On Screen Manitoba

LESS THAN KIND, the original series from Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada) with 45 nominations and 15 awards, including the coveted Gemini trifecta of Best Comedy, Best Acting, and Best Writing, goes into production on its fourth and final season starting Monday, May 28.

The series stars Jesse Camacho (Rapturepalooza, Happy Slapping, Kids in the Hall, Death Comes to Town), Wendel Meldrum (Queen of the Lot, Seinfeld), Benjamin Arthur (American Reunion, Hang Loose, Switch, Charlie), Nancy Sorel (Rufus, Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story, Cashing In), Lisa Durupt (Hitched for the Holidays, Psych), Brooke Palsson (Molly Maxwell, Keyhole, Rusted Pyre), Tyler Johnston (The Killing, Becoming Redwood, The Odds, Flashpoint) and this season Nicholas Campbell (Antiviral, Republic of Doyle, Haven). Series is directed by Gemini-award winning Kelly Makin as well as Leo-nominated Canadian Comedy Award-winner James Dunnison, Mark McKinney (who made his directing debut last season), Doug Mitchell, and the newly-minted directing team of series co-creators Marvin Kaye and Chris Sheasgreen. Principal photography runs from May 28- July 10 in Winnipeg and season four will premiere in 2013.

"We are all thrilled to be doing a fourth season that offers the creative challenge of concluding this story and this wonderful series. It’s incredibly satisfying as so few shows get this opportunity. It is truly ‘rare air’,” says executive producer, writer and director Mark McKinney.

In season four of LESS THAN KIND, nothing is certain but change and for the Blechers, change is in the driver’s seat throughout a bittersweet summer of turmoil and goodbyes.

Anne’s anxiety is rising at the looming loss of Sheldon to a gap-year adventure and a university far away and to the advances of employee Jim Sheridan. Newly engaged, Josh pursues a career at Manitoba Labels in order to move out, move up and start his own family with the increasingly demanding Shandra. Aunt Clara finds herself facing the harsh prospect of unwelcome spinsterhood. As for Sheldon, Miriam and Danny, they will reel as their relationships are strained past the breaking point by tumultuous events coming from all directions. Life will never be the same again for the Blechers. And that might not be bad.

LESS THAN KIND is produced by Breakthrough Entertainment and Buffalo Gal Pictures, in association with Astral’s The Movie Network and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central, and is helmed by executive producer, writer and showrunner Mark McKinney, executive producers Peter Williamson and Ira Levy for Breakthrough Entertainment and Phyllis Laing for Buffalo Gal Pictures. The series is also written and executive produced by former Winnipegger Marvin Kaye and Vancouver born Chris Sheasgreen, who created the series based on Kaye’s semi-autobiographical one-act play, They Have Mayonnaise in Montreal. Paula J. Smith is producer. The fourth season of the series was written by Mark McKinney, Garry Campbell, Marvin Kaye and Chris Sheasgreen, Karen Hill and Jenn Engels.

LESS THAN KIND is a Breakthrough Entertainment/Buffalo Gal Pictures production, and produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, Manitoba Film & Music, The Canadian Film and Video Tax Credit, The Government of Manitoba – Manitoba Film & Video Productions Tax Credit, and the Government of Ontario – The Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit. Distribution by Breakthrough Entertainment Inc.

About Breakthrough Entertainment:

Co-founded by managing partners Ira Levy and Peter Williamson, Toronto-based Breakthrough Entertainment Inc. (BEI) is a leading global producer and distributor of acclaimed primetime comedy and drama series, as well as factual entertainment, documentaries, television movies, family entertainment and children’s animation. As one of Canada ’s largest television production and distribution companies, BEI has licensed programs to major broadcasters in over 200 territories. With a catalogue of over 2800 half-hours of programming, the company handles distribution as well as worldwide pre-sales, co-productions and third-party acquisitions. In addition to its dedicated program development, production and distribution divisions, Breakthrough’s digital media division ranks among one of the industry’s most respected producers of high quality digital entertainment including websites, and online, mobile, ITV and iPhone games. www.breakthroughentertainment.com

About Buffalo Gal Pictures Inc.:
Buffalo Gal Pictures is an award-winning independent production company based in Winnipeg, Canada. President Phyllis Laing and producer Liz Jarvis have developed and producedmany challenging and diverse projects including Amreeka, which premiered atSundance, 2009, My Winnipeg and Stone Angel, which both had premieres at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. Buffalo Gal Pictures has also produced over 52 hours of television programming including Less Than Kind and Cashing In. In addition, they have also produced seven award-winning documentaries. By creating collaborative relationships with creative talent and building successful co-production partnerships, Buffalo Gal Pictures has become one of the top independent production companies in Canada.

About The Movie Network:
The Movie Network is a pay television service available in eastern Canada. With premiere access to Hollywood hit movies, new and exclusive HBO content, critically acclaimed Showtime series and first-rate Canadian programming, this pay-television service presents Canadians with some of the best television entertainment available. The Movie Network service includes five 24-hour multiplex channels – M, HBO Canada, MExcess, MFun! and MFest – which deliver diverse and entertaining programs in an uncut and commercial-free television environment. The Movie Network also offers The Movie Network HD, HBO Canada HD, MExcess HD and MFun! HD, four dedicated high-definition channels providing hundreds oftitles in HD; The Movie Network OnDemand, a Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service, available in select areas across eastern Canada; and, TMN OnLine an Internet-based content streaming service available to BellTV, Rogers and Videotron subscribers.
For more information, please visit www.themovienetwork.ca.

The Movie Network is a member of the Astral family. Astral Media Inc. (TSX : ACM.A/ACM.B) is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates over 100 of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties. Astral plays acentral role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

About Movie Central:
Movie Central is a commercial-free premium pay TV service available in western Canada. Movie Central premieres the best in Hollywood,international and Canadian films across nine 24-hour movie channels, including dedicated high-definition feeds, a Movie Central On Demand service and exclusive HBO content on HBO Canada. Movie Central is also the first window for Showtime content and home to cutting-edge Canadian series. A major force in the Canadian independent film and television production industry, Movie Centralsupports many critically-acclaimed and award-winning Canadian series and films. Visit the Movie Central website at www.moviecentral.ca.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television andradio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.