May 12, 2015, TORONTO — The Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) unveils its 2015 program today at The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Toronto. The annual festival celebrates the best in contemporary Italian cinema from around the world. ICFF runs from June 11-19, 2015 in Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, Hamilton, Montreal and Quebec City.
“The ICFF slate is a diverse collection of new and returning voices all linked by Italian culture,” says Artistic Director Cristiano de Florentiis. “This year’s films take a creative and multicultural approach to current events and contemporary issues. We’re also excited to shine a spotlight on features and shorts by Italian Canadian filmmakers.”
The festival opens with a gala at Roy Thomson Hall and closes with a celebration at The Ritz- Carlton hotel. ICFF’s opening film is the international premiere of the drama L’Oriana, starring Vittoria Puccini as famed journalist Oriana Fallaci. At 17, Fallaci risked her life as part of the anti-fascist resistance movement Giosfizia e Liberia and continued to raise controversy by fighting Islamic extremism into her 70s.
The festival closes with the comedy Sei mai stata sulla luna? by Paolo Genovese on June 19 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox at 7:30 p.m. Italy’s Sabrina lmpacciatore (T/›e Passion of the Christ, The Last Miss) will present the film.
ICFF 2015 includes more than 19 premieres, a pre-festival retrospective of Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi, co-presented with TIFF and in collaboration with the U of T, as well as the children’s festival, ICFF Junior, which is presenting the Canadian premiere of the Italian- Canadian co-production (Midnight Sun), starring Dakota Goyo and Bridget Moynahan and directed by Roger Spottiswoode and Brando Quilici. All foreign language films are subtitled.
The second annual ICFF Industry Day, an event organized in collaboration with myETV Media, Pinewood Studios and SIRT Sheridan, facilitates connections between Italian and Canadian film industries. This year the event focuses on animated films.
About ICFF
The 4th annual Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) runs from June 11-19 2015, during Canada’s Italian Heritage Month. The festival presents an international collection of feature films, documentaries and shorts, including premieres, advance screenings and independent films. Screenings are supplemented by guest appearances by filmmakers, actors, authors, academics and other expert speakers who partake in question and answer sessions following most screenings. ICFF is generously supported by leading sponsors; The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, Castlepoint and Green for Life Environmental inc. It is also supported by major partners; TIFF, Cineplex, Cinematheque Quebecoise, Cinema Guzzo, Cinema Cartier, Ambasciata d’ltalia, Consolato d’ltalia a Toronto e Montreal, lstituto ltaliano di Cultura, Italian Trade Commission and L’Altra ltalia.
THE SHOW Odysseo: Larger Than Life The horse has marked human history and progress more than any other animal. Horses have taken us to the ends of the earth, enabled us to build bridges between cultures and expand civilization. It is the beauty and harmony of this ancient relationship, this meeting of two worlds – those of horse and man – that inspired the creators of Cavalia’s second show, Odysseo. As friends, partners and inseparable performers on stage, 70 horses and 45 artists lead the viewer on a great journey in yet another world – a world of dreams – where, together, they discover some of the planet’s most unforgettable landscapes.
With this new creation, Cavalia marries the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-before-seen levels. A veritable revolution in live performance, Odysseo comprises a list of superlatives: the world’s largest touring big top, the biggest stage, the most beautiful visual effects, and the greatest number of horses at liberty.
The creators of this new ode to the horse made the decision to indulge their wildest artistic ambitions. Their gamble paid off: Odysseo pushes the limits of live entertainment by creating a larger-than-life show that sends hearts racing, but it is also a feast for the eyes that succeeds in delivering the spectacular with soul.
Scenography and Visual effects
To give life to this extraordinary equestrian adventure, Cavalia created a 1,626 square metres stage, in the middle of which rise two hills each three storeys tall. Some 10,000 tons of rock, earth and sand are trucked in and then sculpted to create the vast space of freedom where humans and horses come to play in complicity.
Above the stage hangs an imposing technical grid capable of supporting 80 tons of equipment including, a full-sized merry-go-round, far beyond anything attempted to date on any touring show and comparable to the best-equipped theaters of Las Vegas, London or New York.
Odysseo is a show unlike any other on the planet. This unique theatrical production is a grandiose multi-dimensional show. Spectators are taken to a live Hollywood-style movie set while the touching interactions between human and horse are at the heart of the action. Layers of mesmerizing decors combined with gravity-defying acrobatic and areal stunts and the staggering effects created by state-of-the-art scenery makes this humongous stage a feast for the eyes. To enhance this breathtaking experience, the production presents a splendid voyage with extremely high-definition computer graphic images, transporting the audience across the world’s most beautiful landscapes. To project these breathtaking graphic backdrops on an immense cyclorama the size of three IMAX screens, Odysseo uses projectors as powerful as those illuminating the grandest movie theaters. But whereas a cinema has only one projector, Odysseo uses 18 simultaneously. This live multi-dimensional voyage is a veritable revolution in live entertainment production.
