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With temps climbing and the sun frankly being just too bright, there’s no better time to hide away in a dark, air conditioned movie theater. And luckily, August has delivered on giving us all some exciting films for us to see as we shelter-in-place (at the theater). This month we have everything from alpine horror to a couple of music led pics, and some home viewing including a vertigo-inducing romance. Check them out below.

Dandelion

When You Can Watch: Now

Where You Can Watch: Theaters

Director: Nicole Riegel

Cast: Thomas Doherty, Kiki Layne, Melanie Nicholls-King

Why We’re Excited: Film Independent Spirit Awards alum for Best First Feature for her coming-of-age drama Holler, writer-director Riegel’s sophomore film premiered at SXSW. Part of the Film Independent Presents screening series, the drama follows the titular Dandelion (Layne), a struggling singer-songwriter from Cincinnati who takes a gig in South Dakota because...

Sing Sing, the powerful, poignant prison drama starring Colman Domingo, opens NY/LA, with indie love stories Dandelion and Touch debuting on hundreds of screens as distributors continue to tinker with release patterns. Martin Scorsese, eloquent as always, narrates (and executive produced) Made In England: The Films of Powell And Pressburger. Sorry/Not Sorry takes on comedian Louis C.K.

It’s a mixed specialty market still below pre-Covid levels but buoyed recently by hits like Thelma and hopeful that cinema goers are starting to sort out what to see, when and where.

“I think you’re starting to see who’s really theatrical and who isn’t. The lines are becoming clearer. Like, ‘Okay, I’m going to see this, Inside Out 2, in a theater, and I’m going to see that at the Angelika, or wherever, it might be. But I’m going to see it in a theater,...

Dandelion beautifully captures a musician's creative journey, with KiKi Layne's performance as a standout element. The romantic storyline between Dandelion and Casey may distract from the film's grounded tone and musical focus. While the film skillfully intertwines artistry and romance, some viewers may struggle to fully engage with the unrealistic aspects of the relationship.

Dandelion is two films I wish I could disentangle. One is an exploration of creativity and the creative act, through the lens of one musician's struggle to keep her vocation a career (and vice versa). The other is a romantic drama about two people who find in each other the spark they were missing, and let it become their world for as long as they can hold back reality.

Dandelion (2024)

Director Nicole RiegelRelease Date March 10, 2024Writers Nicole RiegelCast Thomas Doherty, Melanie Nicholls-King, Kiki LayneRuntime 113 MinutesGenres Drama, RomanceMain Genre Drama

These strands are inseparable, constantly feeding...

In the multitude of A Star Is Born movies and their progeny, an aspiring artist’s struggles are prelude to a melodrama of triumph and conflict, played out in the unforgiving glare of the fame machine’s klieg lights. Nicole Riegel’s Dandelion turns that template inside out: In its fringe milieu of shadows, the yearning and bursts of inspiration, the discouragement and relentless hard work are not prelude but the main action.

The story of a young singer-songwriter who’s stuck in a nowhere loop until she takes an impulsive leap, the feature is sometimes clunky but often quietly transporting, with strong chemistry between KiKi Layne as the title character and Thomas Doherty as the charismatic musician she meets when she ventures out of Cincinnati and her self-defeating rut.

This is the second part of a planned trilogy centering on Ohio women, and, as in her debut feature, Holler,...

DandelionImage: IFC Films

The title of writer-director Nicole Riegel’s Dandelion suggests it’s an allegorical tale about a sprouting seedling carried on a once-in-a-lifetime journey along a soft, gentle breeze. Instead it’s focused on two strangers caught up in complicated circumstances that pit head against heart. One is...

Chicago – Growth from a young and rising actor is defined by KiKi Layne. After getting her big break as Tish in “If Beale Street Could Talk” from 2018, she has build her resume in both independent (“Native Son”) and tentpole (“Coming 2 America”) films, and showcases her music talent as the title character in “Dandelion,” which opens Friday, July 12th.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Dandelion (KiKi Layne) is a struggling Cincinnati singer-songwriter in a downward spiral, including dead end gigs and a mother who needs caregiving. When she takes a last-ditch-effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota she meets Casey (Thomas Doherty), a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago. As Dandelion joins Casey’s nomadic group of struggling musicians, the kindred spirits make music together and strike up a whirlwind romance.

The film is a passionate meditation on young love and the sensitive artist trying to interpret it. The...

Dandelion (KiKi Layne) is not appreciated in her own time. She’s not appreciated at the swanky Cincinnati hotel where she sings and plays guitar three nights a week, trying her damndest to be heard over rude guests who talk during her set, jabber on their phones, or simply pretend she doesn’t exist. She’s not appreciated at home, where her ailing mother Jean (Melanie Nicholls-King) can barely be coaxed off the couch without tossing off a combative word at her daughter. And she’s not appreciated the way the same people she came up with on the local music scene are, so many of them crowding her social media feeds as they sign big deals and frequently flash their bodies for some added clout.

So when Dandelion takes off in the middle of the night, bound for the last place she expects to find anything of value for...

The centerpiece of Nicole Riegel’s Dandelion is the eponymous character (KiKi Layne) taking a chance on a biker rally music festival in South Dakota. A Black singer-songwriter living in Cincinnati, Dandelion initially scoffs at the idea when the bartender at the hotel where she plays three days a week slides her the flyer for the festival. White people on motorcycles who probably want to hear rock or country isn’t exactly her scene. But she goes, and it goes poorly—until, that is, she meets a charming guitarist named Casey (Thomas Doherty).

The folky compositions that result from Dandelion and Casey collaborating on music are a far cry from the acoustic cover of Gin Blossoms’s “Hey Jealousy” that we first see Dandelion play back home. The downfall of many a music-based film is often the music at its center, but the songs that these lovers play together—courtesy...

Writer-director Nicole Riegel is following up her 2020 directorial debut coming-of-age drama Holler with another story of a young woman finding her way in the world, this time scored and produced by the famed musical brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Her new film, titled Dandelion, premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival and will be released in theaters nationwide on July 12. Starring KiKi Layne of If Beale Street Could Talk as well as Thomas Doherty and Melanie Nicholls-King, the first trailer has arrived ahead of the release.

Here’s the official synopsis: “Dandelion (KiKi Layne), a struggling Cincinnati singer-songwriter in a downward spiral, takes a last-ditch-effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota where she meets Casey (Thomas Doherty), a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago. As Dandelion joins Casey’s nomadic group of struggling musicians, the kindred spirits make music together and strike up a whirlwind romance.

"Chasing dreams is hard..." IFC Films has revealed an official trailer for a passionate love story film titled Dandelion, which just premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival a few months ago. This is already set for release in July in limited theaters, with stops at the Athens, Cleveland, and Boston Film Festivals along the way. Acclaimed actress KiKi Layne stars as a struggling singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio named Dandelion. She falls into an intoxicating romance that leads to a deeper appreciation of her artistic journey and the discovery of a voice that is authentically her own. In a last-effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota, she meets Casey, a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago. But when she falls for him their love of music offers them both a chance to blossom. The cast also includes Thomas Doherty as Casey and Melanie Nicholls-King as Jean.

