Montreal’s Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group has launched a Cirque du Soleil Studio in L.A., bringing in former WWE head of studios Susan Levison to run it as general manager.

The new division will produce long-form content across all genres, including animated series, films, documentaries and both unscripted and scripted live-action shows. Levison has more than 20 years of studio experience under her belt, including stints as SVP of alternative programming at CBS Television and SVP of comedy development at Fox Broadcasting.

As GM of Cirque du Soleil Studio, Levison will mine the group’s brand portfolio and existing content catalogue to develop new projects for production. She’s also overseeing the slate that’s currently in development, headlined by a feature film based on the live show O (pictured), in which swimmers and divers dance and perform acrobatic stunts in and out of water. The studio has teamed up with Ridley Scott (Alien and Gladiator) and his Scott Free Productions to make and distribute this pic.

Cirque du Soleil was nearly shuttered by the pandemic after 40 years in business. It managed to secure a sale to its creditors (including Catalyst Capital Group) in 2020, after cancelling shows and laying off roughly 3,500 employees.

Tina Keeper, Arnie Gelbart among latest Order of Canada inductees

Winnipeg actor and producer Tina Keeper, Montreal producer Arnie Gelbart and Nova Scotia filmmaker Sylvia D. Hamilton are among the 83 new appointments to the Order of Canada.

The Order of Canada celebrates citizens that have made an impact at home or abroad, with appointments made by Governor General Mary Simon. Keeper, Gelbart and Hamilton have been inducted as members into the Order.

Keeper is best known for her role in CBC’s North of 60, and is the co-founder of Kistikan Pictures, which produces the CBC Comedy series Acting Good. Gelbart is the founder and CEO of Galafilm Productions, which is behind the 2021 award-winning documentary Ghosts of Afghanistan. Hamilton’s work includes the 2007 documentary The Little Black Schoolhouse and the 1989 doc Black Mother Black Daughter.

Stacy Gardner wins WIFT-AT’s Pamela Segger All Access Pass Award

Newfoundland and Labrador filmmaker Stacy Gardner has received the Pamela Segger All Access Pass Award (PSAAPA) from Women in Film & Television-Atlantic Canada (WIFT-AT).

Awarded annually to an individual working in screen‐based media, the PSAAPA is designed to allow the recipient to travel to five main film festivals in Atlantic Canada. The festivals include the Silver Wave Film Festival, St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, Lunenburg Doc Fest, Atlantic International Film Festival and Charlottetown Film Festival. All of the festivals have donated passes to their events and WIFT-AT is providing $2,000 cash towards travel expenses.

The annual award was created in memory of the late Pamela Segger, who was the executive director and co-founder of the Lunenburg Doc Fest.

The money was raised through the annual auction at the Making Waves conference this past April and the award was presented on June 20 at a WIFT-AT networking event.

Maria Bui wins YMA’s Steven DeNure Children’s Content Internship

Montreal-based Youth Media Alliance (YMA) has selected Maria Bui, a graduate from Centennial College’s Children’s Media program, as this year’s winner of the Steven DeNure Children’s Content Internship.

Awarded annually to one or two students or recent graduates from a Canadian post-secondary school who are already lined up to intern with a Canadian production or broadcasting company, the booster provides each winner with $4,500 for 12 weeks of work. YMA covers half the funding, with the sponsoring companies putting up the other half.

Bui will intern in Toronto this summer at Lopii Productions, where she will help wrap the 20 x 7-minute second season of CBC Kids preschool series Bestest Day Ever with My Best Friend. The show, which was renewed by the Canadian pubcaster in March, lets real kids throw lavish celebrations for their best critter buddies.

Bui will also assist with research and development on upcoming Lopii projects, as well as hone her skills in writing, on-set training, social media and post-production.

With files from Kelly Townsend, Kim Izzo and Kidscreen

Image courtesy of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group