LOWDOWN ON LEOS
The Leo Awards recognize on- and off-screen achievements in the BC film and TV industry – and the individuals who’ve been pegged to host the three separate Leo ceremonies are high achievers all. Veena Sood and Paul McGillion (Stargate Atlantis) will host the June 6 ceremony. The June 13 ceremony will be helmed by comedienne Kalyn Miles and Aubrey Arnason (The Wedding Belles). And the Big One – the June 14 gala in which the most coveted awards are handed out – will be hosted by prolific character actor Christopher Heyerdahl (Hell on Wheels, Sanctuary, and the upcoming – and eagerly anticipated by ‘80s children everywhere – Pee Wee’s Big Holiday).
On a related note, the Leos and the Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Foundation of BC recently announced that Danny Virtue will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for 2015. The veteran producer, director, stunt coordinator and mentor co-created and co-executive produced 65 episodes of Neon Rider. He continues to add to his 300 television and film credits, and manages an "Old West" location (known as Bordertown), the Virtue Studio Ranch, and the not-for-profit Virtue Foundation dedicated to raising awareness for children who are physically, mentally, or financially challenged.
MORE TIME TO FOCUS
Vancouverites have another week left to catch FOCUS on the big screen. The locally produced office comedy stars Josh Blacker (Elysium) as a product developer who needs approval from a focus group in order to save his career – which would be fine, except there’s something a little off about this particular focus group. FOCUS was filmed over a couple of weeks during the darkest days of the 2013 film & TV industry drought. It was directed by Christopher Young (who also co-stars as an inept focus group facilitator) and features The X-Files’ Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) in an impactful cameo. FOCUS' Vancouver run has been extended beyond one week; it now screens twice a day at Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas until June 11. Get your tickets at http://www.cineplex.com/Movie/focus.
SPOTLIGHT AWARDS
Women in Film & Television Vancouver celebrate some of the most influential women in the BC biz in the annual Spotlight Awards. Amongst this year’s award recipients are Patricia Gruben, Elizabeth Yake, Ingrid Torrance, Don Thompson, Maureen Webb, Madeleine Grant, Pauline Heaton, Michelle Brezinski, Women in View and the St. John's International Women's Film Festival. The awards will be handed out in a gala at Performance Works on June 15. Ellie Harvie and Diana Frances (AKA the “Leave it to Cleavage” duo) will host. Tickets available at WomenInFilm.ca.
LAWRENCE & HOLLOMAN
Locally produced multi-award winning film Lawrence & Holloman – a dark bromedy starring Ben Cotton and Daniel Arnold – is on-demand on Superchannel until July 1. Schedule at http://www.superchannel.ca/movies/view/55385944/Lawrence-%26-Holloman.
OPEN HOUSE AT THE CINEMATHEQUE
On Saturday, June 13, The Cinematheque hosts its 7th Annual Open House with tours, activities, and a free screening of Billy Wilder's 1959 comedy Some Like it Hot, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. Audiences of all ages are invited to explore behind-the-scenes of Western Canada's largest film institute with tours of the West Coast Film Archive, Film Reference Library, and projection booth. Learn to thread and project 8mm film, bid in a poster auction, show off your voice-over talents, and snack on a complimentary bag of premium popcorn. Tickets to the free 2pm screening will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at noon. More at TheCinematheque.ca/7th-annual-open-house.