Will “The Gilded Age” find Emmys gold?

After its sophomore season, HBO’s historical drama “The Gilded Age” has entered the Emmy race with up to 37 nominations, Variety can exclusively reveal. This includes outstanding drama series, 15 main cast members and the season finale “In Terms of Winning and Losing,” which will represent director Michael Engler and scribe Julian Fellowes in their submissions.

The central couple, Bertha and George Russell, played by Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector, are contenders in the lead acting categories. Coon, an Emmy nominee for the third season of the anthology crime series “Fargo” in 2017, has a solid chance of picking up her second nom, competing against contenders Anna Sawai, Jennifer Aniston and Emma Stone. Already proving to be a big year for the actress, she could find herself in the Oscar race later this year for her remarkable performance in Azazel Jacobs’ family drama “His Three Daughters,...

Exclusive: Cgf Talent has named Brett Rigby as a partner at the New York-based agency, and added Alexandria Stasiak, formerly of Kmr, as agent. Stasiak brings Liza Bennett, Adam David Thompson, Melanie Nicholls- King, Geoffrey Cantor, Nick Dillenburg, Barbara Walsh, and Veanne Cox to join Cgf’s client roster.

Rigby joined Cgf Talent in 2013 and since has held multiple roles in the company, including most recently, Senior Talent Agent. He holds a Master of Music and an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from NYU-Steinhardt. He is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Voice Foundation. Rigby has served as Adjunct Faculty at NYU and has guest lectured at Penn State, Texas State University, University of Michigan, University of Central Oklahoma, Fordham, Aada, and Amda, among many others.

“Through more than a decade of dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment, Brett has ascended to new heights as...

The team’s on the hunt for the person(s) responsible for the murder of four cops on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted season five episode seven. Directed by Sharon Lewis from a script by David Hudgins and Chris Salmanpour, episode seven – “Rendition” – will air on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 10pm Et/Pt.

Season five stars Dylan McDermott as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott, Roxy Sternberg as Special Agent Sheryll Barnes, Keisha Castle-Hughes as Special Agent Hana Gibson, Edwin Hodge as Special Agent Ray Cannon, and Shantel VanSanten as Special Agent Nina Chase.

“Rendition” Plot: The Fugitive Task Force springs into action after four detectives are shot dead during a prisoner exchange outside of a diner in New Jersey. Meanwhile, Remy struggles with having Corey as a roommate.

Dylan McDermott as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott and Roxy Sternberg as Special Agent Sheryll Barnes in ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ season 5 episode 7

The Plot,...

KiKi Layne, breakout of “If Beale Street Could Talk” and other indies, sings and performs in Nicole Riegel’s SXSW premiere “Dandelion” as a Cincinnati singer/songwriter in a downward spiral. IndieWire shares an exclusive first look at the film here ahead of its March 10 premiere in Austin at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival. Riegel previously directed 2021’s “Holler,” a blue-collar drama starring Jessica Barden.

Here’s the SXSW synopsis for “Dandelion”: “Dandelion, a struggling Cincinnati singer-songwriter in a downward spiral, takes a last-ditch-effort gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota where she meets Casey, a guitarist who walked away from his dream long ago. As Dandelion joins Casey’s nomadic group of struggling musicians, the kindred spirits make music together and strike up a whirlwind romance. The experience moves Dandelion from a narrow view of success to a deeper appreciation of her artistic journey, and the discovery...

Curated by the IndieWire Crafts team, Craft Considerations is a platform for filmmakers to talk about recent work we believe is worthy of awards consideration. In partnership with Apple TV+, for this edition, we look at how the editing, cinematography, and sound created the pulsing drama “Black Bird.”

Adapted from the book “In with the Devil” by James Keene and Hillel Levin, the Apple TV+ limited series “Black Bird” shines a disturbing light on murderer, rapist, and suspected serial killer Larry Hall, who preyed on girls and women during the 1980s and ‘90s. Show creator Dennis Lehane (“Gone Baby Gone”) unravels the story, based on actual events, through a gripping, character-driven six episodes that redefine the psychological crime thriller genre.

The narrative examines the male psyche through the eyes of Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) and Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a high school football star turned con serving 10 years without parole...

We can’t wait to hear Joe Pesci say the title of his new show: The Oscar winner (GoodFellas, My Cousin Vinny) has signed on to costar in Pete Davidson’s Peacock comedy Bupkis, the streamer announced on Thursday.

Pesci will play the grandfather of Davidson’s character, joining Edie Falco, who was previously cast as Pete’s mother. The half-hour comedy is a fictionalized take on Davidson’s real life that “will combine grounded storytelling with absurd elements from the unfiltered and completely original worldview for which Pete is well known,” per the official description.

More from TVLineThe TVLine...

[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Black Bird” Season 1, Episode 5, “Where I Lie.”]

There’s only one more episode of “Black Bird” and, honestly, it’s hard to figure out how this show is going to stick the landing. We’ve seen other networks pare down their series from 10 episodes to eight, but trying to clear up a story in six? Right now it doesn’t feel as if everything will be satisfyingly closed by next week, especially after the brutal gut punch that is this week’s episode, “Where I Lie.”

The world of “Black Bird” has been fairly insular. It’s behind the walls of Springfield prison with Jimmy (Taron Egerton) and Larry (Paul Walter Hauser). Or it’s outside with Detectives Miller (Greg Kinnear) and MacCauley (Sepideh Moafi). Occasionally, we check in on Jimmy’s dad, Big Jim (Ray Liotta). But as we get closer to the end, the lines of reality are...

The 33 Films Selected as Part of the 2022 Showcase Will Be Presented to an In-Person Audience Alongside the 68 Finalist Films from the 2020 and 2021 Editions of the Program

See the complete program here.

Celebrating 33 years at the epicenter of American hospitality and communication at the Cannes Film Festival, The American Pavilion, www.ampav.com, announced today the return of its Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, now in its 25th anniversary edition, on the Croisette.

The 2022 program features 33 films including 24 female-identifying directors and co-directors at the helm of 17 projects, 10 films focused on LGBTQ+ topics, and filmmakers of diverse backgrounds from the U.S. and around the globe, highlighting new voices in six categories – Emerging Filmmaker Documentaries, Emerging Filmmaker Short Films, Emerging Filmmaker LGBTQ+ Films, Student Documentaries, Student Short Films, and High School Films.

Since 1989, The American Pavilion has offered unparalleled experiences in Cannes to film students and emerging filmmakers from around the world. AmPav’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, now in its 25th edition, provides an opportunity for young filmmakers to have their works seen by Cannes Festival and Film Market attendees. In addition to the 2022 showcase projects, finalist films from 2020 and 2021 will also be screened at The American Pavilion this year. All screenings with filmmakers in attendance will be followed by a live Q&A.