A world of dreams and fantasies
The dream begins in a misty, enchanted forest where horses graze and frolic under a sky of rolling clouds and a setting sun. Horses, riders, acrobats and musicians embark on a soulful journey that leads them from the Mongolian steppes to Monument Valley, from the African savannah to Nordic glaciers, from the Sahara to Easter Island.
Throughout this grand voyage, spectators discover urban stilters and applaud the prowess of a troupe of African acrobats. Viewers are mesmerized by horses powering angelic aerialists in a four-person silks act that takes them into the skies. To the sound of an African harp called a Kora, audiences witness the beauty of 15 horses lying on sand dunes awaken. They will likewise appreciate the beautiful liberty number, uniting purebred Arabian horses directed by inaudible vocal commands from their kneeling trainer.
The scenes follow the seasons and their attendant wonders. At times, the horses and people in this fabulous caravan become too numerous to count.
The Odysseo epic wraps up with a fantastic crescendo as the stage is inundated with 300,000 litres of water in just a few minutes. A vertiginous virtual waterfall overhangs the resulting lake, in which horses, riders and artists join to frolic, leaving behind them the traces of their splashes and an astonished audience.
A show that feeds the soul
Although the audacity, inventiveness and monumental scope of Cavalia’s new creation may boggle the mind, the essence of this magnificent equestrian odyssey lies elsewhere. Beyond the impressive technical display and equestrian and acrobatic numbers that are unlike anything ever seen on stage, Odysseo is first and foremost a work that feeds the soul. In these difficult, troubled times, Odysseo offers up something gentle, even tender. The poetry flowing from this grand adventure shines a light on a more humane world where human and horse may live in harmony. For just a few hours, the spectator sets off to discover new horizons, the limits of his imagination, and gets to experience a waking dream in a world where beauty, serenity and hope reign.
CAVALIA’S ODYSSEO WHITE BIG TOP
Standing 38 meters tall, the White Big Top is a traffic-stopping addition to the skyline of each city Odysseo performs. When visitors enter, they are immediately transported into a lavish and intimate environment reminiscent of any permanent theatre.
Following the instant success of the first Cavalia show in 2003, Latourelle began to dream of how to break through the limitations of a big top tent. The biggest challenge was to open up the performance area. Latourelle knew that such unprecedented flexibility would allow him to showcase more horses and acrobats to create mind-boggling scenes. This involved removing supporting masts from the stage, a common staging issue in tent shows. A specially-designed big top was created in Europe, where the weight of the structure shifted from masts to three arches above the tent. The Italian firm Canobbio, in collaboration with Artistic Director Normand Latourelle, designed the tent and supervised construction. Asteo of France and Genivar of Canada supervised engineering operations. The arches that support the massive structure were built by Show Canada.
More than twice the size of the structure created for Cavalia’s original production, the White Big Top is the size of two NFL football fields. The 1,626 square metres stage, larger than a hockey rink and the 15 meters wide backstage area offer a vast playground for more than 30 cantering horses. The grandiose stage also offers incredible possibilities for large-scale staging.
A total of five tents comprise the Odysseo village. The White Big Top houses the stage and backstage, seating and lobby areas under a single roof. A Rendez-Vous tent hosts VIP ticket holders for dinner, an open bar and photo opportunities with the artists. This package includes a private tour of the stables and the best seats in the house. The horses live in a climatecontrolled stable tent complete with showers, tack shop and a blacksmith department. Between the stables and White Big Top, the Warm-Up tent is where the riders rehearse with the horses before and after the show. This area also includes wardrobe, makeup and dressing areas for the two-legged artists. A staff kitchen tent prepares more than 600 meals daily.
FUN FACTS
Odysseo features 70 horses of 14 different breeds including the Appaloosa, Arabian, Canadian, Criollo, Holsteiner, Lusitano, Oldenburg, Paint Horse, Percheron, Quarter Horse, Selle français, Purebred (P.R.E.), Warmblood and Lipizzan.
The horses are from Spain, Portugal, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, The United States and Canada.
There are 45 artists – riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians.
The artists are from around the world including the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Belgium, Guinea, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Japan and Poland.
There are 350 costumes and 100 pairs of shoes and boots in the show. Artists may have up to seven different costumes.
An artist may have no more than 30 seconds to do a quick costume change between numbers.
A team of 13 dressmakers, one property master, one designer and one shoemaker worked in the Cavalia studios to create the costumes.
