On Screen Manitoba

Lank/Beach Productions documentary Rosh Hashanah: 
The Day of Judgement, will 
air Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 10 p.m. ET on VisionTV. Ralph Benmergui hosts this one-hour special on the meaning of the Jewish New Year,

“In Judaism, what we talk about is what we have to do. We have to walk the talk.”
– Rabbi Lawrence Pinsker, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Winnipeg

In our secular culture, we greet the dawning of a new year with that most cherished of holiday traditions: the hangover.
In Judaism, the New Year celebration – known as Rosh Hashanah – involves a different and rather more meaningful set of rituals.
On Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, VisionTV presents Rosh Hashanah: The Day of Judgement, a thought-provoking documentary special that explores the meaning and significance of the Jewish New Year.

Produced by Winnipeg’s Lank/Beach Productions, the hour-long film is hosted by award-winning Canadian broadcast journalist Ralph Benmergui.

The first of the Jewish High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah falls at the start of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It begins this year at sundown on Sept. 8, and concludes at nightfall on Sept. 10.

The High Holidays come to an end 10 days later, with the celebration of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
As Ralph Benmergui explains in his introduction to the program, Rosh Hashanah is meant to be a time for deep reflection – to consider “our inherent contract with God, our commitment to His law, [and] His judgement of our human deeds.”
During Rosh Hashanah, Jews are expected to examine their lives and actions over the past year, to consider the harm they may have done to others, and to dedicate themselves anew to the task of repairing the world. It is a profound – and profoundly personal – experience.

Rosh Hashanah: The Day of Judgement investigates the symbolic meaning of the many customs and traditions associated with the holiday, such as the blowing of the ram’s horn, or shofar. The documentary also features insightful interviews with rabbis, community leaders, religious scholars and others – including Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi, actor Larry Thomas – who explain what Rosh Hashanah means to them, and how they strive to answer its call to action.

As Leslie Emery, Program Coordinator at Winnipeg’s Shaarey Zedek Synagogue explains: “God knows that people aren’t perfect and doesn’t expect us to be perfect. And so we have a chance, luckily, as Jews, to make up for our imperfections and to try to do better for the next year.”

Rosh Hashanah: The Day of Judgement was produced by Luanne Lank and directed by Barry Lank. Joan Jenkinson is the Executive Producer for VisionTV.

VisionTV will honour Yom Kippur with the premiere broadcast of the documentary To Forgive … Divine on Monday, Sept. 13 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. This hour-long film will explore the significance of forgiveness in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

For more on VisionTV programming, please visit www.visiontv.ca

Directed and edited by John Barnard, Produced by Kyle Bornais is this little concert film made for CBC called RED ROAD. The show was recorded live at the West End Cultural Center in Winnipeg, 2010, and features bands Don Amero, Burnt Project 1, and Lucy Idlout. All the music is great and it airs this Saturday, August 28 at 7pm on CBC Manitoba.

Check out the preview that features band Burnt Project 1:

Burnt Project 1 in RED ROAD

Frantic Films television series Princess (Season 1) - Premieres September 7th at 9pmET / 6pm PT!

Behold the Princess – you know the type – living a fabulous life, while her debt accumulates and family and friends foot the bills. Now it’s time to grow up – and get real.

In this series, Gail Vaz-Oxlade, host of the hit series Til Debt Do Us Part, tackles the newest generation of spoiled spenders. Over a six week period, Gail takes away these Princess’s credit cards, puts them on a cash diet and challenges them to start achieving goals. Using her no-nonsense tough talk, Gail confronts, cajoles and guides these spoiled Princesses as they transform into self-sufficient young women. Packed with Gail’s practical financial advice and compelling candidates, Princess is candid and entertaining viewing for a wide range of audiences.

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL - Premieres Sept. 29

– Jason Mewes goes back to school as Jimmy the Janitor
– SPACE launches series with sneak peek at Toronto’s Fan Expo convention, Aug. 28
– INNERSPACE takes viewers behind the scenes with TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL Special, Sept. 22

For many teenagers, high school is hell. For students at Crowley High, hell is in their high school. On Wednesday, Sept. 29 SPACE debuts its bloody good, all-new, original scripted series, TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL with two, back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. ET and 9:30 p.m. ET. A 13-episode, half-hour original SPACE spawn, TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL is a tip of the hat to 80s teen and horror flicks that is best described as Breakfast Club meets Evil Dead and a testament to the channel’s devotion to wicked programming. A week before the mayhem is unleashed, INNERSPACE plunges into the depths of hell with a TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL special, Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. ET. Viewers can relive the mayhem online at spacecast.com.