The films in the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase focus on themes as diverse as the meaning of community, gender identity, the Covid-19 epidemic, self-perceptions and representation, the holocaust, the development and evolution cultural identity, family dynamics, the quest for love, and more. Beloved screen icons featured in the 2022 showcase series films include: Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water), Phil Lord (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street), Lee Unkrich, (Coco, Toy Story 3); Ian Buchanan (The Bold and the Beautiful); Lauren Ridloff (The Eternals, Sound of Metal); Danielle Savre (Station 19, Heroes); Vico Ortiz (Our Flag is Death); Melanie Nicholls-King (Billions, Little Fires Everywhere); Greer Grammar (Awkward); Jeremy Sisto (Wrong Turn); Billy Wirth (Shutter the Doors); Kausar Mohammed (4400), Victoria Atkin (Assassins Creed); with many more appearing in the 2020 and 2021 finalist projects.

“The 2022 cohort of student filmmakers and young talents brings us a richly diverse program including 24 female-identifying directors presenting 17 films, and 10 films focused on LGBTQ+ topics as well as many projects exploring the meaning of cultural identity,” said Julie Sisk, Founder and Director of The American Pavilion. “We are also thrilled to back in-person this year bringing the 2022 finalist filmmakers together with the talents from 2020 and 2021 to provide them the opportunity to screen during the 75th landmark edition of the Cannes Film Festival.”

Emerging showcase winners will be chosen by a jury that includes agents, managers, producers, and industry members and will be announced at The American Pavilion during this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Prize packages are sponsored by: Final Draft, Write Brothers Movie Magic Screenwriter, International Documentary Association, Screening Services Group, Simple Dcp, Michael Wiese Productions Books, and Ese Film Workshops Online.

The full list of 2022 Finalist projects is available below. For a comprehensive list of all films screening this year as part of the 2020 and 2021 selections, please visit www.ampav.com. Finalist projects from 2020 are accessible here and 2021 finalist films can be found here.

2022 Emerging Filmmakers Showcase

Emerging Filmmaker Documentaries

Stoneheart: An Undying Gift

2021, 6:20 min., USA, Documentary

Director: Nicholas Markart

Producer: Stephen Hilfiker, Nicholas Markart

Cast: Stephen Hilfiker

Steve Hilfiker, a heart transplant survivor and father of four, describes his experience facing death, and how his perspective on life has forever changed following the fateful operation.

Emerging Filmmaker Short Films

7 Lbs 8 Oz

2021, 7:08 min., USA, Animation/Comedy/Drama

Writer/Director: Yoo Lee

Producer: Xin Li, Evelyn Angelica Martinez

Cast: Frank Thon, Michelle Sohn, Robin Daniels

When a young mother moves into 8th street, Jersey City, NJ, she learns about the value of community and how her own perception determines her own experiences.

Charlie And The Hunt

2022, 14:31 min., USA, Family/Drama/Coming-of-Age

Writer/Director: Jenn Shaw, Dannielle Dormer, Anita M Cal, Yj Meira, Tema L Staig, Allison Vanore

Cast: Lauren Ridloff, Nifeoluwa Ramroop, Robert Artz

A young girl goes on a whimsical adventure and faces her fears while setting out to recover a sentimental family treasure.

The Errand

2022, 11:23 min., USA, Drama

Director: Amanda Renee Knox

Writer: Mira Olsson

Producer: Lara Aslanian, Amanda Renee Knox

Cast: Naya Johnson, Ezekiel Bridges, Toni Robison-May, Sean Gallagher

When a young girl hitchhiking is picked up by a stranger, who ends up taking whom for a ride?

My Gift

2021, 13:25 min., Australia, Drama

Writer/Director: Michael Raso

Producer: Michael Raso, Jd Cohen

Cast: Luke Hoogendyk, Ridhi Prasad, Joshua Fisk, Catherine Ross, Jyotsna Sharma, Susan Ling Young

A young boy is admitted to a hospital for lifesaving treatment. He befriends a young Indian girl who hopes a cure is found to save him before it's too late.

If My Voice Rang Louder Than My Skin

2021, 4:46 min., USA, Animation

Writer/Director: Kyra Peters

In If My Voice Rang Louder Than My Skin a teenage boy craves a life where his skin no longer affects his daily experiences or how others perceive him. Using 2D animation, the film follows him through the streets of the Bronx, trying to unite his community’s voice through music to rally against the divisive hate against color.

Noisy

2020, 10:04 min., USA, Drama

Writer/Director: Cedric Hill

Producer: Cedric Hill, Pandora Scooter, Daniel Philips

Executive Producer: Dany Bouchedid

Dp: Valentina Caniglia

Cast: Max Lamadrid, Gabi Faye

Sam gets on the subway to get home. He catches the eye of April. The two of them discover they have way more in common than where they’re heading. Sometimes you need a noisy place to have a quiet conversation.

Shutter The Doors

2021, 13:23 min., USA, Drama

Writer/Director: Sheri Sussman

Producer: Antonio Cortese, Adam Rex

Cast: Ian Buchanan, Billy Wirth

Shutter the Doors, starring Ian Buchanan and Billy Wirth, is a short film that captures a moment in time of a man struggling to deal with an unexpected loss in his life.

Emerging Filmmaker LGBTQ+ Films

Cans Can’T Stand

2022, 18:42 min., USA, Documentary/Social Justice/LGBTQ+, Yale University

Director: Matt Nadel, Megan Plotka

Producer: Matt Nadel, Wendi Cooper

Cast: Wendi Cooper, Milan Nicole Sherry, CANScan’tSTAND Activists

Since 1982, police have weaponized Louisiana's Crime Against Nature by Solicitation (Cans) law to terrorize queer/trans Louisianians. Cans Can't Stand follows a group of Black trans women in New Orleans who are fighting to repeal that law—and advance trans liberation statewide.

All The Young Dudes

2020, 8:39 min., USA, Drama/Historical/Music/LGBTQ+, Florida State University

Writer/Director: William Stead

Producer: Cameron Greco

Cast: Blake Lafita, Richie Gambardella

Georgia, USA, 1973. Glam rocker Billy rebels against his conservative high school, inspiring admiration from an unlikely ally with a desire to walk on the wild side…

Carino

2021, 3:46 min., USA, Animation/LGBTQ+, School of Visual Arts

Writer/Director: Carlos Taborda, Roshel Amuruz, Ashley Williams

In the streets of Cartagena, a young boy embarks on an adventure to find a flower for his crush and win his affection.

Cupids

2021, 10 min., USA, Comedy/LGBTQ+

Director: Zoey Martinson

Writer: Zoey Martinson, Julie Sharbutt

Producer: Korey Jackson and Devin E. Haqq

Cast: Melanie Nicholls-King, Toryn Isabella Coote, Julius Sampson, Scarlett London Diviney

In this playful comedy, three kids worry that their beloved school bus driver will be lonely this summer without them. They set out to find her a partner and imagine the perfect matches.