Materials used in the costumes include linen, silk, cotton, leather and some imitation fur. The use of natural fibers gives the clothes sheen and lets them fall in a way that synthetic fibers simply cannot match.
The costumes are adapted to the artists’ needs, especially those of the acrobats and riders, to facilitate their onstage movement while not compromising their appearance.
The on-tour costume department consists of one wardrobe person and three dressers who launders, mends and cares for the costumes. At times during the show, they juggle 15 simultaneous wardrobe changes. They have two sewing machines, one shoe-repair machine and one overlock machine.
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Black History Month’s Spirits & Spice Marche Brookfield Toronto
BLACK HISTORY MONTH’S CULINARY EVENT
The Caribbean Scholarship Foundation hosts a week of Caribbean delicacies and delights during Black History Month At Marché Brookfield Place Featuring: Celebrity Chef La-toya Fagon
January 25, 2015. Toronto ON – Black History Month’s Culinary Event — Spirits & Spice — takes place February 2 – February 8 at the Marché Toronto, Brookfield Place in downtown Toronto. This is a fund raising food festival for the Caribbean Scholarship Foundation and features the exotic cuisine of Caribbean Canadian chef La-toya Fagon.
This Black History Month festival is exclusive to Marché Toronto. The restaurant and the Caribbean Canadian community invites the city to enjoy the warm aromas, pulsating rhythms and spicy tastes and drinks of the islands. During Spirits & Spice, Marché will feature a selection of Caribbean dishes featuring Grace Kennedy (GK) products created by Chef La-toya Fagon alongside its usual menu items. The food is cooked right before patrons’ eyes with seasonal products from the Caribbean. The GK Grilling station featuring Grace Jerk, Rubs and Sauces is a must try for all steak and meat lovers. As well guests will find Caribbean inspired beverages and smoothies at the juice station, while, the in-restaurant bar will feature English Harbour Rum (Antigua), Carib Beer (Trinidad and Tobago) and the unique Relax Riesling and Funf 5 Riesling wine that will be paired with the island dishes. Caribbean desserts and even coffee with a Caribbean twist will be available for guest to enjoy.
Spirits & Spice week kicks off on Monday, February 2nd and ends on Sunday, February 8th. The Caribbean Scholarship Foundation (CSF) Spirits and Spice event is an annual fundraiser for the Foundation, which in December 2014 gave out $10,000 in scholarships to deserving students from the Caribbean Diaspora in Canada. Kyler Philip, Jasmine Francis, Justice Betty and Nathalee Ewers were each awarded $2,500 as part of the “Feature Leaders” Scholarship. The Future Leaders initiative is a partnership between CSF and Western Union and includes an innovative mentorship program designed to give students an added advantage in their academic pursuit. CSF is also supporting PACT as part of our 2015 community initiative. The Toronto Area based charity is dedicated to working with, supporting and empowering at-risk youth, as well as youth already in conflict with the law. Recently they have embarked on the empowerment of women in diversity communities. David Lockett is a hands-on volunteer, Co-Founder and President of the PACT Urban Peace Program, and a proud supporter of Chef Fagon a young Black woman who is making her mark as world class Chef.
Chef Fagon has been supporting PACT for the last 9 years by donating her time to teaching culinary courses. Recently with the launch of the Jean Augustine Empowerment Center, PACT cooking courses has grown with Chef Fagon teaching young women different forms of empowerment, budgeting, and nutrition. Western Union will present our Exclusive Media day which will be held on February 4 at Marche from 11:00am – 1:30pm exclusively for members of the media. Chef Fagon will do live cooking demos and attendees can taste a variety of delicacies from around the Caribbean, while sampling the region’s finest spirits beer and also some great wines. Members from CSF and PACT will be on hand to provide information about the programs and scholarship opportunities they provide.
There will be plenty of excitement on Media day and all week long with live music and giveaways. Over 30,000 patrons are expected to take part in the week long festivities, many of which will be delighted for a taste of the tropics in the heart of winter.
Black History Month’s Spirits & Spice is holding a grand finale soiree for Sophisticated Palates on February 6 at the Marche Brookfield Place 5:30pm -9:30pm. Ticket holders will experience unlimited food tastings prepared by Chef Fagon. Tickets are $35.00 Advance $45.00 at the Door
Iconic Recording Artist Bryan Adams To Be Honoured with Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award at Canadian Music Week 2015
Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce Bryan Adams as the 2015 recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award. The award – bestowed to the singer-songwriter in recognition of his social activism and benevolent support of humanitarian interests and causes – will be presented on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala in Toronto during Canadian Music Week 2015.