On Saturday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. ET, the entire cast invades Toronto fan entertainment event FAN EXPO Canada™ for an INNERSPACE LIVE: TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL panel. Hosted by INNERSPACE genre experts Teddy Wilson and Ajay Fry, the one-hour panel features a sneak peek at the entire first episode, followed by a Q&A with the cast.

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL follows a book of awesome power that makes teenagers’ deepest, darkest desires come true, but at a horrifying cost. It’s The Book of Pure Evil and it’s loose in Crowley High. Thankfully, one horny teenager stands between the book and the end of the world as we know it. His name is Todd Smith and he will save their asses whether he wants to or not.

In the 13 horrifically hilarious episodes, The Book of Pure Evil unleashes its power in all manner of ways: via a giant evil baby, a vengeful penis monster or voracious zombie Goth band, to name a few. In the premiere episode, “Todd the Metal God,” Todd becomes the reluctant hero when he uses the Book’s power to transform himself into a heavy metal guitar god to impress his dream girl Jenny. Unfortunately glory comes with a hefty price and once the Book’s evil powers are unleashed, Crowley High’s teen dreams quickly turn into nightmares.

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL stars a deadly cast including Alex House (DARK ORACLE) as pot-smokin’, heavy-metal-rock-god-wannabe Todd Smith; Maggie Castle (The Time Traveler’s Wife) as righteous babe Jenny Kolinsky; Bill Turnbull (BEING ERICA) as Todd’s best bud Curtis Weaver; Melanie Leishman (TRUE CONFESSIONS OF A HOLLYWOOD STARLET) as big-brained Hannah B. Williams; Chris Leavins (SLINGS AND ARROWS) as Crowley High’s sub-par guidance counsellor Atticus Murphy Jr.; and last but not least, Jason Mewes (Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) as the foul-mouthed, sex-obsessed custodian, Jimmy the Janitor.

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL is a SPACE original production, shot in Winnipeg. Isme Bennie is Vice-President and General Manager for SPACE. Rebecca DiPasquale is Manager of Development for SPACE.

TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL is the brainchild of co-creators Craig David Wallace, Charles Picco and Anthony Leo. Executive Producing this madness are Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen (Aircraft Pictures), Craig David Wallace (Corvid Pictures), and Jamie S. Brown (Frantic Films). Producers are Leo, Rosen and Shawn Watson (Frantic Films). TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL is based on the short film of the same name by Max Bernard Reid and Craig David Wallace, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2003.

SPACE’s ongoing support of Canadian independent productions has been a major contributor to the success of series such as SANCTUARY, THE LISTENER, DEFYING GRAVITY, STORMWORLD, RABBIT FALL, GIRLY GHOSTHUNTERS and TRIPPING THE RIFT. Documentaries include FAMOUS MONSTER and PRETTY BLOODY.

SPACE is Canada’s national science fiction, speculation and fantasy channel. SPACE is truly the boutique station for all those who dare to challenge their imagination (www.spacecast.com). SPACE is owned by CTV Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier multi-media company.

Find more SPACE and TODD news on:

Websites
SPACE Website
Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil website

Facebook
SPACE on Facebook
Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil Facebook page 

Twitter
SPACE on Twitter
The Book Of Pure Evil Twitter

Food Network Canada’s brand new Canadian original series, The Opener, has celebrity chef and restaurant consultant David Adjey on a mission to give restaurateur newbies a wake-up call before they open their doors and potentially lose everything. Produced by Frantic Films, the show premiers Tuesday, August 31st. The Opener takes viewers on a dramatic and entertaining ride behind the scenes and into restaurants across North America. From money management and leadership to floor plans and staffing, David Adjey stops at nothing to avoid disaster.

