Busy new seasons

Toronto: This is Wonderland will be back in court next year on CBC, and is back at Lansdowne Studio to shoot its next 13 eps, reuniting cast members Cara Pifko, Michael Healey and Michael Riley, while adding new players Vic Satay (Local Heros), Jayne Eastwood (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and Angela Vint (Traders, The Safety of Objects). Scott Smith (Falling Angels) and Chris Grismer (Snakes & Ladders) are among the directors. Produced by Bernie Zukerman of Indian Grove Productions and Michael Prupas of Muse Entertainment, season one of the oddball legal drama has sold well overseas, playing in more than 100 countries, including Russia, Italy and India.

Also in the works around town: season five of Queer as Folk is shooting at the Dufferin Gate lot for Showtime until March, while the fourth run of CTV’s Degrassi: The Next Generation will wrap its eight-month HD shoot in December. The Eleventh Hour, with Ben Bass (The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess) stepping in for the exited Shawn Doyle, is shooting its third season until December and will shut down at about the same time as Wild Card and 1-800-Missing. Pebblehut’s Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye rolled cameras on season three last month, and shoots for CTV and PAX TV until February. Sean Davidson

Nomadic tackles Laren Sims Jordan story

Calgary: Nomadic Pictures is nearing the end of principal photography on Lies My Mother Told Me, an MOW based on the real-life experiences of Laren Sims Jordan, a convicted felon with numerous aliases who murdered her lawyer husband in California in 2001. Shooting started in Calgary Sept. 27 and is due to wrap Oct. 29.

The TV movie is an Alberta/Quebec coproduction between Nomadic and Montreal-based CD Films. CD’s Christian Duguay (Hitler: The Rise of Evil) is producer, director and DOP. Nomadic principals Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev are producing with L.A.-based executive producer Randy Robinson, whose company Randwell Distribution is handling foreign sales.

Matt Dorff writes the MOW, which received 9/10 on the CAVCO scale. Colm Feore (The Chronicles of Riddick, Trudeau) stars with Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck, Fallen Angels). Delivery to principal broadcaster Movie Central is planned for Dec. 31. Additional funding comes from SODEC and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Laura Bracken

Tootall for CHUM

Vancouver: Last issue, Playback mentioned Clearing, the sixth of six MOWs executive produced by Brightlight Pictures in Victoria for CHUM, but we haven’t yet talked about the fifth project.

Johnny Tootall, called a First Nations feature film, is in editing to be ready for the next festival season.

Directed by Shirley Cheechoo (In Shadow) and produced by documentary filmmaker Danielle Prohom Olson (Kitchen Sink Entertainment), Johnny Tootall tells the story of a man who, after a conflict with his brother, returns home to his reservation alienated from both native and white societies. With the wolf as his spirit guide, he reclaims his family and provides leadership when hope and tradition are threatened.

‘The unique challenge with Johnny Tootall was dealing with culturally sensitive material,’ says Prohom Olson, who worked with First Nations cultural advisors. ‘Many of the ceremonies depicted in the film are sacred, and while accuracy was a priority, we also could not reveal too much.’

Canadians Adam Beach (Windtalkers), Alex Rice (On the Corner) and Nathaniel Arcand (Ginger Snaps 3) star along with U.S. actor Sheila Tousey (Two Grey Hills). Ian Edwards

More Moccasin Flats

Regina: Season two of Moccasin Flats wrapped 34 days of principal photography in Regina Oct. 8. Jennifer Podemski and Laura J. Milliken of Toronto-based Big Soul Productions coproduce with Regina producer Stephen Onda of Stephen Onda Productions.

Eight half-hours about the sometimes-harsh realities of life in north-central Regina will start airing on APTN in January, with shared second window going to SCN and Showcase. The series has also been sold to Maori Television in New Zealand.

Stacey Stewart Curtis, Gil Cardinal and Rob King direct. Writers are Patrick Temascon, Darrell Dennis, Karen Hill and Penny Gummerson, who also story edits with executive story editor Maureen Dorey-Lukie. The cast includes Ryan Black, Landon Montour, Gordon Tootoosis and Tantoo Cardinal, as well as local talent Andrea Menard, Mathew Strongeagle and Candace Fox.

The first season was so well received that the per-episode budget has been increased from $125,000 last year to more than $250,000 this year. Funding comes from local and federal tax credits, as well as the CTF’s EIP and LFP.

‘It looks much better, the stories are much stronger, and production values higher,’ says Milliken of the new season. ‘It’s just a stronger show all around.’ Laura Bracken