Alongside a music career spanning more than four decades, singer-songwriter and Canadian icon Bryan Adams has stood as an ambassador of humanitarian causes and relief. His participation in such concerts as Live Aid, Amnesty International’s “A Conspiracy of Hope” tour, Rock for Amnesty, and Live 8 has brought awareness to human rights, poverty, and famine while his advocacy of PETA and Greenpeace has supported animal rights and the protection and conservation of the environment.
Through performances on the annual Prince’s Trust Charity Concert, Farm Aid and Save The Rainforest, Adams has helped raise funds to support disadvantaged youth in the UK, assist American family farmers and preserve tropical rainforests. A social activist, he took part in Freedomfest; Rock the World for Greenpeace; Peace, Freedom and Democracy for Georgia; and helped commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall with Roger Waters’ The Wall.
With acclaimed producer David Foster and longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, Adams co-wrote “Tears Are Not Enough”, raising more than $3 million for famine relief in Ethiopia. In 2004, he appeared on the Canada for Asia benefit concert in Toronto in support of victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Two years later, Adams became the first western artist to perform in Pakistan, taking part in a benefit concert to raise funds and rebuild schools for those devastated by the 2005 earthquake.
Seeking a more direct channel for his philanthropic work, Adams established the Bryan Adams Foundation with an aim of improving the quality of people’s lives around the world. Since 2006, the foundation has been providing support and financial grants to projects and organizations advancing education and learning opportunities for children in need, funding medical research, training, treatment and access and much more.
“Bryan’s work – as a songwriter, composer, musician, recording artist, performer, and photographer – has touched millions of lives around the world,” said Gary Slaight. “Add to that the countless number of causes and disadvantaged struggling around the world that his foundation has directly supported, protected and enriched – it’s remarkable. My father and I couldn’t be more proud of Bryan’s benevolence, and it is our privilege to honour him with this year’s Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award.”
An internationally recognized and celebrated musician, Bryan Adams has released more than a dozen recordings, sold more than 65 million albums and garnered 21 top ten hits worldwide. His music has appeared in a number of box office films including The Guardian, Bobby, Old Dogs, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Three Musketeers, Don Juan DeMarco, and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. He has received numerous awards and nominations including multiple JUNOs, Grammys, Oscars, Golden Globes, ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, and Academy Awards.
Adams is an inductee of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Wembley’s Square of Fame. In 2010 he received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and was recognized with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for his lifetime contribution to the arts in Canada. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a recipient of the Order of British Columbia and has a star on both Canada and Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Adams is also an acclaimed photographer. Amongst the books he has released are “Exposed” a collection of portraits and fashion work chronicling his photographic work to date, and “Wounded – The Legacy of War”, a collection of intimate photographs documenting the personal sacrifice of war. A photo exhibition from the “Wounded” collection is currently running at the Somerset House in London until January 2015.
Adams’ outstanding live concerts have established him as one of the world’s best rock singers of our time, performing over 120 concerts a year for audiences around the globe.
To attend the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards, visit the Canadian Music Week website at www.cmw.net to purchase tickets and get additional details.
About Canadian Music Week Canadian Music Week is Canada’s leading annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country’s music, media and entertainment industries. Combining three information-intensive conferences; a trade exposition; a film festival; a comedy festival; four awards shows and the nation’s largest new music festival, CMW spans a ten-day period from May 1 to May 10, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel and over 60 downtown Toronto venues, attracting participants from across the globe. For more information, visit www.cmw.net.
Chair Affair is our annual auction based gala and fundraiser where we team up with prominent artists and designers to repurpose and reimagine old chairs, with all proceeds going towards expanding our social enterprise and charity. The event took place on November 12, at Palais Royale.
WE TRANSFER GENTLY USED FURNITURE DONATED BY YOU TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ESCAPING ABUSIVE SITUATIONS, AND REFUGEES & NEWCOMERS TO CANADA
Journalists, Record Label Executives, Managers, Producers, and Publishers, Booking agent, corporate sponsors, A&R and other members of the community are invited to The Young & Poppin’ Music Showcase and Awards, all which will takes place on Saturday October 11th 2014. The conference is being held at THE BRAM & BLUMA APPEL SALON inside the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street). The showcase is being held later the same evening at Adelaide Hall (250 Adelaide Street West).