Don't Let Go

2021, 9:33 min., USA, Drama/LGBTQ+, University of Southern California

Writer/Director: Mel Orpen

Producer: Mehmet Gungoren

Cast: Tessa Hope Slovis, Joyce Lee, Lauren Lynn King, Susan Harmon

When Sam and Reggie get engaged, their future seems bright—until a terrible car accident leaves Reggie in a coma. Sam must confront Reggie's homophobic mother to fight for a place at her hospital bedside before it's too late.

Dotting The “I”

2022, 11:14 min., USA, Romance/Drama/Comedy/LGBTQ+

Writer/Director: Doug Tompos

Producer: Doug Tompos, Risa Bramon Garcia, Steve Braun

Cast: Jeff Lorch, Miguel Perez

In the shadows of an empty office, the poetry of an unlikely kiss helps two men discover a love lost and a love never found.

Imperfectly Complete

2021, 14:46 min., USA (Subtitles), Drama/Romance/LGBTQ+, University of Southern California

Writer/Director: Bruce Chiu

Producer: Victor Tsao, Chrissy Aung

Cast: Chrissy Aung, Zaw Myo Htet

Lucy has been taking care of Owen, a blind guitarist she has admired for years. When Owen is about to get his vision back, Lucy faces the struggle of whether to reveal her true identity to Owen.

Noah’S Song

2021, 2:57 min., USA, Animation/Romance/LGBTQ+, Vassar College

Producer/Writer/Director: Damián Bonito Zapien

Noah's Song is an animation film about a transgender man coming out to his partner.

Second Team

2020, 10:27 min., USA, Comedy/LGBTQ+

Director: Ria Pavia

Writer: Anni Weisband

Producer: Mayon Denton, Julia Armine, Robert E. Arnold, Anni Weisband

Cast: Francia Raisa, Danielle Savre, Gigi Zumbado, Greer Grammar, Phill Lewis, Chester

Lockhart, Sally Brooks, Akil Jackson, Alexander True Snyder, Catfish Jean, Melissa Greenspan

A scorned stand-in actor for a hit TV show distorts the script to publicly undress her costar.

The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night

2021, 11 min., USA, Comedy/LGBTQ+

Director: Fawzia Mirza

Writer: Kausar Mohammed

Producer: Amalia Mesa-Gustin, Kausar Mohamed

Cast: Kausar Mohammed, Vico Ortiz, Meera Rohit Kumbhani, Pia Shah, D’Lo Srijaerajah

All cards are on the table when a queer Pakistani Muslim woman brings her Puerto Rican partner home for the first time on the family's annual game night.

Student Documentaries

Bad Hombrewood

2021, 23:45 min., USA, Documentary, University of Southern California

Director: Guillermo Casarin

Producer: Marian Cook, Santos Herrera

Cast: Phil Lord, Lee Unkrich, Guillermo del Toro, Melissa Fumero, Ben Lopez, Dr. Laura Isabel Serna, Leslie Arcos, Osiris Pichardo, Jenniffer González Martinez, Anabel Iñigo, Santos Herrera, Guillermo Casarín

For decades, the film industry has confined minorities to stereotypical characters. Now, filmmakers fight to change the Latinx role in Hollywood.

Spokespeople

2020, 23:30 min., USA, Documentary, University of Southern California

Director: Ryan Mekenian

Producer: Daniel Sheahan, Stephen Tonti

Cast: Jeremy Sisto (Narration)

For Los Angeles natives living in the early 1900’s, bicycles and streetcars shared the road as our primary modes of transportation. But the arrival of the freeway effectively wiped them out. Today, a collective of cycling communities fight for protected bike lanes and road safety; determined to bring a new era of mobility justice to the city.

Student Short Films

Message Sent

2021, 4:13 min., USA, Animation/Comedy, Cal State University Northridge

Producer/Writer/Director: Ryan C. Lopez

Cast: Ryan C. Lopez, Danielle Della Porta

When Steven struggles to make his feelings for Liza clear, his cell phone comes to life and encourages him to make the most important decision of his young adult life, to trust himself, and take a leap of faith.

Mother In The Mist

2021, 20:51 min., China, Drama, University of Southern California

Writer/Director: Kay Niuyue Zhang

Producer: Robin Zhongyu Wang, Kay Niuyue Zhang

Co-Producer: Eris Zhao, Jiayun Li; Cinematographer: Jiang Du

Cast: Shen Shiyu, Wang Xiwen

Following Wuhan’s Coronavirus lockdown, a rural single mother embarks on a dangerous journey in search of her preemie newborn baby stranded in Wuhan City Hospital. Against a harsh, grim winter night, she trudges through trials and tribulations, fighting a way around checkpoints. Joining her path is a mysterious eight-year-old girl, who shares the same determination to reunite with her mother in the city. When She finally almost gets to Wuhan, we realize things are not as it seems...

Over My Dead Body

2020, 25 min., USA (subtitles), Drama/Comedy/Family, New York Film Academy

Producer/Writer/Director: Meital Cohen Navarro

Cast: Mary Apick, Nakta Pahlevan, Bahram Vatanparast, Afshin Katanchi, Mahsa Shamsa

When a young Jewish Persian-American woman tells her parents that her fiancé is Muslim, they make her choose between him and them.

The War Within

2021, 25 min., USA (subtitles), Drama, Santa Monica College

Writer/Director: Marta D'Ocon

Producer: Marina Coutinho, Catharine Dada,

Cast: Sabrina Hartmann, Alan Corvaia, Laura Urgelles, Damián Delgado

Somewhere in Latin America, a young woman joins a guerrilla army when her entire family is massacred by government troops. She initially thrives, finding strength and independence as a deadly sniper. But her newfound sense of purpose and self-respect come with a high price.

Wuhan Driver

2021, 14:14 min., USA, Drama, New York University

Writer/Director: Tiger Ji

Producer: Alena Svyatova, Jonathan Sanger

Cast: Wayne Chang

At the beginning of the pandemic, a Chinese driver in New York struggles to make ends meet as he picks up passengers on a long and dreary night.

High School Films

A Prayer For My Mother: The Eva Brettler Story

2022, 9:58 min., USA, Animation/Documentary, The Righteous Conversations Project

Director: Ruben Barrett, Raisa Effress, Sophia Evans, Lauren Fuchs, Katie Hadsock-Longarzo, Ian Kim, Eve Levy, Timothy Lim, Asher Meron, Marlon Ochoa, Bella Rahi, Hank Schoen, Olivia Uzielli

Producer: C. Lily Ericsson, Carter Beardmore, Sophie Kim

Exec Producer: Cheri Gaulke, Samara Hutman

Cast: Eva Brettler

The extraordinary saga of Holocaust survivor Eva Brettler told through personal testimony and animation. Young Eva survives two concentration camps and the destruction of her family to emerge, with a tender heart and faith intact, crediting the goodness of caretakers she encountered along the way.

