Film and television director Sturla Gunnarsson (pictured) has signed on as director mentor for the New Northern Voices program run by the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) in northern Manitoba.  The Vancouver-raised Oscar nominee (After the Axe) will join program participants Steven Bignell and Stuart Matheson in the town of The Pas in March as they begin production on the short film The Tomahawk, about an experienced Cree scout and a lost German boy during the Second World War.

Northern Voices is a part-time, online training program for new and emerging writers to craft stories told from a northern Manitoba perspective.  Participants workshop their script and learn the essentials of screenwriting, with one participant selected to produce their project. Matheson will serve as producer on The Tomahawk, which is inspired by Bignell’s stories of his uncle, a Cree trapper who fought for Canada behind enemy lines as a sapper in the Second World War.

Ontario invests $11.4 million to film, TV projects in Northern region

The Ontario government has provided more than $11.4 million to support film and television productions in Northern Ontario. The funds, which are given through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), are meant to create jobs and attract talent for the region’s film industry.

Among the 27 projects that have received production funding is Crave original series Shoresy ($1 million), shot in Sudbury; the feature film Happy Place ($500,000), produced by Sphere Media-owned prodco Sienna Films and shot in Parry Sound; the feature Better Days ($500,000), shot in Sault Ste. Marie; non-verbal documentary Aki ($200,000), shot in the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation; and docudrama Le tireur d’elite (The Sniper; $61,850), produced by Film Riel and shot in Thunder Bay.

NOHFC has allocated more than $432 million to over 4,000 projects in Northern Ontario, according to a release. That number also includes investments in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, mining, forestry and manufacturing.

Fremantle adds to global drama team

British prodco and distributor Fremantle has bolstered its global drama division with two key hires, welcoming Olivia Sleiter as head of production and Robert Delamere as creative producer. Sleiter will oversee the company’s global co-productions, while Delamere will develop and produce original scripted projects within Fremantle. Sleiter previously worked for Fremantle-owned prodco Wildside, where she served as executive producer on titles such as Anna and In Treatment. Delamere is currently a producer and consultant for podcasting company Storyglass.

Brain Power launches networking platform for romance book, film and TV creators

Newmarket, Ont.-based prodco Brain Power Studio has launched a social media app for creators and executives working in the romance genre. Titled LUV, the app connects authors and publishers with filmmakers, actors and execs to network, find potential collaborators and gain insight about what creators in the space are working on. It is currently available to download in the Apple Google Play stores.

“After adapting and producing 20 plus romance films, we saw a need for a dedicated romance community. LUV’s mission is to connect the romance film and publishing industry, and for fans and aspiring content creators to learn from the best.” said Beth Stevenson, founder and executive producer of Brain Power Studio in a statement.

With files from Victoria Ahearn