About the conference: The Canadian Urban Music Conference is a celebration of a new generation of Canadian talent and powerful industry leaders on the cutting edge of city-inspired genres of music. Join the Revolution! The annual Canadian Urban Music Conference is Canada’s first city-style music conference with intimate and interactive seminars, A&R feedback sessions, VIP events at Private Members Clubs and live concerts for cutting edge music including Pop, Hip-hop, R&B, Reggae and African popular music. It provides music professionals with the tools to create communicate and participate in this global multi-billion dollar music industry. It consists of a series of intimate and interactive workshops, A&R meetings, live concerts, networking lunches and private VIP cocktail events. CUMC is committed to giving professionals a competitive edge and a truly revolutionary way to Network…Learn…and do Business
August 21-24, 2014 throughout the Downtown Yonge Neighbourhood
(Queen St. to College St. and surrounding areas)
Toronto, August 7, 2014 – Scotiabank BuskerFest in support of Epilepsy Toronto returns to the Downtown Yonge neighbourhood with more than 160 of the world’s top street performers in over 70 acts. North America’s largest street performers festival, and the world’s largest epilepsy event, takes place along Yonge Street from Queen Street to College Street and surrounding areas from August 21-24.
With six Guinness world records, three World Champions and a sky high list of awards, this year’s lineup of performers at Scotiabank BuskerFest are a real bunch of over-achievers. Last year an estimated 1.5 million people attended the festival, and organizers are expecting at least as many this year who will be entertained by world-class street artists from around the globe – from Canada and the U.S., and as far away as Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom – performing on 16 pitches, noon to night.
Audiences will be dazzled and charmed by acrobatics, balloon twisting, beatboxing, chainsaw juggling, fire-hula hooping, body contortion, belly dancing, tango dancing, sleight of hand, Chinese pole, Russian bar, Hungarian whip-cracking, teeterboard, cyr wheel, straight jacket escapes, skateboard stunts and much more as performers descend on the country’s most populous city for four days and nights of silliness and spectacle in support of a great cause. There is something for all ages from specialty children’s events to late-night fire performances and live music.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS AND INFORMATION
The festival features MORE THAN BUSKERS, with special services and events, including the Scotiabank BuskerBall and Scotiabank BuskerPlay Kids Zone, offering a variety of fun activities for children.
o SCOTIABANK BUSKERFEST/EPILEPSY TORONTO OPEN THE TSX Monday, August 18 – Scotiabank BuskerFest and Epilepsy Toronto representatives open the Toronto Stock Exchange at the TMX Broadcast Centre at 9:30am. It’s far from business-as-usual when buskers are on the scene!
o SIXTH ANNUAL SCOTIABANK BUSKERBALL Tuesday, August 19 – The sixth annual Scotiabank BuskerBall (6pm-10pm) kicks off Scotiabank BuskerFest with an evening of glamour, giggles and gastronomic delights, along with live and silent auctions and an intimate preview of the world’s most spectacular and unique performers headlining this year’s festival! CTV News anchor Andria Case hosts the event and co-chairs along with John Doig, Scotiabank Chief Marketing Officer. The event aesthetic will be created by interior designers Glen Peloso and Jamie Alexander of “Make Room for Living.” Scotiabank BuskerBall takes places at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens). Tickets for this fundraiser are $150 with all proceeds going to Epilepsy Toronto.
o SCOTIABANK BUSKERFEST LAUNCH Thursday, August 21 – The Festival Media Launch features special performances to delight and astound the crowd, beginning at noon at Yonge-Dundas Square. Look for the high-spirited stilt drummers of Toronto’s afro-Brazilian MaracaTALL, the thrilling acrobats of California’s Flying Tortillas, Quebec’s dazzling acrobatic duo Les Vitamins, zany Australian comic vaudevillian Mr Spin and more!
o A New Heart of the Festival – EPILEPSY TORONTO BENEFITS For the first time ever, the Scotiabank Stage in Yonge-Dundas Square will become the charitable epicenter of the festival. All proceeds raised by performers in the square throughout the festival are being generously donated to Epilepsy Toronto. On the opening day, Thursday August 21, Scotiabank will match every dollar collected in the square.
o METRO PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD The announcement of this year’s audience-selected Metro People’s Choice Award winner will take place on the Scotiabank Stage in Yonge-Dundas Square during the final performance by festival favourite, violinist extraordinaire Dr Draw, who will be premiering the world’s only fully digital violin. The Metro Award gives the winning busker an automatic invite back to next year’s festival. Complete a ballot or vote online to be entered in a draw to win a Beats Pill (wireless speakers) by Dr. Dre. Drop by the Epilepsy Toronto Info Booth in Yonge-Dundas Square
o ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS Scotiabank BuskerPlay Kids Zone, located in Trinity Square Park (behind the Eaton Centre – accessible from Bay, Dundas and Albert Streets or through the mall), has wonderful activities for kids: face painting, balloon twisting, music, free workshops for kids in the Scotiabank Tent, free Hoola Hooping and Devil Sticking at the Dispatch Talent Tent and busker acts from an incredible line up of international performers, geared especially to the family audience. Among the fantastic acts are absurdist clown Ale Risorio from Spain and his bag full of strange and wonderful props; Italy’s very charming ‘One-Man Band’ Lorenzo Gianmario Galli; teenage yoyo whiz Kohel Mintz and Californian break-dancers and acrobats the Flying Tortillas.
