Principal photography is underway in Calgary on Horses of McBride, a CTV Original Movie produced by Whizbang Films, the Toronto-based prodco headed up by Paul Gross and Frank Siracusa.

The two-hour movie is inspired by a true story about the community of McBride in B.C. rescuing two starving horses trapped on a mountainside in 2008.

In terms of the equine casting for the movie, the producers rescued two live horses – one near Cochrane, Alberta, and one near Penticton, B.C. – with the support of the SPCA and horse wrangler John Scott (Heartland).

The movie, written and directed by Anne Wheeler (Bomb Girls, End Game) stars Aiden Quinn and Canadian talent Kari Matchett (Covert Affairs) and Mackenzie Porter (Dinosapien). Gross and Siracusa executive produce.

Horses of McBride is distributed internationally by Entertainment One, and is produced with the participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund, Alberta Media Development Fund, the OMDC and tax credits.

Production will run through March 16.

Photo: Madhu Madhavan / flickr Creative Commons