In each episode, David Adjey answers calls from wide-eyed restaurant rookies and does whatever it takes to make their opening dreams come true. Between a pair of former fraternity brothers looking for their next great adventure, an ex-nightclub promoter eager to parlay his skills into the restaurant business, and an owner who has hired a strict vegetarian as his head chef, David has his work cut out for him. 

Having seen all kinds of success and failure in the restaurant industry, David Adjey brings expertise, inspiration, motivation and the brutal truth to new restaurant owners. His unorthodox methods and tough love give aspiring restaurateurs a shot at recouping their money and living their dream.

Foodnetwork.ca will feature a The Opener show page including streaming of episodes after broadcast airing and exclusive content consisting of interviews with David Adjey, David’s insight on how a restaurant can turn a profit, a “where they are now” series following up with show contributors, and a tour of David’s kitchen.

Farpoint Films produced Harmony: Song and Celebration at The Forks airs 7 p.m., Saturday, July 17 on CBC Television

Experience a musical tribute to Aboriginal culture and residential school survivors. Thousands embarked on a journey of understanding and healing at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s first national event and you too can through CBC Manitoba’s one-hour television special, Harmony: Song and Celebration at The Forks.

Featuring incredible performances by some of Canada’s top musicians including Blue Rodeo, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Ray Saint Germain, this beautiful and emotional tribute airs Saturday, July 17 at 7 p.m. on CBC Television in Manitoba. Other performers include Tamara Podemski, Murray Porter, Joey Stylez and Inez.

The first National Event of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was held June 16 to 19 at The Forks in Winnipeg, Man. The event brought together Canadians, survivors and their families, former school staff and others affected by the Indian Residential Schools (IRS) experience. It provided opportunities for statement gathering, healing and greater awareness for all Canadians.

Harmony: Song and Celebration at The Forks is produced by Farpoint Films and executive produced by Carl Karp. It is part of CBC Manitoba Presents, a six-part summer series airing Saturdays at 7 p.m. on CBC Television in Manitoba.

Find stories and history of residential schools at the CBC website Stolen Children.

Please tune in (or set your PVR!) to History Television this Saturday night at 7pm ET for the premiere of Frantic Films’ Rocket Booster Rescue.

Directed by Manitoba’s own Jeff Newman for History Television (Canada) and National Geographic Channels International, this 1-hour documentary explores how solid rocket boosters thrust NASA’s space shuttles into the air, the elaborate processes required to make sure it all happens safely - and the tragic consequences if they fail to do so.

Tell all your friends! Learn more about rocket ships! Be the smartest kid/guy/gal at the water cooler on Monday!

Frantic Films produced Rags to Red Carpet has its series premiere this July on every ladies guilty pleasure channel CosmoTV! Be sure to check it out Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 p.m. starting on Wednesday, July 7 at 9:30 p.m.

RAGS TO RED CARPET – SERIES PREMIERE

Rags to Red Carpet is a brand new original series that brings the glitz and glam of Hollywood into the lives of everyday women who are desperately in need of a makeover. In each half hour episode, host Liz West shines the spotlight on an unsuspecting woman in need of a makeover by showing a movie trailer of the style victim’s everyday worst. When the lights come up to expose the participants’ family and friends in the audience, Liz offers the shocked woman a fabulous head-to-toe makeover with a team of top beauty experts. Armed with the latest fashion, makeup and beauty aids, these experts transform the woman into a dazzling star ready for a marvelous red carpet reveal to friends and family. Viewers can tune in as women get the chance to capture a glamorous starring role in their own life.

Produced by Frantic Films in association with CosmoTV.

APTN Premiere: Rising Stars
Produced by Eagle Vision

Rising Stars premieres Saturday, May 8th at:

9 pm ET on APTN East
9 pm MT on APTN West
9 pm CT on APTN North
9 pm ET on APTN HD

Rising Stars is a spectacular two hour concert featuring performances and interviews with the best and brightest rising stars in the Aboriginal music community. Join country music star Crystal Shawanda and blues rocker George Leach as they introduce viewers to the bright stars of tomorrow including indie rockers Ghostkeeper and The Bastard Fairies; singer-songwriters Blair Goudie, Evan Reeve, Sonia Eidse and Jasmine Netsena; country music's newest darling Darrelyne Bickel; the man with the beats DJ Madeskimo; cellist Cris Derksen; and hip-hop artist Lakota Jonez.