o SCOTIABANK BUSKERFEST ACCESSIBLE TO ALL Epilepsy Toronto is working to ensure all visitors enjoy the festival with ease. At the BuskerAccess Tent, located in Yonge-Dundas Square (near the festival Info Tent), visitors with disabilities are provided with assistance such as an escort to one of the accessible stages by accessibility volunteers, wearing an identifiable accessibility symbol on their shirts. Non-verbal performances happen each day throughout the festival. Ale Risorio, Ikeda Yosuke and CiRcO LoCo perform on the main stage pitches, Bence Sarkadi: The Budapest Marionettes and Woody perform at fly pitches throughout the festival grounds and BLANKO andChasseur de Rêves perform daily in Yonge-Dundas Square. Additionally, on Thursday, Aug 21, from 5pm – 8pm, benefit performances on the Scotiabank Stage in Yonge-Dundas Square will be accompanied by ASL interpretation.
o BIKE VALET The Downtown Yonge BIA has introduced a free bike valet program for key events – including Scotiabank BuskerFest. Guests can drop off their bike, receive a ticket stub and pick it up when they leave. The valet is located on the south side of Dundas Street West, between Yonge Street and Bay Street. Just look for the Downtown Yonge BIA flag and the Cycle Toronto tent.
15th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest
in support of Epilepsy Toronto
Thursday, August 21 – Sunday, August 24, 2014
throughout the Downtown Yonge Neighbourhood:
Yonge Street all the way from Queen to College and surrounding areas
(including Trinity Square Park, Yonge-Dundas Square and Gould St.)
Admission is by voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto.
About Scotiabank BuskerFest Since its inception in 2000, Scotiabank BuskerFest has featured hundreds of the best street performers from around the world, hosted millions of amazed spectators and helped raise much-needed funds for Epilepsy Toronto, a charitable organization that provides services to those living with epilepsy and their families. Scotiabank BuskerFest is the largest street performers’ festival in North America and is the largest Epilepsy awareness-raising event in the world.
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Infinithéâtre Kafka Ape August 7-17 Gladstone Hotel
Infinithéâtre’s Kafka’s Ape runs August 7-17 at the Gladstone Hotel
Montreal’s Infinithéâtre presents Kafka’s Ape as part of SummerWorks
Based on Franz Kafka’s A Report to an Academy Adapted and Directed by Guy Sprung
Starring Howard Rosenstein
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Toronto, August 1, 2014 – Montreal’s Infinithéâtre proudly presents the Toronto premiere of its critically acclaimed Kafka’s Ape as part of the Mainstage Series at the SummerWorks Performance Festival and runs August 7-17 at the Gladstone Hotel, a site-specific venue of SummerWorks.
“Howard Rosenstein knocks it out of the park in the title role. Bravo!” – Pat Donnelly of Montreal Gazette
Based on Franz Kafka’s short story A Report to an Academy (1917), and adapted by director Guy Sprung from the original German, Kafka’s Ape upends the notion of civilization and what it means to be human in a world of routinized inhumanity. An unnerving satire on “otherness” and the compounding growth of private military companies, Kafka’s Ape stars Howard Rosenstein as keynote speaker – and primate – Mr. Redpeter in a theatrical tour-de-force performance. Alexandra Montagnese enthrallingly plays the silent role of Mrs. Redpeter.
Franz Kafka (1883-1924) is widely celebrated as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Written during the darkest hours of the Great War (whose centenary is being marked across the globe this summer), Kafka’s A Report to an Academy (Ein Bericht für eine Academie) is a tale of a captured simian turned into a celebrated variety show act. In Sprung’s scathing adaptation, Redpeter ends up as a distinguished member of the “private security industry,” one of the biggest growth industries of the 21st century. In place of the “report to an academy” of early 20th century scientists, Sprung presents “a keynote address” to the shareholders of a fictitious private military corporation, Graywater.
