Another week, another call for “action” on film sets across the city as shooting season picks up to its busiest time of year. As the local film and TV sector continues to grow—in a press release from last May, the province says “the film industry contributed about $180.8 million to Nova Scotia’s economy in 2021-22”—Team Coast is keeping tabs on new and returning shows being made right here, along with other production happenings. To let us know about something going on in your part of the screen scene, drop a note to [email protected].
Here’s what Halifax film insiders are talking about this week:
A must-watch series sharing Indigenous women’s stories is in production
A new four-part documentary series called Women of Our Land is currently in production. Spotlighting one Indigenous woman in each Atlantic Canadian province—and exploring her connection to her language and the land—the series is expected to air on CBC in the 2023-2024 slate. It’s brought to screens by a couple of Halifax powerhouses, too: Peep Media (Jessica Brown and Jackie Torrens, who created the award-winning doc Bernie Langille Wants To Know What Happened To Bernie Langille) and Princess Space Monster Films (Stephanie Joline, creator of the indie hit Night Blooms) are co-producing the series, while Joline also takes director credits.
The flick on the Halifax artist you need to know wraps
This week, a documentary on local artist, filmmaker and 2SLGBTQ+ activist James MacSwain wrapped—after almost a decade in the making. Created by Eryn Foster and Sue Johnson, the flick is called Celestial Queer—and is currently aiming for release on the fall festival circuit. MacSwain, for those unfamiliar, is a noted filmmaker and artist who has long been a fixture of both the queer movements in Halifax and the development of the city’s strong network of artist-run centres. Peep a preview of the film below:
Celestial Queer Trailer from Sue Johnson on Vimeo.
Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival calls action on another year
Speaking of MacSwain, a retrospective of the artist’s films will be shown at the Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival which is happening at The Light House Arts Centre June 21-24 (the retrospective is Friday night at 6:30pm). It’s stuffed to the rafters with innovative film, from art-world horror to heart-rendering family dramas. More info below:
Trailer Park Boys have something new in the works
A new TV series titled The Trades is an upcoming production in the province. As of yet, details remain scant on the effort—aside from it being affiliated with Trailer Park Boys Inc. The series release date is TBD but it looks to be airing on Bell and Crave.
Stream Wildhood for free
The locally shot coming-of-age flick Wildhood—which charts a two-spirit teenager’s attempts to reconnect to his Mi’kmaw heritage—is now screening on CBC Gem’s free app. If you’re yet to see the flick, consider yourself out of excuses—and peep the trailer below:
Writers’ Strike continues
And while, as previously reported by The Coast, Screen Nova Scotia has told its members that Canadian productions will not anticipate delays related to the Hollywood writers’ strike (and was very cautious to say some “Productions filming under Writers Guild of America contracts may experience disruptions,” the rumour mill is currently churning with word that some American productions slated to come to the province for shoots and re-shoots may be delayed. (In particular, several industry insiders mentioned From, the sci-fi series that’s slated to film its third season in July, might be late arriving. How late? No one knows, exactly. It all depends on strike developments, as the current work stoppage impacts American productions.)