The Buffalo Gal Pictures produced television series Cashing In which airs on APTN has just launched a brand new website.

Now you can find out more about the series and all your favourite characters online. www.cashingintv.com

The site also includes some great 'Behind The Scenes' footage, Cast Interviews and a Discussion Forum where you can gush over your favourite characters *cough* Justin Tommy *cough*.

The Manitoba shot Shadow Island Mysteries  is set to air on Movie Central and the W Network! The TV Movie series is produced by Buffalo Gal Pictures and Breakthrough Films and Television.

Corus has confirmed broadcast dates for the first movie WEDDING FOR ONE. Below is the premiere broadcast date/time, followed by initial repeats:

MOVIE CENTRAL
May 4th at 8:30pm
May 16th at 6:30am
June 13th at 2:20pm

W NETWORK
May 5th at 10pm (Nationwide premiere)
June 5th at 2am, 9am, 2pm

Shadow Island Mysteries take place on an island in the pristine Canadian wilderness. The intrigue occurs in the mysterious woods and in the luxurious living quarters of the Shadow Island Resort. At the center of each story is Claire La Foret, a beautiful young woman who works as the Property Manager. Claire loves puzzles and it’s her ambition to be a mystery writer. And mysteries have a way of finding her.

In the first movie, Wedding for One, Claire hosts her best friend’s wedding. Guests arrive, old family conflicts resurface and the night before the wedding, the groom goes missing. Only Claire knows of Danny’s disappearance and she is determined to find him and bring him back before her best friend finds out. Has he left the island, has he been kidnapped or is this all a part of an elaborate ruse? Soon Claire is being sent a series of mysterious clues from an unknown source. Are they from the groom himself playing a joke on Claire or from the groom’s kidnapper? Claire’s search for the groom is further complicated by the arrival of Jeff, Claire’s ex-boyfriend. Their romance is rekindled but short-lived. After all, the wedding starts at four and before that time, there’ll be a threat on Claire’s life, the arrival of more damaging puzzle pieces and the increased reality that what started as a game has become deadly serious.

Great article on the Buffalo Gal Pictures co-produced TV series Less Than Kind. The takes place in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is full of all the cultural and quirky attributes making it the perfect setting for your friendly neighborhood dysfunctional family. And as Torontonian Judith Klassen would prove, you don't have to be from this Great City to enjoy the show.

Jude’s Blip, Less Than Kind, Shades of Finkleman
Judith Klassen

Every now and then a Canadian sitcom gets made that has no stink of compromise. It happened back in the ‘90s with The News Room, and it has happened again with the HBO Canada series, Less Than Kind.

News Room was conceived of and executed by Ken Finkleman, who did exactly what he wanted to do: Rumours of executives scurrying out of his writing room, cheeks burning after daring to make artistic suggestions, titillated many a scribe and gave us hope. He was our Scarlett Pimpernel—did he really exist? Did it really happen that way?

From his TV war stories it appears that Finklemen was toughened toiling under the LA sun. His advice in workshops included, “Don’t ever quit. Make them fire you.”

Less Than Kind co-creators Marvin Kaye and Chris Sheasgreen have managed to stay true to their vision despite no sojourns south of the border to harden their hides. Finkleman went to Tinseltown, Joe Orton and Oscar Wilde went to prison, and Kaye and Sheasgreen had their trial by fire at theatre school—they both attended the notoriously spirit-crushing Studio 58. It’s the only thing that explains it.

OK, maybe there’s such a thing as Karma, because Sheasgreen and Kaye are such nice boys, even the multiple WGC Awards nods haven’t turned them insufferable. Kaye talks about myriad “blessed moments” like finding out that the miraculous Maury Chaykin (Entourage, Boston Legal) had read their series proposal and was “tracking them” (tracking is like stalking without the creepy factor). Or the “blessed moment” when comedic Kid, Mark McKinney (Chicken Lady!) stepped in as executive story editor. Finding the core group of actors was a profound moment for Kaye, “We were auditioning all these groups of people, and suddenly the whole family was standing there.”