After his capture in the African jungle, the ape Redpeter realizes his only escape route is to become a walking, talking, spitting, hard-drinking member of the “Peace Industry,” the entrepreneurial world of mercenary soldiers. In his keynote address to Graywater’s annual general meeting detailing the journey of his enforced evolution from Apehood to Humanhood, Mr. Redpeter embodies the irony that he is perhaps now more animalistic and less human than he ever was as a “lower” primate. “I deliberately don’t use the word ‘freedom’. ‘Freedom’ is a powerfully seductive word which your so-called civilized world uses very cleverly, very effectively, to entrap and occupy whole continents.” – Redpeter
Kafka’s central thesis in his satire on forced assimilation – that other animals have a dignity and a respect for Mother Nature and their own species that Homo sapiens have lost – has been nudged into the 21st century. “When Kafka first wrote this short story, millions of human beings were coerced into an orgy of killing each other, proving Homo sapiens to be vastly superior to gorillas and chimpanzees when it came to mass murder and genocide. Ironically, one of the largest of the private military corporations doing business with the American government today is called Academi, formerly known as Blackwater. In a sense, it still is a report to an Academy. Was Kafka able to see into the future?” queries Sprung. Movement coaches Anana Rydvald and Zach Fraser (also Assistant Director) helped the actors find the “ape” in themselves. Sound Design and Video is by Nikita U, Creature Makeup Design by Vladamir Cara. An excerpt from the play can be found here: http://www.infinitheatre.com/kafkas-ape.html
Founded in 1988 as Theatre 1774, Infinithéâtre’s mission is to develop, produce and broker new Québec theatre that is as entertaining as it is relevant, beginning with the belief that live theatre is an essential part of society’s democratic discourse and that great theatre speaks to and about its own community. Artistic Director Guy Sprung is a Montreal director, writer and actor who has been practicing his craft for over 40 years. Mr. Sprung was the co-founder of Toronto’s Canadian Stage, a dream he and the late Bill Glassco, who was running CentreStage at the time, together made a reality. As Artistic Director of the other of Canadian Stage’s precursors, Toronto Free Theatre, one of Sprung’s legacies was the conception and founding of The Dream In High Park, Toronto’s annual pay-what-you-can outdoor Shakespearean festival. Rebranded for its 30th anniversary in 2012 as Shakespeare in High Park, this tremendously popular event continues to thrive.
About SummerWorks Performance Festival: As the largest juried performance festival in Canada featuring predominantly new Canadian work, SummerWorks programs a festival that uniquely reflects Toronto and Canada’s cultural zeitgeist. Since 1991, SummerWorks has continued to explore and respond to the needs and wants of audiences and the performance community. The festival has grown to become one of the country’s preeminent multidisciplinary hubs featuring a Music Series, Live art Series, SummerWorks Leadership Intensive Program (S.L.I.P.) and the National Series, showcasing works from across Canada. The festival adds new initiatives yearly, including performance based programs such as the Performance Bar. The 2014 SummerWorks Performance Festival runs August 7-17. Visit http://summerworks.ca/2014/ .
The 9th annual CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF), returns to Toronto beginningSeptember 3 –13 with special community screenings on July 26 and August 30th. The festival showcases Caribbean films from 15 selected countries around the region with public, community and online screenings. This includes 10-feature length and 20 short films in competition for the CTFF Audience Prize, which will be announced on closing night – September 13. It will include an intensive four-day Market Incubator program as well as various networking sessions.
“As we continually grow in capacity and impact, the Canadian arm of CaribbeanTales is proud to present our flagship event for the ninth consecutive year” says founder and filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon. Presently, she is directing her attention working internationally with CTFF and its companies to educate, produce, distribute, markets and exhibits Caribbean-themed films and events for audiences everywhere.
This year’s event welcomes Malinda Francis as the new CTFF director. One of her main goals is to build community partnerships to bring access of Caribbean film throughout Toronto. The festival launches this summer with two special community screenings on July 26 and August 30. “This summer we have formed a new relationship with Scotiabank Toronto Kiddie Carnival with carnival-themed films and we continue to work with West Side Arts Hub in the North End of the city,” said Francis.
This year’s festival aims to embody Caribbean culture through the lens of filmmakers. CTFF Programming Committee member, filmmaker and Trinidad & Tobago native, Christopher Pinheiro, describes Caribbean film as “channeling our inner story-tellers into film, video and new media to re-vision old and new tales of the Caribbean for worldwide audiences.”
The fest kicks off with a delicious Caribbean reception on Tuesday September3, in association with theConsulate General ofthe Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in Toronto at the Royal Cinema, 608 College Street. The evening will include the World Premiere of The Glamour Boyz Again! Sparrow (Geoffrey Dunn, Trinidad and Tobago, 2014, English, PG). The feature-length documentary reveals a remarkable acoustic performance by two of Calypso’s most venerated figures, the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Superior, which was filmed during the production of Calypso Dreams in 2002 on the rooftop of the Hilton Hotel overlooking Port of Spain. The film will include reminiscences by both Sparrow and Superior, whose friendship dates back more than 55 years, to the mid-1950s. Sparrow’s execution at the Hilton is arguably his best-rendered acoustic performance ever recorded. The session will be intercut with previously recorded interviews of Sparrow and Superior at separate venues.