Devil Bean

2021, 10:36 min., Australia, Comedy, St. Matthews Catholic School

Director: Jessica Nipperess

Writer: Sam Paine

Cast: Sam Paine, Stella Morgan, Reneé French, Charlie French

After gifting a coffee machine to their father on Christmas, this picture-perfect family is thrown into the jaws of a horror-come-anti-drug flick as their dad’s addiction tears the family apart.

Greta

2021, 7:49 min., USA, Drama/Coming of Age, Glendale High School

Writer/Director: Sofie Verweyen

Cast: Lilah Hayes, Erinn Hayes, Victoria Atkin, Jack Hayes, Maggie Hayes, Eva Langsdorff

A personal, subjective journey into the mind of Greta Thunberg, before realizing her calling as a climate activist. While struggling with mental health issues and bullying because of Asperger's Syndrome, she also grapples with a sense of impending doom due to the climate crisis. These same struggles and fears drive her to push for change and become the person she is today.

Pho

2021, 11:51 min., USA, Drama, Orange County School of the Arts

Writer/Director: Ethan Chu

Producer: Ava Encinas

Cast: Khoi Le, Julie Tong, Antone Axten

After building a seemingly successful life, a man must come to terms with the melancholic truth that he has detached from his Vietnamese culture and subsequently his grandmother, both of which he once held a close relationship with. His grief pushes him through a journey of reflection which reveals to him the perfect recipe to restore the once lost connection.

Hotline

2021, 13:21 min., USA, Drama, Pacifica Christian High School

Writer/Director: Andreas Mickelopoulos, Garrett Seabold

Cast: Isai Palomares, Charlotte Shays, Robert Pitts, Nicolas Kolesnikow

Three high school boys' night of prank calls quickly develops into a matter of life and death when an unsuspecting classmate answers the phone.

Sydney 2078

2021, 9:36 min., Australia, Sci-Fi/Drama, Balgowlah Boys Campus

Producer/Writer/Director: Brady O'Sullivan

Cast: Gordon Carroll

A teenage boy from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with a fascination for science fiction movies and novels has a vision during the night, leading him on an inter-dimensional endeavour into the future.

Think Like A Filmmaker

2021, 6:20 min, USA, Documentary, Saint Ann’s School

Producer/Director: Eli Berliner

Cast: Alan Berliner

Eli Berliner turns the camera on his father, Alan, a personal documentary filmmaker, whose new body of work approaches sculpture through the eyes of a filmmaker.

About The American Pavilion

The American Pavilion, celebrating its 33rd year as the epicenter of American hospitality and communication at the Cannes International Film Festival, brings together both professional and emerging filmmakers along with industry executives from across the globe. A much sought-after destination for information, orientation, and recreation, it accommodates the needs of its members, guests and sponsors in a dynamic business environment. With its impressive array of amenities and services, AmPav provides an opportunity to relax in very comfortable surroundings.

The American Pavilion boasts the In Conversation and Industry in Focus both which take place in the Roger Ebert Conference Center, which offer insightful and provocative panel discussions and in-conversations with filmmakers, talent and top leaders; a restaurant and bar that provide fast service with a smile throughout the day and is open to all festival badge holders after 6:00pm most evenings; a coffee bar; free WiFi and charging stations; a media terrace with a panoramic view of the Riviera; the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase; the Culinary Program featuring chefs from across the US and Canada; The American Pavilion Worldwide Student Program; and public and private rental for parties and receptions. The American Pavilion is part of Penske Media Corporation.

For more information, visit www.ampav.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanpavilion

Twitter: @AmPav

Instagram: @The_American_Pavilion...

Exclusive: Chaz Bono (American Horror Story) and Bonnie Aarons (The Nun) have signed on to star alongside Randy Couture, Reid Miller, Mike Manning, Kathleen Kenny and Cathy Marks in the action-horror pic The Bell Keeper, from director Colton Tran (Snow Falls).

In the film, a group of friends travel to a secluded campsite to film a documentary. What they find is something much more sinister than they could have ever imagined. Artisha Mann-Cooper, Nick Theurer and Jonathan Cooper are producing, with Final Destination scribe Jeffrey Reddick exec producing alongside Martin Ngongo.

Bono is represented by Luber Roklin Entertainment and Mills Kaplan Entertainment; Aarons by Mills Kaplan Entertainment and Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs.

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Exclusive: Atlas Distribution Company has acquired U.S. rights to writer-director Allen Wolf’s romantic comedy The Sound of Violet, based on his award-winning novel, with plans to release it theatrically in 20+ U.S. markets on April 29.

The...

A Journal for Jordan Review — A Journal for Jordan (2021) Film Review, a movie directed by Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan, Chante Adams, Jalon Christian, Robert Wisdom, Tamara Tunie, Jasmine Batchelor, Marchant Davis, Susan Pourfar, Vanessa Aspillaga, Grey Henson, Johnny M Wu, David Wilson Barnes, Spencer Squire, Melanie Nicholls-King, Annabel O’Hagan, [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: A Journal For Jordan (2021): Denzel Washington Directs a Well-Meaning Sentimental Drama...

Lifetime has filled its title roles for Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace. Jordan Dean (The Punisher) and Sydney Morton (She’s Gotta Have It) will star as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the third installment of the Harry & Megan film franchise. Escaping the Palace began production this week in Vancouver for a fall 2021 debut. Dean and Morton will fill the royal shoes vacated by Parisa Fitz-Henry and Murray Fraser in 2018’s Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance, followed by Tiffany Smith and Charlie Field for the second installment Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal in 2019.

Returning cast members include Jordan Whalen as Prince William, Laura Mitchell as Kate Middleton, Steve Coulter as Prince Charles, Maggie Sullivun as Queen Elizabeth II, Melanie Nicholls-King as Doria Ragland, Bonnie Soper as Princess Diana, Deborah Ramsay as Camilla and James Dreyfus as palace insider Leonard. Executive producers Merideth Finn and Michele Weiss, director Menhaj Huda...

Review by Peter BelsitoIn writer-director Molly McGlynn’s feature debut, substance abuser and substance abuse counsellor Mary (Aya Cash) is suspended from her job after a DUI arrest, so she returns to her hometown of Niagara Falls. There she finds her long-estranged father (John Ralston) dying of cancer — and he is hopeful that Mary will finally get to know her half-sister (Sara Waisglass). Mary discovers that the personal problems she’s been studiously ignoring only grow more inescapable in the presence of the estranged family members who more or less caused them.

Mary (Aya Cash) is a 29-year-old Toronto resident with a serious partying habit. When after a latest inebriate and sex night we see her among an addicts’ support group, we assume she’s ready to mend her ways.

Then we realize she’s the meeting’s (not very good) facilitator. Working as a professional substance-abuse counselor gives Mary...

