Dead heads

Toronto: The zombie renaissance that has been so good to audiences (28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead) and to Toronto (Dawn of the Dead, the Resident Evils) keeps staggering along as old-timer George Romero gets back to his undead roots with Land of the Dead, shooting now until the holidays. Dennis Hopper and Asia Argento (XXX) star with John Leguizamo. The feature is shooting under the Dead Land North banner for a mix of Canuck, French and U.S. backers, including producers Steve Barnett (Two Paths) and Mark Canton (Godsend, Taking Lives). Romero shot his Bruiser here in 1999, but has otherwise been absent from the director’s chair for 10 years. Sean Davidson

His own private Idaho

Vancouver: Idaho Peak, a new B.C.-based feature, wrapped three weeks of production Oct. 7 in New Denver and Silverton, deep in British Columbia’s interior region.

Written and directed by Canadian Film Centre grad Aubrey Nealon (In Memoriam), the 35mm feature is a father-son drama ‘that explores the themes of growth, independence and forgiveness in a completely original and hilarious way,’ according to the press material. In 2002, Nealon’s script won the inaugural Jim Burt Award, Canada’s award for new screenwriters, and this spring, Nealon was awarded the first $10,000 Don Haig Award, established to support the work of an emerging filmmaker from across Canada.

Kris Lemche (States Evidence), Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica) and Matt Craven (The Statement) star in the story about a faltering hippy businessman and his frustrated adult son.

The location is essential to the story, says Nealon, who grew up in New Denver with hippy parents. ‘[Father and son] Jim and Caleb have a deep affection for their home. It’s a beautiful place to live but the prospects are limited. I want people to suffer Caleb’s crisis and love his ability to cope. This is a story of confronting things you love – whether it’s your father or the place where you grew up.’

Nealon is the producer while Laell McCall (The Overcoat) of Vancouver’s Principia Productions and George Baptist of Calgary’s Chinook Arch Productions are coproducers. Baptist’s waydowntown colleague Shirley Vercruysse (Burns Film, Calgary) is a consulting producer.

David Geddes (Nearing Grace) is the DOP, with production design by Grant Pearse (Cold Squad), and editing by Karen Porter (The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess).

Montreal’s Domino Film and Television International is distributing the $1.4-million feature, which is funded by Telefilm Canada, British Columbia Film, the CanWest Western Independent Producers Fund, The Movie Network and Movie Central. Ian Edwards

Another one? Already?

Toronto: Directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly are in Toronto for the eight-week shoot of the romantic comedy Fever Pitch, now underway at Showline studios. Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore star in the Fox-backed redo of the Nick Hornby novel about the love life of an obsessive sports fan. Hornby’s book was originally put on the screen just seven years ago by the Brits, but the U.S. version (which replaces soccer and Arsenal with baseball and the Red Socks) is due in theaters sometime next year. Marc Fischer produces, Armand Leo is production manager. Sean Davidson

Girls Girls Girls

Moncton: Grana Productions of Moncton has teamed up with Montreal-based Productions Jeux d’Ombres to coproduce These Girls, a feature currently shooting in the Shediac region of New Brunswick.

Caroline Dhavernas, Amanda Walsh and Holly Lewis star as three teenage girls who, on the cusp of adulthood, decide to seduce the same older man.

Principal photography started Oct. 5 and is set to wrap Nov. 6 with DOP Alex Vendler. Sam Grana executive produces with Jeux d’Ombres’ Anne-Marie Gelinas and writer/director John Hazlett. Grana and Gelinas also produce with Andrew Noble.

The feature received funding from Telefilm Canada and New Brunswick Film, with Seville Pictures set to distribute. Delivery is slated for May 2005, with plans for a summer release. Laura Bracken