The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) will turn its spotlight to Canadian comedy this June via a partnership with the creators of the live table read event Hot Pilot Party.
The festival has partnered with Toronto-based creators Nadine Bhabha of Nineteen90 Productions, Julian De Zotti of Anthology Productions and Hannah Antaki of Antaki Casting to host Hot Pilot Party: Banff Edition. The table read will take place during BANFF – which runs from June 8 to 11 – and feature an unproduced half-hour comedy pilot.
BANFF has opened a call for submissions for eligible comedy scripts. A total of five unproduced pilots will be selected by the festival. One will be performed live at the table read and the other four will be featured during the festival.
Eligible scripts must be the intellectual property of a Canadian writer, unproduced and not optioned. They must also be under 40 pages.
All selected script writers will receive a complimentary pass to BANFF, while the writer behind the table read pilot will also receive two nights’ accommodations in Banff, Alta. and a $300 travel stipend.
The inaugural Hot Pilot Party took place in Toronto on Sept. 4, adjacent to the Toronto International Film Festival, where actors read the pilots The Truth by Bhabha and De Zotti, and Lovers in a Dangerous Time by Dane Clark (Mr. D) and Linsey Stewart (Workin’ Moms).
The table read performers included Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale), Jess Salgueiro (Frasier) and Ennis Esmer (Children Ruin Everything). Performers for the BANFF event will be announced at a later date.
Photo by Kristina Ruddick; pictured (L-R): Claire Armstrong, Pamela Sinha, David Reale, Nadine Bhabha, Eric McCormack and Marlee Sansom