Eleven more films were added to Hot Docs’ Special Presentations screenings as part of its 2022 festival, including two Canadian docs that premiered at Sundance and SXSW earlier this year.

Framing Agnes will make its international premiere. The documentary tells the story of a young trans woman who entered a sex-disorders study in 1958 seeking gender-affirming care. The film, which premiered at Sundance in January and won two prizes, was a Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund Awards recipient last year.

The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks, a Blue Ant Studios documentary celebrating the 40-year legacy of the Canadian sketch comedy troupe, will make its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs after its world premiere at SXSW.

Greater Hood Productions launches with podcast, development slate

Film and TV producer Vince Buda and actor/writer Matt Wells have launched a new prodco that includes a podcast and a development slate with Olympian Clara Hughes, musician Séan McCann and Canadian basketball star Carl English.

Buda and Wells, who worked together on the 2018 film Crown and Anchor and the 2020 short The New Normal, say their Greater Hood Productions “focuses on stories of truth, resilience and the perseverance of the human spirit.” Projects include the recently launched podcast Good Things with Matt Wells, featuring Hughes as well as NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka and musician Serena Ryder, among others.

In development is the travel/motivational docuseries Moving On featuring Hughes and McCann, and an untitled feature film based on English’s memoir Chasing A Dream. Moving On is slated to go into production in late summer while Chasing A Dream (working title) is projected to go into production in early 2023.

Buda tells Playback Daily both are being produced by Greater Hood Productions, with details on distribution and funding to be released in the coming months.
The prodco plans to produce stories for traditional media broadcasters, streaming services, theatrical exhibition, as well as indie-spirited productions serving more niche sections of the market.

Quebec increases its presence at Series Mania Forum

Quebec producers have had record attendance at France’s Series Mania, according to SODEC. Nearly 60 industry members have taken part in the festival’s two-day forum, which ends Thursday (March 24), while director Sophie Deraspe was selected as a jury member in the Panorama International program.

In addition to the two Quebec series – Last Summers of the Raspberries (Trio Orange) and Welcome to Soulshine (Je ne suis pas un robot; Echo Media) – in competition at the March 18 to 25 event, six series were presented by broadcasters and distributors.

Bell Media presented two series at the market for the first time, Une affaire criminelle (Productions Sovimage) and Aller simple (Sphère Média). Quebecor Content presented Lac-Noir (Pixcom) and Motel Paradis (Zone3), while CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution presented Larry (Avenue Productions) and Pour toi Flora (Nish Media).

Spike & Sadie Media acquisitions

Veteran producer Ira Levy’s recently launched boutique film and television production company, Spike & Sadie Media, has finalized the acquisition of 10 projects. A news release says the scripted projects are in development from Toronto-based producer-distributor Breakthrough Entertainment and include comedy and dramas.

A publicist tells Playback Daily there are no other details to announce at this time about the projects, including whether they’re attached to a broadcaster or streamer. But they’re described as being “aligned with Spike & Sadie Media’s aim to work with Canadian and international creatives who bring a distinct and clear voice to their storytelling.”

Levy (Less Than Kind, Kenny vs. Spenny) says in a statement that he looks “forward to bringing these stories to screens around the world.”

One big win for One Big Recipe

International food channel Gusto TV’s One Big Recipe has been declared Best in Canada by this year’s 13th annual Taste Awards, which celebrate food, fashion home and lifestyle programming.

The honour comes before the main Taste Awards televised awards show in April, where One Big Recipe is up for Best Series Pilot.

“Host Kimberly Lallouz is a force of nature in a series that is fresh and fast and fun. I think we should do more episodes!” said Chris Knight, president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media, in a statement.

Corus launches second season of scripted podcast

Narrative fiction podcast Escaping Denver, produced by Vancouver’s Rogue Panda Pictures, has been renewed for a second season on Curiouscast. The new season will debut on March 28 with new episodes to be released bi-weekly. Created by Brady Roberts and Mike Howorun, the story follows two individuals who wake up trapped underneath the Denver International Airport and work together to find a way out. The first season attracted more than 110,000 listens per month and the producers are currently shopping the format for a TV adaptation.

With files from Kelly Townsend and Realscreen