"Are you sure you want to be part of this crazy family?!" Netflix has launched the full-length trailer for the new Adam Sandler comedy premiering on the streaming service, titled The Week Of. This film is actually directed by the great Robert Smigel, most well known for his work on "Saturday Night Live" and other late night TV shows. Adam Sandler and Chris Rock star in The Week Of as two "very different" fathers who come together to marry their children, resulting in a crazy weird, wild, hilarious "week of" the wedding. The full cast includes Steve Buscemi, Rob Morgan, Rachel Dratch, Scott Cohen, Patricia Belcher, and Melanie Nicholls-King. So, this film actually looks way better than you're probably expecting, with some genuinely amusing domestic humor. I still don't think it'll be a homerun, but you never know. Have a look. Here's the full-length trailer (+ poster) for Robert Smigel's The Week Of,...

"Also, I would crank up the A/C, just gimme a nod." Netflix has debuted the first teaser trailer for the new Adam Sandler comedy premiering on the streaming service, titled The Week Of. As much as this should make you groan, this comedy is actually directed by the great Robert Smigel, most well known for his work on "Saturday Night Life". Adam Sandler and Chris Rock star as two "very different" fathers who come together to marry their children together, resulting in a crazy weird, wild, hilarious "week of" the wedding. The full cast includes Steve Buscemi, Rob Morgan, Rachel Dratch, Scott Cohen, Patricia Belcher, and Melanie Nicholls-King. This teaser doesn't show much, but thankfully this doesn't look as awful as Sandler's other Netflix movies. So, that's something. Hopefully it's not a disaster. Get your first look below. Here's the first official teaser trailer for Robert Smigel's The Week Of,...

The Strange Ones is a maddening, yet exceptionally-directed debut feature from acclaimed short filmmaking duo Lauren Wolkstein and Christopher Radcliff, adapted from their 2011 short the film of the same name. Opening with a series of images, The Strange Ones never gives away the story, allowing us to wonder with two guys whom seem to be brothers, Nick (Alex Pettyfer), the protective older one, and Jeremiah (James Freedson-Jackson), the younger one. Running from a burning house revealed to us quickly in the film’s evocative opening sequence, they soon find themselves in a motel where desk clerk Kelly (Emily Althaus) offers to let them stay for free off-season. Nick, it would appear, has been providing additional compensation to Kelly, although looks can be incredibly deceiving as Jeremiah berates Kelly for trusting Nick, claiming him to be cruel, violent, and gay in a chilling monologue.

Nick seemingly holds special supernatural powers, telling...

Keep up with the always-hopping film festival world with our weekly Film Festival Roundup column. Check out last week’s Roundup right here.

Lineup Announcements

– Hot Docs has announced the ten documentary features that will screen in this year’s Special Presentations program. Special Presentations features a high-profile collection of world and international premieres, award winners from the recent international festival circuit and works by master filmmakers or featuring some star subjects.

Special Presentations will screen as part of the 2017 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, running April 27 – May 7. The complete Special Presentations program and the full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs 2017 will be announced on March 21, including the 2017 opening night film.

The new titles include: “Bill Nye: Science Guy,” “Chasing Coral,” “Dolores,” “Elian,” “Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower,” “In Loco Parentis,” “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press,” “Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World,” “Strong Island” and “The Workers Cup.

Network: ABC

Episodes: 74 (hour)

Seasons: Six

TV show dates: June 24, 2010 -- September 3, 2015

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Ben Bass, Enuka Okuma, Travis Milne, Eric Johnson, Charlotte Sullivan, Matt Gordon, Noam Jenkins, Melanie Nicholls-King, Aidan Devine, Lyriq Bent, and Peter MacNeill.

TV show description:      

This police drama follows five young officers who have just graduated from the Academy.

Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym) is empathetic, sometimes at a cost. She's also very bright but didn't get off to a great start in her new job, already clashing with training officer Sam Swarek (Ben Bass). He just wants her to trust her instincts. That's what he did when he was undercover as a drug dealer for eight months until his cover was blown and he was forced back on the beat.

Network: MTV

Episodes: 10 (hour)

Seasons: One

TV show dates: January 12, 2015 -- March 16, 2015

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Victoria Justice, Casey Deidrick, Harvey Guillen, Kiersey Clemons, John Garet Stoker, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Ryan Cooper, and Melanie Nicholls-King.

TV show description:

Set in New York City, this thriller TV series is based on the novel by R. L. Stine. It revolves around Lindy Sampson (Victoria Justice), a brilliant 21-year-old hacker from the Chicago suburbs. She has a gift for seeing clues and connections in the digital world that others can't.

She's been heavily impacted by the horrific abduction of her younger sister, Sara (Jordyn Dinatale). In the aftermath of that trauma, Lindy dropped out of college, moved to New York. She became a hacker so that she could dedicate herself to...

There won't be a second season of Eye Candy on MTV as the show has been cancelled. The first season of 10 episodes averaged an underwhelming 0.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 590,000 viewers. The finale aired March 16th.

On Eye Candy, a young female hacker (Victoria Justice) in New York City searches for her missing sister and becomes the target of a deadly stalker. The rest of the cast includes Casey Deidrick, Harvey Guillen, Kiersey Clemons, John Garet Stoker, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Ryan Cooper, and Melanie Nicholls-King.

Earlier today, Justice broke the cancellation news to her fans and wrote: (more…)...

MTV has had mixed success with their original scripted programs. How will Eye Candy fare in the ratings? Will it be cancelled or renewed for a second season? Stay tuned to find out.

On Eye Candy, a young female hacker (Victoria Justice) in New York City searches for her missing sister and becomes the target of a deadly stalker. The rest of the cast includes Casey Deidrick, Harvey Guillen, Kiersey Clemons, John Garet Stoker, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Ryan Cooper, and Melanie Nicholls-King.

The ratings are typically the best indication of a show's chances of staying on the air. The higher the ratings, the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available. (more…)...

There doesn't seem to be much danger of ABC's Rookie Blue being cancelled any time soon. The show is produced in Canada and the fifth season has 22 episodes (instead of the usual 13). However, they're being split into two parts -- half will air this summer while the rest will run at a later date. This kind of move often spells the end for a series. Will there be a sixth season? Stay tuned.

Rookie Blue continues to follow a group of newbie cops as they work at the fictional 15 Division. The cast includes Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Ben Bass, Travis Milne, Enuka Okuma, Charlotte Sullivan, Peter Mooney, Priscilla Faia, Matt Gordon, Rachel Ancheril, Melanie Nicholls-King, Adam MacDonald, Aliyah O’Brien, Oliver Becker, and Matt Murray.

The ratings are typically the best indication of a show's likelihood of staying on the air. The higher...

Turns out being the offspring of a genetically-modified clone has its upsides - after being flattened by a speeding car last week, Sarah's sprog Kira (Skyler Wexler) makes a miraculous recovery as Orphan Black's final double-bill begins…

Except Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) doesn't believe in miracles and neither do we - does Kira possess some sort of healing ability or enhanced durability as a result of what's been done to her mother?

In the aftermath of the accident, Sarah has her sights set on Helena, while Tomas (Daniel Kash) has his sights set on Sarah - but he doesn't reckon on his unhinged clone-killer turning on him and soon Tomas is left cowering - brutalised and locked in the same cage where he once kept Helena…

With all this going on, episode nine 'Unconscious Selection' just has time to pack in one final humongous twist - possibly the biggest jaw-dropper...