Kaye and Sheasgreen met at Studio 58 but pitched LTK as a school assignment during their stint in the NSI television program. Their mandate was to hit the sweet spot between drama and laughs—and, oh how sweet it is.

The cast of Less Than Kind includes: Jesse Camacho, Wendel Meldrum, Benjamin Arthur, Nancy Sorel, Linda Kash, Emma Bambrick, Daniel Kash, Brooke Palsson, Dave Foley, and Kevin McDonald. Produced by Breakthrough Films and Buffalo Gal Pictures.

Click here to listen in on Jude’s phone conversation with Marvin Kaye.

Judith Klassen is a Toronto writer, performer, and podcaster (Judecast).

The final episode of “One Ocean” is airing on CBC’s “The Nature of Things” next Thursday, March 25 at 8:00pm!

And guess what!? If you happened to miss the first three episodes, you can watch them on their amazing website oneocean.cbc.ca

The website was produced by MMP (producer, Alexa Rosentreter) and Tactica Interactive Communication (producer Kevin Glasier).

One Ocean is co-produced by Merit Motion Pictures and the CBC in association with the National Geographic and with the participation of Discovery Science.

Thursday, March 25 at 8:00 pm CST
Episode 4 - “The Changing Sea”, directed by Erna Buffie; edited by David McGunigal; produced by Merit Jensen Carr.

"It will change the way you think about the ocean and our world."

Back in 2009 Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story was shot in several locations throughout Manitoba including Winnipeg, Brandon and Selkirk. The film was co-produced by Manitoba production company Frantic Films - Executive Producer Jamie Brown and Producer Shawn Watson worked on the film along with 5 For Fighting Productions Inc.

The film was written by Don Cherry's son, Tim Cherry, who has wanted to tell his father's personal story for some time.

Airing on CBC: Sunday, March 28, 2010 & Monday, March 29, 2010 from 8 - 10 PM

Click here for the CTF's in-depth article with Tim Cherry on the making of Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story.

By: Brad Oswald / Watching TV
Winnipeg Free Press

AS they say in the casino game, you've got to know when to hold 'em.

And it's pretty clear, judging from a sampling of Cashing In's second-season episodes, that the producers of this locally made drama made the right call when they decided not to fold 'em.

Cashing In, which has its second-season premiere tonight at 9 on APTN, returns to the airwaves as a much more focused, geographically grounded and narratively confident show than the one that endured a somewhat rocky rookie season last year.

The series, which follows the high-stakes gambling and backroom/bedroom double-dealing at the fictional North Beach Casino on the equally make-believe Stonewalker First Nation in rural Manitoba, begins its sophomore set of episodes with a clear declaration that it intends to conduct its business much closer to home.

Click here to view the full article

is a dramatic comedy series which examines casino life on a fictional Aboriginal reserve in southern Manitoba. Card sharks, fast dealers, high rollers and an eclectic crew of local characters make up the scene at North Beach Casino, a successful gaming palace. When the new owners set out to make it North America’s No.1 First Nation Casino, they quickly find out some members of the community have other ideas.

Cashing In stars Eric Schweig (Blackstone, Last of the Mohicans), Karen Holness (jPod, Smallville); Glen Gould (Elijah, Into the West, Da Vinci’s Inquest) and Sarah Podemski (The Border, Moccasin Flats).

Cashing In (Season ll) premieres Tuesday, March 2nd at:
8:00 pm ET on APTN East
8:00 pm MT on APTN West
8:00 pm ET on APTN HD

And on Friday, March 5th at:
8:00 pm CT on APTN North

ONE OCEAN
A Special 4-Part Series Exploring the Past, Present and Future of the World's Ocean and Our Race Against the Clock to Save Them.

CBC’s the nature of things – March 4, 11, 18, & 25, 2010 at 8:00pm / 8:30pm NT

In an ambitious and provocative new 4-part series exploring our global ocean, THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki brings to audiences a unique, investigative look at the water that covers over 70% of our planet. Beginning Thursday, March 4, the series will broadcast for 4 consecutive weeks. A new multi-faceted interactive website, www.cbc.ca/oneocean, will launch at the same time, designed to educate and entertain audiences of all ages about the wonders of the ocean and the challenges facing it.

Revealing the ocean’s awesome beauty, extraordinary power and beguiling mysteries, ONE OCEAN’s HD cameras witness the many extraordinary and unique events and species living in the world’s oceans. From seeing underwater volcanoes erupting only metres away from the camera lens to the discovery of rare and bizarre life forms, each breathtaking episode gives viewers a window into the complexities and beauty of the ocean, and reveals how this vast and seemingly infinite space is a single, interconnected system.

One Ocean’s camera teams travelled to Australia, New Zealand, Africa, The Middle East, Europe, USA and Canada with research expeditions to document discovery at work. Guiding us on this adventure are some of the planet’s most innovative and charismatic marine scientists who are simultaneously learning new things about the past and present of the oceans’ life force, while racing against the clock to determine how we can save its future.

BIRTH OF AN OCEAN (March 4, 2010 – 8:00 pm / 8:30 pm NT)
In the premiere episode, Birth of an Ocean, we travel back 4 billion years when there was no ocean. As we discover, without the ocean, life as we know it, would not exist. From a blistering volcano in Ethiopia, to strange rock-like structures in Australia that are the legacy of first life on earth, experts trace the evolution of our planet’s greatest asset and the extraordinary evolution of life within it. Learn why one remarkable creature, the nautilus, has survived extinction for more than 500 million years, and how Tiktaalik (the “fish-a-pod”) is the believed to be the missing link between the ocean and all limbed creatures, including us.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND (March 11, 2010 - 8:00 pm / 8:30 pm NT)
The second episode of our series, Footprints in the Sands, looks at our coastal oceans and how humankind is inextricably linked to the ocean’s rhythms, whether we live next to it or thousands of kilometres from its shores. The episode reveals how our actions are changing those rhythms, to the detriment of life in the ocean. From over-fishing, to the over-development of the world’s coastlines, and the continuing pollution that we pour into the sea - we discover that there’s a domino affect at play, one that has far reaching consequences here on land. There’s still time to avoid disaster though, as Footprints in the Sand travels to marine protected areas in far away places. Although they are small and community based, sustainable practices in Zanzibar show that living in balance with the ocean yields greater benefits. In New Zealand, long-time activists have demonstrated that simply leaving the ocean alone allows the ocean to rebound.

MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP (March 18, 2010 - 8:00 pm / 8:30 pm NT)
Starting in the deepest part of the ocean known to humans, Mysteries of the Deep takes us to a secret and magical world beneath the water`s surface. Here, for the first time in human history, technology is allowing us to explore the darkness and crushing pressure of the deep seas and reveals a world of mystery and surprise: mountains higher than Everest, more volcanoes than anywhere on earth, and abysses so deep, no human has seen them. Toxic thermal vents spew hot lava, but life continues to exist beside it in these unimaginable places. Bizarre and rarely seen creatures with no eyes but bioluminescence, navigate total darkness. The mysteries and revelations seem endless. What is down here? How does it exist? And what don’t we know? Scientists, now modern day explorers, are in a race to answer these questions before our reckless exploitation destroys the undiscovered wonders of the deep sea.

THE CHANGING SEA (March 25, 2010 - 8:00 pm / 8:30 pm NT)
From the majestic kelp forests of Monterey Bay to a magical night on a coral reef; from the storm-tossed waters of the mighty North Pacific to the crystal blue of the Mediterranean Sea: the last episode of our series explores some of the most stunning underwater locations in the world as we set sail on a scientific race – a race to predict the fate of the global ocean. Over the past 200 years, human beings have poured more than 2 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. And as The Changing Sea vividly illustrates, carbon dioxide isn’t just changing the climate on land. It’s transforming the ocean in ways that haven’t been seen for millions of years. So is mass extinction the inevitable fate of the future sea? In the waters near a still-active Mediterranean volcano, the concluding episode of this stunning and timely documentary series shows us what the future ocean may look like, if we don’t take action now.

