Press
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Film and Television Industry Receives Multiple Canadian Screen Awards Nominations
This week, Newfoundland and Labrador-based film and television productions, as well as a number of individuals working in the industry from this province, were nominated for Canada’s top honours in film and television.
Local Feature Opens St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival
The stars were out in the capital city as the 34th annual St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival kicked off with a red carpet event.
Filmmakers, industry giants, politicians and moviegoers alike strutted the rouge at the Majestic Theatre, packing the house for the festival opening.
The night saw the world premiere of “Party Pirate”, directed by Ruth Lawrence and written by and starring her son Luke.
St. John's International Women's Film Festival rolls from Oct. 17-21
There's something for everyone in a curated program with a 'genre-spanning array of narratives'.
The 34th annual St. John's International Women's Film Festival is happening at the Majestic Theatre in downtown St. John's from Oct. 17-21. The CBC asked executive director Jenn Brown to weigh in on this year's festival.
Local Comedy Series Set to Hit Bell Fibe TV1
A new local comedy series is coming to Bell Fibe TV1.
“What Odds”, written and created by Renée Hackett, is the story of defeated actress, Betty, who returns home to Newfoundland after years of disappointment in Toronto. On her 45th birthday, she finds her archnemesis from Toronto is helming a new show in St. John’s as the executive producer. She gets a job as her enemies assistant and is determined to impress in the hopes of getting on the show.
Filming Begins on Local Mystery Series
Cameras are rolling on a new mystery series as Bell/Fibe TV continues to bolster their catalogue of local content.
“Only the Night Knows”, a new limited series by Newfoundland-based Blue Pinion Productions, tells the story of Laura Noseworthy, who returns to her outport hometown to settle the estate of her estranged father, but has to unravel the truth when her sister’s killer is found dead.
The show stars a number of prominent local artists including Mary Walsh, Ruth Lawrence and Joel Thomas Hynes.
Renée Hackett: Be honest about what brings you joy
“What Odds is a short form TV series (6 X 10-minute episodes) for Bell Fibe TV. I like to call it a cringe comedy. You know, the kind of show that makes you go NO! to the television when you watch the lead make the wrong decision, the one that’s not the best for them. It’s very influenced by the life I’ve lived, with some fiction thrown in for good measure.”
FILM REVIEW: Family drama Little Orphans finds the past in repeat in Newfoundland
Little Orphans, the feature debut of St. John’s, Nfld., director Ruth Lawrence, opens with two children playing (seemingly without any parents around) on a model of a ship that has been broken in two, as thirtysomething Gwen (Emily Bridger) anxiously watches.
Right off the bat, Lawrence draws attention to the heart of her film’s themes: abandonment and the re-emergence of the past.
Creating Careers for Women in Film: Newfoundland Filmmaker Ruth Lawrence
Dreaming of making movies since Grade 6, successful filmmaker Ruth Lawrence creates opportunities for other women in film from her beloved home in Newfoundland.
Ruth Lawrence had it all figured out in sixth grade.
In the 1960s, choosing a career focused on ‘lights, camera, action!’ while growing up in the remote fishing town of St. Jacques-Coombs Cove, Newfoundland (Population: 200) may seem improbable to some. But Lawrence can pinpoint the exact time when her career aspirations — acting and storytelling through film — first took flight.
Newfoundland and Labrador film ‘Little Orphans’ wins top prize in Whistler
The festival announced Sunday its jury awarded “Little Orphans” the Borsos Award for best Canadian feature film.
“Little Orphans” stars its writer, Emily Bridger, alongside Rhiannon Morgan of “Away from Everywhere” and Marthe Bernard of “Republic of Doyle.” The movie is shot in St. John’s, N.L., and is directed by Ruth Lawrence, a well-known filmmaker and theatre artist in Newfoundland and Labrador.