Rarely do things run smoothly for the "Rookie Blue" cops -- even their own nuptials.

Noelle (Melanie Nicholls-King) and Frank's (Lyriq Bent) wedding wasn't exactly like clockwork in Thursday's (Aug. 8) episode of the ABC drama, "For Better, For Worse." Even with the ceremony taking place that evening, much remained in flux, prompting Andy (Missy Peregrym) to try to take the organizational lead. 

Meanwhile, claiming she was getting "lying hives," Chloe (Priscilla Faia) begged Dov (Gregory Smith) to tell Frank -- her godfather and their boss -- about their off-duty relationship. It wouldn't be an easy day for Chloe in another way; she was partnered with angry-as-usual Gail (Charlotte Sullivan), whom Chloe had informed about the crush that Gail's now-ex-boyfriend Nick (Peter Mooney) had on Andy.

Andy and Nick also were partners for the day, with Andy starting it by crooning along to Extreme's "More Than Words" -- the tune she...

"You're Andy McNally. You don't give up."

You said it, Oliver Shaw (Matt Gordon) ... and his fellow cop McNally (Missy Peregrym) proved it several times over Thursday (May 30) as ABC's "Rookie Blue" aired episode 2 of Season 4, "Homecoming." And the story, respectively written and directed by series veterans Russ Cochrane and David Wellington, reaffirmed that the show continually succeeds by being as much (if not more) about the regular characters as the given week's crime.

On her first day back on the job after the undercover mission that took her and Nick Collins (Peter Mooney) away from 15 Division for several months, Andy wasted no time getting back into literal action. Spared by Oliver's quick intervention from having to ride with Marlo Cruz (Rachael Ancheril) -- the new flame of Andy's ex, Sam Swarek (Ben Bass) -- Andy sensed trouble upon seeing someone flee from a bank.

Of course, she was correct: robbery in progress.

William Shatner may be best known for playing Captain Kirk, T.J. Hooker, Denny Crane and the dad that was notorious for saying a whole bunch of shat $#*!, but the actor is out to prove he's more than just his legendary characters (well, three legends and a one-season grump).

The Emmy winner guest-stars on the season 3 premiere of "Rookie Blue" as Henry McLeod, and as ABC's press release describes him, he's "a belligerent drunk driver with a haunting secret." Punching Dov (Gregory Smith) in the face, while reeking of whisky? Definitely. But there's so much more to his character. More on that in a bit.

I've loved "Rookie Blue" since it debuted two years ago. I have a real fondness for the stars, who I've spoken to on numerous occasions (whether it's on location or in a fancy hotel suite), but there's something about the series that makes me proud. Sure,...

William Shatner may be best known for playing Captain Kirk, T.J. Hooker, Denny Crane and the dad that was notorious for saying a whole bunch of shat $#*!, but the actor is out to prove he's more than just his legendary characters (well, three legends and a one-season grump).

The Emmy winner guest-stars on the season 3 premiere of "Rookie Blue" as Henry McLeod, and as ABC's press release describes him, he's "a belligerent drunk driver with a haunting secret." Punching Dov (Gregory Smith) in the face, while reeking of whisky? Definitely. But there's so much more to his character. More on that in a bit.

I've loved "Rookie Blue" since it debuted two years ago. I have a real fondness for the stars, who I've spoken to on numerous occasions (whether it's on location or in a fancy hotel suite), but there's something about the series that makes me proud. Sure,...

ABC announced their summer offering schedule, though the big kick is coming as early May 14th with The Bachelorette. New and returning shows are likely to get a fair amount of marketing love, as summer programming, especially with the influx of cable hotlist shows, has taken off over the last few years.

Rookie Blue looks fairly interesting, and Secret Millionaire did pretty well before, so we’ve got that at least. Keep a close eye on Trust Us With Your Life, and mark your calendars. The odd spin on improv comedy could be hilarious.

Check out the rundown below.

Thursday, May 24:

8:00-10:00 p.m. “Duets” (series premiere) 10:00-11:00 p.m. “Rookie Blue”

Sunday, June 3:

8:00-9:00 p.m. “Secret Millionaire” 9:00-11:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition“

Thursday, June 28:

9:00-10:00 p.m. “Wipeout”

Tuesday, July 10:

9:00-10:00 p.

A bunch of stuff has happened since the last update. Let's start with Caprica.

Caprica season two will resume on Beginning of Line with episode 14 (of 18) this Tuesday. Teresa Jusino posted this earlier:

There are 18 episodes total in Caprica Season 2 here at Beginning of Line. Episodes will now be posting every Tuesday between November 29th and December 27th. Just in time for your Solstice celebrations. :)Anyone interested in writing an episode of season three (coming in 2012) or submitting fan art, hit the link.

Luciana Carro (Caprica's Priyah Magnus, Battlestar's Kat) has joined Twitter. You can follow her here: @LucianaCarro. These days, she is working on season two of Falling Skies, along with Ryan Robbins and a bunch of Caprica and BSG writers -- Remi Aubuchon, Mark Verheiden, David Weddle and Bradley Thompson. From their recent tweets, Luciana is playing a character called Crazy Lee and they recently wrapped filming episode four.

Welcome to the first-ever edition of the Rookie Blue Round Table!

Below, staff writer Christine Orlando is joined by three TV Fanatic readers - Jen, Ashley and Sam - as they dissect, "God's Good Grace," the second season finale. As always, fan feedback is encouraged on the following topics...

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Would you prefer to see Gail paired romantically with Chris, Dov, or Luke? Why?

Jen: I'm not really sure she should be with anyone right now. It would be kinda cool to see her with Dov but then there's a downside to Dov and Gail potentially being together, Chris would probably go back to being mad at Dov and Gail.

Ashley: Dov. Although they are always arguing and disagreeing, I really saw more of a connection between Dov and Gail this season. They have that whole butting heads thing going on right now, and sometimes that's how it starts. Earlier in the season,...

Tonight: Division 15 is on lockdown under a puzzling quarantine, and a brutal bank robbery has Andy and Swarek Thinking outside the box to solve the crime.

"Monster" - Division 15 is thrown into a panic when a seemingly drunk man that Gail and Traci brings in collapses from a mysterious illness and everyone is placed under a quarantine. Meanwhile, Andy and Swarek team to apprehend and book an unusual suspect in a brutal bank robbery - a man covered with blue dye. But will they uncover the identity of his violent partner?

And as time ticks down, the squad grows increasingly nervous about the quarantine, with Gail worrying about her exposure to the sick man. Also, Dov's first date with a sexy bomb technician ends in a thrilling takedown, on "Rookie Blue," Thursday, August 11 (10:00-11:00 p.m., Et), on the ABC Television Network.

"Rookie Blue" stars Missy Peregrym as Andy McNally,...

Global, a Canadian TV network, will renew Rookie Blue, a dramatic series about five rookie cops, for a third season.

