Astral's Harold Greenberg Fund's English-Language Program is pleased to announce its latest round of funding for 29 new and ongoing projects through its Script Development Program.
Chosen from 135 applications, the most recent selection includes five projects at the Polish and Packaging phase including All the Wrong Reasons, Anthem of a Teenage Prophet, The Book of Negroes, The Flying Troutmans and Truck Stop. From first time feature film writer/director Gia Milani is All the Wrong Reasons, which recentlywon a top award for the script at Slamdance.Gia is co-producing alongside Tony Whalen, and Phyllis Laing is the executive producer. The film is about the choices made in the aftermath of a severe traumatic stress. Anthem of a Teenage Prophet is a project that the Fund has supported in various stages of development. It is based on the novel by Joanne Proulx. The Book of Negroes is based on the award-winning novel by Lawrence Hill. The film will be written and directed by Clement Virgo. The Flying Troutmans is also an adaptation which was co-written by the author Miriam Toews, alongside Semi Chellas. Also supported at the Polish and Packaging phase was Truck Stop, to bedirected by Laurie Lynd. It is the story of a teenage truck stop prostitute who is sent to foster care in a small, Northern Ontario town, turning her foster family and classmates upside down.
"It a very exciting time for us as some of these projects, which we've been involved with throughout development, near production," says John Galway, the Fund's English-Language Program President. "This support will be instrumental in helping these projects secure cast and crew, scout locations and in helping them to create a final, polished version of the script."
Projects approved this quarter include:
SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Story Optioning
Ava Lee
Strada Films Inc.
Esta Spalding
City of Champions
Gokart Pictures
TBD
Consecrated Ground
Emotion Pictures Inc.
Thom FitzGerald
A Good Girl
Opolo Pictures Inc.
Jonathan Williams
The Last Crossing
Mind's Eye Development Inc.
Rob King
Needles
Reunion Pictures Development
Riel Stone
Treatment to First Draft
Idiot Wind
Corey Marr Productions
Joseph Kay
Pitch
Farpoint Films
Collin Friesen
Vinland
Suki Films
Mark Krupa
First to Second Draft
Borealis
Buffalo Gal Pictures Inc.
Jonas Chernick
Drilled
StromHaus Productions Ltd.
Carolyn Saunders
A Good Girl
Opolo Pictures Inc.
Jonathan Williams
Ice Kings
Resonance Films
Cameron Labine
Jumbo's Clown Room
Hellhound Productions
Alison Murray and Alex Pugsley
The Last Letter
The Film Farm
Esta Spalding
Lucky 13
Buck Productions
Jonathan Sobol
Needles
Reunion Pictures Development
Riel Stone
The Runner
1078459 Ontario Inc.
Malcolm Clarke
Saucer Men
Tell Tale Productions
Ian Johnston
Second to Final Draft
Action Figures
Strident Films
Ken Hegan
Cold Blooded Snakes
Darius Films
Stephen Kunc
Dual
Oberon Films Inc.
Simon Reynolds
Jacob Green
Independent Edge Films
Michael Greenspan and Christopher Dodd
Plagued
Foundation Features
Rachel Talalay
Polish and Packaging
All the Wrong Reasons
Shore Road Pictures
Gia Milani
Anthem of a Teenage Prophet
Les Films Hand Picked Inc.
Screenwriter: Richard Bell
The Book of Negroes
Conquering Lion Pictures Inc.
Clement Virgo
The Flying Troutmans
Four Seasons Productions Inc.
Semi Chellas and Miriam Toews
Truck Stop
Sixth Avenue Enterprises Ltd.
Bonnie Fairweather
The Script Development Program was created to assist in the development of quality Canadian feature film scripts. The program receives a yearly contribution of $1.3 million from Astral's The Movie Network. The script development applications are reviewed each quarter by the English-Language Committee of Astral's Harold Greenberg Fund, which includes Suzette Couture, Damon D'Oliveira, Melanie Friesen, John Galway, Bryn Matthews, Jane Tattersall and Kevin Wright.