WWW.CBC.CA/ONEOCEAN
www.cbc.ca/oneocean allows you enter the ocean and experience it in a very personal way. Inside the 3D Biosphere users can create their own personal marine reserve. They can challenge themselves on a Mystery Mission, or set a record in the fast-paced Pollution Collector. Develop strategies for sustainable fishing and defend coral reefs from the hazards threatening them. Ocean Explorer takes users on guided tours, or allows users to explore independently using Google Earth’s satellite and sonar imagery. Historical timelines, profiles of sea life, experts, and creators of the series and website are available, along with new webisodes and podcasts. Finally, the One Ocean Pledge, is an open call to all of us to make a difference in the future life of the ocean.

One Ocean is co-produced by CBC’s the nature of things and Merit Motion Pictures (The Science of the Senses, The Truth About Liars and The Secret World of Shoplifting), in association with National Geographic Channel, and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund, Manitoba Film & Music, the Government of Canada - Canadian Film and Video Production Tax Credit and the Government of Manitoba - Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit.

www.cbc.ca/oneocean is co-produced by Merit Motion Pictures and Tactica Interactive Communications, in association with CBC’s the nature of things, and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund, the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, and the Government of Manitoba – Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit.

For more information, to schedule an interview with one of the scientists or to receive a screener, please contact:

Jennifer Jensen Tracy
Publicist, Merit Motion Pictures
T: (519) 442-9179
E: jen.jensen@sympatico.ca
W: www.meritmotionpictures.com

Charmaine Khan
Publicist, Media Profile
T: 416 342 1805
E: charmaine.khan@mediaprofile.com

Sherline Joe
Publicist, Media Profile
T: 416-342-1852
E: sherline.joe@mediaprofile.com

Cashing In is back on APTN for another season of lust, glamour and deceit. The series was developed through the NSI Storytellers program. Watch sneak peaks of the first two episodes February 23 at 10:30 pm et/mt, and February 28 at 11:30 et/mt.

Season 2 airs Tuesdays at 8 pm et/mt starting March 2.

Cashing In is a 13-episode half-hour comedy drama set on Stonewalker First Nation, nestled comfortably beside an affluent beach community in Southern Manitoba.

With a diverse cast of shark executives, smooth slicksters, and colourful clientele, the North Beach Casino is a successful gaming palace recently purchased by Mathew Tommy. His mission: expanding the casino to include adjoining premiere golf course and luxurious lakeside condos. His goal: capitalize on North Beach, making it the jewel in his casino empire crown. The challenge: wheeling and dealing while earning the respect of his toughest critic – his son Justin.

Follow Cashing In on Facebook
 

Less Than Kind Season 2 premiers on Movie Central (Western Canada) February 19th at 8:30 p.m

Less Than Kind more than happy with its switch to HBO Canada

"It actually feels like coming home," writer/producer Mark McKinney says of the move this week of his second-season sitcom, Less than Kind, to HBO Canada.

The delightfully dysfunctional domestic comedy returns Feb. 19, kicking off a new Friday-night HBO comedy block at 8:30 p.m., followed by the cartoon Ricky Gervais Show at 9, the second season of the also-animated Life and Times of Tim at 9:30, the eighth season of Real Time with Bill Maher and the new, web-spun Funny or Die Presents.

After disappointing ratings last year season on regional Citytv stations – "Who knew The Bachelor would become such a hit in its fifth season?" McKinney marvels about his former time-slot rival – the Winnipeg-set and shot Less than Kind is back with a brand-new lease on life and a venue more appropriate to its edgier inclinations.

"As you do with any show," explains McKinney, "you kind of `find' yourself at a certain point. What you write in your pilot, if you're lucky, is not going to be what the show eventually becomes. It will grow. And the show was totally growing toward a premium cable-style show ... (strong) language and mature themes all over the place."

When the deal was struck, McKinney was in the middle of editing the already-shot second season. They seized the opportunity to cut back in some of the more objectionable material they had initially been asked to excise.

"We had taken the show to a very edgy place," he says, "and some of it wasn't working for City when they were still involved. And we were able to restore a whole bunch of stuff back into the show.

"So we were editing up until about three weeks ago. That's a year and a half we've spent on this season."

This in addition to the ongoing CBC hit Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town, reuniting McKinney with his original comedy colleagues in, among others, the title role of Death, complete with rotting teeth and a protruding pot-belly. "People keep coming up to me, `Oh, you're so brave!'" he laughs.

