Astral's Harold Greenberg Fund has selected two Canadian feature film projects to support through its new Marketing Program. Roller Town and Comforting Skin, which were recently featured at the Slamdance Film Festival, will receive financial support to help them maximize the unique sales opportunity the festival presented. Roller Town, which was previously support by the Fund's Equity Investment Program, is a first feature for writer/director Andrew Bush and for Halifax's Picnicface comedy group who make up the main cast. Picnicface is one of the hottest comedy acts in Canada today.
In addition to their Comedy Network TV series, their 30- some videos have been viewed over 50 million times online and have garnered the attention of mainstream comedians such as Will Ferrell. Bill Niven (Marion Bridge) and Jay Dahl produced the project. It is the story of a roller skating-obsessed town. When it is over-run by video game shilling gangsters, only one man has the funk deep enough to boogie them back to oblivion.
Comforting Skin represents new partnerships for the Fund. It is a debut feature film for writer/director Derek Frankson and producers Justin James and Andrew Webster. This microbudget independent drama is about a lonely young woman whose desperate need for emotional and sexual companionship draws her into a surreal and ultimately destructive relationship with a shifting and whispering tattoo she has willed to life on her skin.
"As the Slamdance Film Festival takes place alongside the Sundance Film Festival, top buyers and distributors are out in full force looking for unique and interesting independent films, like Roller Town and Comforting Skin," says the Fund's English-Language Program President John Galway. "We hope our support positioned them to take advantage of all the opportunities the festival presented."
The Fund has been a long standing supporter of project development and promotional initiatives across the country, investing $200,000 each year through its Industry Initiatives Program. Funded by The Movie Network and Viewer's Choice, this program is reviewed annually by the English-Language Committee, including Suzette Couture, Damon D'Oliveira, Melanie Friesen, John Galway, Bryn Matthews, Jane Tattersall and Kevin Wright.