From September 4 – 7, the festival hosts the Market Incubator, which gives selected filmmakers an opportunity to hone their creative and business skills, through workshops and one‐on‐one mentoring by world-class specialists. It will culminate in a pitching session in front of international funders and buyers at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The fest also organizes a number of intimate events at the University of Toronto with many opportunities to network informally with international industry players.
Festival screenings run from September 8, 10, 12 & 13 at The Royal Cinema, 608 College Street. The films will screen Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Saturday at 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.caribbeantales-events.com. Tickets also may be purchased one hour before each screening at The Royal Cinema, 608 College Street. Please check with the schedule before purchasing.
Opening Night Reception and Film: $25 Early Bird till August 15th $45 at the door while tickets are available
Regular Programs: $10
Festival Pass (10 Screenings): $80
COMMUNITY SCREENINGS:
The free screenings confirmed to date are:
SATURDAY JULY 26
Carnivalesque – CTFF Partnership with Scotiabank Toronto Kiddie Carnival – Family Afternoon Community Screening
1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Malvern Public Library – 30 Sewells Road
NOTE: Please check www.caribbeantales-events.com for any updated information.
To celebrate the end of another season of Fashion Week, Madflower Creative Group has joined forces with Hangrz.com to launch a fashion showcase, EVINTRA FASHION NIGHT, in a build up to the end of their world tour returning to Toronto in October 2014.
This exclusive fashion showcase takes place on Friday, March 21st at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton, Toronto Hotel. This closing reception is set to be the grand finale of the 2014 Toronto Fashion Week, with the red carpet (sponsored by Lotus) commencing at 9:00 pm, welcoming our city’s fashion elite. Local socialites Megan Mane and Phillip Princeton will host the red carpet, interviewing local celebrities as they make their way into EVINTRA FASHION NIGHT.
The host for the evening, Canadian supermodel Stacey McKenzie, will lead VIP guests to the VIP reception, sponsored by Kraken Rum and 1800 Tequila. Throughout the evening, Stacey McKenzie will introduce the showcasing designers as they present their collections.
Proceeds from the event go towards partnering charity, Kids Help Phone, which offers vital, innovative, and professional counseling services to children and youth across Canada.
Luisa Ayala (Instructor/Perspectives in Paper, Annette Seip (visual artist/filmmaker), Danica Brown (Workman Arts), Chris Mitchell (Visual Arts Manager of Workman Arts)
Workman Arts “Pop Up” Gallery Toronto
Participating Artists: Barbara Greene Mann and Annette Seip.
The windows of Workman Arts “Pop-Up Gallery” space will be transformed by a multimedia installation featuring outlandish scenarios created in the stream-of-consciousness storytelling style of mixed media artist Barbara Greene Mann. Illuminated enlargements of Barbara’s playful works will be complemented by a looped video installation featuring animations of Barbara within her own paintings, which have been created by Annette Seip. Both artists interweave fantasy and reality to magical effect, blurring the line between memory and imagination gone haywire.
Barbara Greene Mann is an MFA graduate in printmaking from Wayne State University (1973) and a founding member of the Tribes of the Cass Corridor in Detroit. She is a prolific artist who paints from memory and imagination. Barbara seeks inspiration from current global issues in order to portray her personal inventions to solve world problems. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Annette Seip graduated with an MSc from McMaster and turned her talents to photography, digital work, and video art after many years in science. Her award-winning photography studies the relationship between order/chaos, isolation/connectedness, and light/darkness. She has exhibited in juried and solo shows, including Visual Arts Mississauga, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, and CONTACT Photography Festival. R.M. Vaughan of Globe & Mail described Annette’s “Ice Diamond” as a “photograph so dappled with liquid light, it could be mistaken for a Mary Pratt painting.
Dr. Delaney Ruston, (Director Hidden Pictures: A Personal Journey into Global Mental Health), Jeff Wright (Program Manager RWM), Lisa Brown (Rendezvous with Madness Founder and Workman Arts Executive Artistic Director)
barbtasia: happy days are here again
Workman Arts “Pop Up” Gallery on Queen St West at Gordon Bell Rd on the grounds of the Centre for Addition and Mental Health
Exhibition Dates: Fri Nov 1, 2013 Sat Nov 16, 2013
Reception: Thurs Nov 14, 2013 1pm-2pm
Luisa Ayala (Instructor/Perspectives in Paper, Annette Seip (visual artist/filmmaker), Danica Brown (Workman Arts), Chris Mitchell (Visual Arts Manager of Workman Arts)
Photo: Workman Arts “Pop Up” Gallery TorontoWorkman Arts “Pop Up” Gallery Toronto Participating Artists:… http://t.co/weM5oGrCer
