Lights Out Leary' who struggles to find his identity after retiring from the ring.

"...Financial problems leave him at a crossroads - battling the urge to return to boxing or reluctantly accepting a job as a 'debt collector'..."

Catherine McCormack ("Braveheart") co-stars as 'Theresa Leary', Lights' wife who is finishing her medical residency, Pablo Schreiber ("Law & Order") as 'Johnny Leary', Lights' brother/business manager and Stacy Keach ("Fat City") as 'Pops', Lights' father and former trainer who runs a boxing gym.

Canadian actor/director Clark Johnson ("The Shield") and Norberto Barba ("CSI: NY") directed the pilot episode.

Series creator Justin Zackham ("The Bucket List"), Phillip Noyce ("Salt") and Ross Fineman will also executive produce "Lights Out" for Fox Television Studios and FX Productions.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Lights Out"...

Veninger Sells "MODRA" to Mongrel

Following its world premiere @ TIFF, September 15, Canadian-based writer/producer/director Ingrid Veninger's new feature "MODRA", "a snapshot of repressed teen desire and confusion" has sold off Canadian distribution rights to Mongrel Media.

"...'Lina' (Hallie Switzer) is 17 years old and lives in Toronto with her mother. For one week during the summer holidays she plans to visit her extended family in 'Modra', a small town in Slovakia. When Lina is dumped by her boyfriend, she invites 'Leco', a boy from school, to accompany her instead. Not long after arriving in Modra, Lina and Leco discover they have little in common. To make matters worse, Lina's family mistakenly assumes they’re a couple. So far from home, they are forced to confront one another, setting off an unconventional romance..."

Born in Bratislava, and raised in Canada, Veninger is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre (CFC).

"MODRA" is a pUNK films production produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "MODRA"...

Image Picks Up Glazer's "Passion Play"

As TIFF 2010 wrapped up in Toronto, (excluding many of our Jewish film-making friends, by scheduling Gala screenings and parties during the solemn 'High Holidays' of 'Rosh Hashanah' and 'Yom Kippur'), Image Entertainment managed to finalize their US distribution acquisition of the dramatic thriller "Passion Play", director Mitch Glazer's debut feature, starring Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler", Megan Fox ("Transformers"), Bill Murray ("Ghostbusters") and Bud Cort ("Harold And Maude").

Set in 1950's Los Angeles, "Passion Play" follows jazz trumpeter 'Nate' (Rourke), who is targeted by underworld boss 'Happy Shannon' (Murray). Rourke manages to elude Shannon, finding solace in the company of 'Lily' (Fox), a circus, side-show 'freak' with wings, that is the main attraction at a Mexican carnival.

"...When a jazz trumpeter is taken to the desert, with a gun held to his head, we are at the beginning of a fable about romance and dreams. When he meets a beautiful woman who works as the 'Bird Woman' in a circus, he falls madly in love and persuades her to run away with him only to find that life is a little more complicated than simply living one’s fantasies..."

"Passion Play" is produced by Daniel Dubiecki, Megan Ellison, Jonah Hirsch and Rebecca Wang.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Passion Play"...