Edge Entertainment of Saskatoon has signed with broadcaster WIC Entertainment, Toronto’s Oasis Shaftesbury Releasing and l.a.-based distributor Regent Entertainment on the $4-million feature film Now & Forever.

Now & Forever, penned by Saskatchewan writer Bill Boyle, is a contemporary love story about two people connected by a spiritual bond and a powerful destiny that extends beyond the boundaries of the physical world.

Edge’s David Doerkson will produce. Vic Sarin is the top choice to direct, says Doerkson. The cast will include Gordon Tootoosis (Big Bear) and Adam Beach (Smoke Signals).

Regent (which distributed Gods and Monsters) is taking international distribution, osr will handle the Canadian theatrical and pay-tv rights, and wic has licensed tv broadcast rights as well as taking an equity position. The film is scheduled to shoot in August in Saskatoon.

*Credo series in development with CBC

Credo Entertainment, well known for its kids’ series The Adventures of Shirley Holmes and numerous award-winning tv movies, is developing its first primetime drama series. Pushing Forty centers on three female school friends who reunite in Vancouver after a 15-year absence and together work through their middle-age angst.

The one-hour series is described as funny, frank and wickedly candid, dealing with such issues as sex (or more often the lack of it), children (the desire to have them and ability to disown them), and stagnant careers and marriages. The series also promises to answer such age-old questions as ‘How painful is a bikini wax?’ and ‘Does size matter?’

The project is created by Susan Neilson and Gary Harvey of Vancouver, who will coproduce with Winnipeg-based Credo.

The cbc has committed to development, commissioning two scripts which are being written by Neilson and Ian Weir. The budget is roughly $900,000 per episode and Credo International will distribute. Credo’s Andrew Koster is exec producer.

In other company news, Winnipeg native Jamie Brown has returned home after 10 years in Toronto to take an executive producer position at Credo where he is responsible for the development, financing and production of feature films and tv projects.

Brown launched his career as an entertainment lawyer at McMillan Binch, moving on to business and legal affairs at Sullivan Entertainment and Nelvana.

Although based in Winnipeg, Brown says he plans to continue to make lunch dates in Toronto and maintain close working relationships with producers and broadcasters in Ontario, as well as strengthening Credo’s ties with the rest of Canada and the l.a. and New York industry. As for the biggest improvement in Winnipeg since he left 10 years ago, Brown says ‘the weather.’ Apparently much milder than he remembers.

*Double shoot in Calgary

A welcome scenario, especially for local crew, but one which Calgary hasn’t seen for a long while, Bradshaw MacLeod & Associates is currently shooting two projects simultaneously, The Sheldon Kennedy Story and Bad Faith. In fact, both projects are sharing some resources including local actors and third cameras and keeping all available crew working.

A tv movie for ctv’s Signature Presentation series, The Sheldon Kennedy Story is the true story of the nhl hockey player who came forward after years of silence about the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his junior hockey coach. Scripted by Suzette Couture (Million Dollar Babies), the drama concentrates on the love story between Sheldon (played by Jonathan Scarfe) and his wife Jana (Polly Shannon,) who helps him confront the past and begin his healing process.

The $3.9-million project is produced by Pierre Sarrazin of Toronto’s Sarrazin/Couture Productions and Doug MacLeod for Bradshaw MacLeod. Norma Bailey (Nights Below Station Street) directs.

Financing includes the just-opened Alberta Film Development Program, the Cogeco Program Development Fund, CFCN Production Fund, CFRN Production Fund, CKCO Television and the Canadian Television Fund. ctv is distributing internationally.

Shooting wraps April 7, all 22 days on location in Calgary and replicating hockey arenas from around North America.

The feature Bad Faith is written by Ian Adams (Street Legal) based on his novel of the same name and directed by Randy Bradshaw, who is coproducing with Tom Dent-Cox. A cautionary tale about the criminal justice system, a news reporter and a detective investigate the disappearance of 12 teenagers which has baffled police.

Cast includes John Kapelos (Deep End of The Ocean), Patti LuPone (The Song Spinner), Brian Markinson (Primary Colours), Michael Moriarity (Courage Under Fire), Tony Nardi (West of Sarajevo), Gloria Reuben (er) and Kenneth Welsh (Civil Action).

A-Channel holds Canadian broadcast rights and Oasis Pictures of Toronto will release theatrically in Canada and handle international sales. The Alberta Film Development Fund and the ctf have kicked in funding.

*Hannah, Tilly star in Cord

Daryl Hannah and Jennifer Tilly graced local Winnipeg shops while in town for the shoot of Cord, a feature shot by local company GFT/Paquin Entertainment, which wrapped production the end of March.

Vincent Gallo (Buffalo 66) and Bruce Greenwood (Disturbing Behavior) also star in the film about a desperate couple who kidnap a pregnant woman and fake her death with the plan to keep her child.

This is the first screenplay produced for writers Yas Takata and Joel Hladecek. The script is inspired by the ‘Baby Carrie’ case which occurred seven years ago in Oakland, California.

Sidney Furie (Lady Sings The Blues), who has been working in the u.s. and England in recent years, returned to his native Canada to direct and raves about the expertise of the all-Winnipeg crew. Gary Howsum and Pieter Kroonenburg are producing, with Gilles Paquin and Blue Rider Pictures’ Walter Josten and Jeffrey Geoffray exec producing.

*Blizzard winners

Credo Entertainment’s Nights Below Station Street and Marble Island Picture’s Twilight of the Ice Nymphs captured six prizes each at the recently held Blizzard Awards, a biannual event hosted by the Manitoba Motion Pictures Industries Association.

Nights Below Station Street won for best dramatic script (David Adams Richards), dramatic direction (Norma Bailey) and costume design (Charlotte Penner), as well as picking up three performance prizes – best actress (Liisa Repo-Martell), best actor (Michael Hogan) and best supporting actress (Lynda Boyd).

Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, produced by Richard Findlay and directed by Guy Maddin, won for best cinematography, long drama (Michael Marshall), art direction (Rejean Labrie), overall sound (Russ Dyck, Ken Gregory) and musical score (John McCulloch).

Ice Nymphs and the documentary Guy Maddin: Waiting For Twilight, produced by Laura Michalchyshyn, shared the Best of the Gala honor.

Maddin also picked up Blizzards for best non-dramatic documentary script (Noam Gonick and Caelum Vatnsdal), best direction (Gonick) and best documentary.

The National Film Board’s Gypsies of Svinia took the non-dramatic cinematography (John Pasklevich) and non-dramatic editing (K. George Godwin, John Pasklevich) categories.

The Arrow (The Film Works/Tapestry Films/John Aaron Productions) picked up three Blizzards: best visual effects (Tom Turnbull, Doug Hyslip), dramatic editing (Ralph Brunjes) and supporting actor (Aidan Devine).

The performing arts category was taken by Journey – A Mythical Dance Fantasy from Caplette-Paquin Productions.

The short drama award went to Good Citizen: Betty Baker, produced by Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan. The Big Pickle, produced by Gary Yates, Liz Jarvis and Phyllis Laing, was named best short. Shuttle, produced by Alain Delannoy, picked up the animation prize.

David Barber of the Cinematheque was honored with a special jury award.

*Best kids’ fest yet

The third annual Freeze Frame ’99, an international children’s film festival held in Winnipeg, wrapped its most successful event to date, with ticket sales rising to 3,500 from 2,500 a year earlier. Over 22 films from 10 countries screened during the March 18-21 event. Organizers Pascal Boutroy and Nicole Matiation say they are already scouting for short films and features for next year’s lineup.