"It's funny, but when you're working in isolation like that (Death was shot in and around North Bay), you lose all sense of human dignity."

LESS THAN KIND (Season 2) Friday, February 19 at 8:30 p.m.

This half-hour Canadian comedy series follows overweight Winnipeg teenager Sheldon Blecher as he attempts to survive his awkward teenage years with a dysfunctional family that includes Sam Blecher, Sheldon’s self-destructive driving-instructor father; Anne Blecher, his unstable pyromaniac mother; and Josh Blecker, his failed-actor brother.

As season two begins, the abrasive Sam is at Death’s door. But even Death won’t answer when Sam comes knocking. As a result, Anne’s anxiety reaches a breaking point while Josh is torn between obligations to his dying acting career, family and his girlfriend. As the turmoil at home escalates, Sheldon is dealing with seismic developments of his own as his best friend – braceface Miriam Goldstein – is becoming more than just a friend. Together they endure the explosive shift from their life as innocent geeks to being sixteen – a world on the cusp of sex, drugs and even rock ‘n roll. For Sheldon, this is a year of bullies and girl bullies, cliques and parties – just to add a little gasoline to the fire. Starring Maury Chaykin, Jesse Camacho, Wendel Meldrum, Benjamin Arthur, Brooke Palsson, Tyler Johnston, and Ross McMillan.

Click here to watch the first season of Less Than Kind

TONIGHT on CBC! 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central!

TONIGHT’S EPISODE: “Queer As Jokes”

Elvira Kurt hosts the first “All Gay” variety show on a national Canadian network! These six comics come out of the comedy closet - sharing the humorous moments, universal problems, and ridiculous experiences of everyday life. Tonight’s comics include Bob Smith - the first openly gay comic to appear on The Tonight Show, Trevor Boris – of MuchMusic’s “Video On Trial” fame, and of course, your host Elvira Kurt from the Comedy Network’s “Pop Cultured with Elvira Kurt” and “Elvira Kurt: Adventures in Comedy”.

Featuring:
TREVOR BORIS
BOB SMITH
JONATHAN WILSON
ED SAHELY
DIANE FLACKS
DARCY MICHAEL

Check out these two teasers from acts Trevor Boris and Darcy Michael

The nationally renowned CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival Television Series features five hours of stand-up comedy from some of North America's best comedic talent. Politically charged funnyman and viral video star Marc Maron, Whose Line Is It Anyway's Kathryn Greenwood, ABC's Shark Tank billionaire Kevin O'Leary, comedy circuit faves Tim Steeves and Bob Smith and oddball Kids in the Hall alum Kevin McDonald are just a handful of the hysterical performers who find the funny in specially themed episodes: Savings & Groans, The Holiday Show, Queer as Jokes, Cradle to the Grave and The Seven Deadly Sins.

The CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival Television Series will be airing every Monday night on CBC until February 22, 2010. You don’t want to miss a single episode!

Tonight sees the premiere of two of our new series:

Pitchin' In (from Frantic's subdivision Red Apple Productions) premieres on Food Network at 9pm Central, 10pm Eastern. It follows renowned chef Lynn Crawford as she travels across North America, meeting farmers and learning about sustainable food production.

Click here to visit the Pitchin' In page on the Food Network.

Click here for a sneak peak of the first season.

Also from Frantic Films, check out:

The Winnipeg Comedy Festival premieres on CBC at 8pm Central, 9pm Eastern and runs for the next 5 weeks. Tonight's theme: The Deadly Seven, a comedic examination of the 7 deadly sins.

The internationally renowned CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival Television Series features five hours of stand-up comedy from some of North America's best comedic talent. Politically charged funnyman and viral video star Marc Maron, Whose Line Is It Anyway's Kathryn Greenwood, ABC's Shark Tank billionaire Kevin O'Leary, comedy circuit faves Tim Steeves and Bob Smith and oddball Kids in the Hall alum Kevin McDonald are just a handful of the hysterical perfomers who find the funny in specially themed episodes: Savings & Groans, The Holiday Show, Queer as Jokes, Cradle to the Grave and The Seven Deadly Sins.

The CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival Television Series will be airing every Monday night on CBC until February 22, 2010. You don’t want to miss a single episode!