This decision was jointly made with ABC, the American TV network that airs Rookie Blue. The renewal was announced because this Canadian TV series is a success both in Canada and the USA in terms of ratings.

Broadcasted on Thursday, Rookie Blue is the most watched show of that day in Canada with more than one million viewers. At the South of the 49th parallel, this Canadian TV series is the most watched series on Thursday nights among American viewers aged between 18 and 49 years old.

As in the first season, the second season still follows five rookies from the police department of a unnamed city that epically fails to pass off for an American city. The story is centred on one of these rookies, the lovely Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym...

Serve, Protect & "shots fired!"

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on this site for a while but have decided that it's time to have more of a presence. This is my very first blog post ever. This site is such a great way for TV fans to connect with one another I thought I would write about my favourite show- Rookie Blue.For those of you not familiar with the show it's a Canadian creation airing on ABC in the States & Global TV in Canada. It follows the training period (which can be as long as five years) of five new police recruits or 'rookies' as they find their feet in 'fifteen division' in Toronto. The show has a stellar cast of mostly Canadian talent, I first started watching this show when it aired here at the start of the year & it quickly became my favourite, the thing I like about...

Global and ABC, respectively a Canadian and an American TV network, released the first promos of the cop drama Rookie Blue. This show will premiere on both networks on Thursday, June 16 at 10 Pm.

The first seasons follows five rookies from a police department (Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Charlotte Sullivan, Travis Milne and Enuka Okuma). In the second season, they've got more experience, but they face other challenges in the streets.

Other regular cast members include Eric Johnson, Matt Gordon, Noam Jenkins, Ben Bass, Lyriq Bent and Melanie Nicholls-King.

New cast members for the second season include Camille Sullivan (Shattered) and Lauren Holly (NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service).

Moreover, the first season of Rookie Blue will come out on DVD and Blu-Ray on May 31.

Global, a Canadian TV network, announced that its hit series Rookie Blue will premiere on Thursday, June 16 at 10 Pm. Obviously, the series will also be aired on ABC, an American TV network.

The first seasons follows five rookies from a police department (Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Charlotte Sullivan, Travis Milne and Enuka Okuma). In the second season, they've got more experience, but they face other challenges in the streets.

Other regular cast members include Eric Johnson, Matt Gordon, Noam Jenkins, Ben Bass, Lyriq Bent and Melanie Nicholls-King.

The first season of the Canadian TV series Rookie Blue will come out on DVD and Blu-Ray on May 31rst.

This dramedy, which was simulcasted on the Canadian and American TV networks Global and ABC, follows five rookie cops from a Canadian city (Toronto) which epically fails to pass off as an American city. They're led by Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym), a very lovely female rookie with a good heart. Together, these rookies (Gregory Smith, Enuka Okuma, Travis Milne and Charlotte Sullivan) often have to face the condescension from their training officers.

The show also stars Matt Gordon, Eric Johnson, Noam Jenkins, Melanie Nicholls-King, Ben Bass and Lyriq Bent.

Moreover, Rookie Blue will return for a second season on ABC and Global this summer. No premiere date has been announced by Global and ABC.

Melanie Nicholls-King plays police officer Noelle Williams on Rookie Blue, one of the only network shows this summer to be renewed for a second season.

In an exclusive interview with TV Fanatic, the amiable actress touched on a number of topics, including what fans can expect when this series returns and her history with HBO's The Wire...

How did this role come about?

My agent sent me the breakdown and the sides. I put myself on tap and sent it to the casting director in Toronto, where I'm actually originally from. My family is there, so I jumped at the chance to go back home and audition.

The first thing I did during the audition was talk about my kid, as everything felt fun and natural. We almost forgot to have me actually read through a scene [laughs]. I got the official word in June 2009 and my most awesome husband in the world,...

Holly will play mother of Gail Peck (Charlotte Sullivan).

Actress Lauren Holly (Covert Affairs) will guest star in the second season of the Canadian TV series Rookie Blue as Elaine Peck, the Superintendent in charge of Operations at the Metropolitan Police Service who might become the first female Chief of police.

The second season, which is currently in production in Toronto, will be back on Global and ABC in summer 2011.

This season will follow five former rookies (Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Enuka Okuma, Travis Milne and Charlotte Sullivan) of the Toronto police department with a special focus on Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym), a woman with a good heart.

The show also stars Eric Johnson, Ben Bass, Matt Gordon, Noam Jenkins, Melanie Nicholls-King and Lyriq Bent.

Source: TV Fanatic...

As Global's Rookie Blue is shooting its second season in Toronto, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Camille Sullivan has joined the cast.

Sullivan will play detective Jo Rosati. Besides her, Lauren Holly will also guest-star in Rookie Blue.

Obviously, the ensemble cast of this show about five young police officers who got out of the academy will be back: Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Charlotte Sullivan, Enuka Okuma, Travis Milne, Ben Bass, Eric Johnson, Matt Gordon, Noam Jenkins, Melanie Nicholls-King and Lyriq Bent.

Prior to Rookie Blue, Camille Sullivan has appeared in feature films such as Mount Pleasant, Mothers and Daughters and Normal. As for her TV credits, they include CBC's Intelligence and Shattered, which is currently airing on the Canadian TV network Global.

Source: Matt Gordon's Twitter page [1] and [2].

Global, a Canadian TV network, announced yesterday that its original series Rookie Blue has always maintained an average of 1.8 million viewers each week in Canada. Thus, Rookie Blue surpasses Due South's first season, which was aired on the TV network CTV, average which was at 1.7 million viewers each week. Moreover, production on the second season is underway in Toronto until January 21, 2011.

In addition to being the "most watched new Canadian series in two decades", this show created by Tassie Cameron, Morwyn Brebner and Ellen Vanstone has become the most watched Canadian program of the 2009-2010 broadcast year. Besides, since this Canadian show is also aired in the USA on ABC, a TV network, Rookie Blue grabbed the attention of 8.5 million viewers in North America.

The show is about five rookie police officers (Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Enuka Okuma, Travis Milne and Charlotte Sullivan) from a generic city that epically...

Step away Uncle Sam, because Canada is gradually becoming more and more aggressive as a cultural exporter! In fact, Rookie Blue and Shattered, two Canadian procedural scripted dramas, is coming to the UK.

First of all, according to Blogomatic3000, the UK's Hallmark Channel will be rebranded as the Universal Channel on October 18th. Besides, in order to celebrate this makeover, the newly born Universal Channel will organize the British premiere of two Canadian TV series that are broadcasted on Global, a Canadian TV network.

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The first show will be Rookie Blue. In this show created by Tassie Cameron, Morwyn Brebner and Ellen Vanstone, we follow five rookies (Missy Peregrym, Enuka Okuma, Gregory Smith, Travis Milne and Charlotte Sullivan) of some unidentified Canadian (in this case Toronto) that epically fails to pass off as an American city.

The show also stars Matt Gordon, Melanie Nicholls-King, Ben Bass, Eric Johnson and Lyriq Bent...