It may seem that a disproportionate number of political offspring in Canada end up in the entertainment business, from Canadian Idol host Ben Mulroney to sometimes docmaker Sacha Trudeau. But Los Angeles-based producer James Martin, son of former prime minister Paul Martin, doesn’t think there’s necessarily a connection.

Nitro, the 2007 Québécois street racing hit, is to be remade in Hollywood. The film, which grossed $3.5 million at the local box office in 2007, has been optioned by Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Motion Pictures. Valhalla is behind such mega-hits as the Terminator films, The Abyss and Aliens.

‘Frankly, I told colleagues that I could program a whole festival with docs this year,’ enthuses Terry McEvoy, Canadian Images programmer for the Vancouver International Film Festival. ‘That’s how many good ones crossed my desk,’ he adds.

VisionTV is looking to bring in a new, younger audience with Mahalia, the first one-hour drama for the multi-faith, multicultural channel, now shooting in Nova Scotia.

Rick Schroder is in eastern Europe this month for Sci Fi Channel and Super Channel, directing Scott Elrod and Amanda Brooks in the horror Hellhounds. The copro by Montreal’s Muse Entertainment and S.C. Studiourile Media Pro of Romania – produced by Ric Nish (Durham County), Andreaa Stanculeanu and Silviu Viju – stars Elrod as an ancient Greek warrior out to rescue his bride from the underworld.

Popular film stars Luc Picard and Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge are currently shooting Léo Huff, a $3.9-million film described by its producers as a cross between Blood Simple and Fargo.

Not one but two sequels to Hard Core Logo are in the works, with director Bruce McDonald reportedly set to start shooting a follow-up to his 1996 cult hit. Picking up 10 years after the original, Hard Core Logo 2: Still Hard will see current hot property Hugh Dillon reprise his early role as punk rocker Joe Dick and will lead into a third feature, tentatively titled Hard Core Logo: 45s and written by Daniel MacIvor.

A Nova Scotia-produced documentary on Dolly Parton’s literacy campaign will have its premiere on Sept. 20 at the 28th annual Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax.