Markham Street Films
S CRIPTED C ONTENT
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IN PRE-PRODUCTION
L EVEL 16 In a harsh authoritarian boarding school, where beautiful girls are groomed and curiosity is punished, young Vivien’s search for the truth soon becomes a fight for survival when she discovers that beauty could be the death of them all. Original Script Writer / Director: Danishka Esterhazy Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Cast: Devery Jacobs (Rhymes for Young Ghouls), Imogen Waterhouse (Nocturnal Animals), Sara Canning (Black Field, War for the Planet of the Apes)
H EAVEN
IS
S MALL
Life at Heaven Publishing is dull, until Gordon Small discovers two things. One, he is dead and two, the romance novels Heaven publishes go out into the real world. Seeking redemption, Gordon decides to write the story of his life and secrete it inside one of the novels. What ensues wreaks havoc in heaven but saves Gordon’s soul. Based on the Trillium-nominated novel by Emily Schultz (shortlisted for the 2010 Trilium Award). Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm Praise for Emily Schultz’s book “Don't let the presence of the grim reaper scare you: Heaven is Small is a fantastical comedy" – National Post
PACKAGING
T HE R ETURN
OF THE
F ABULOUS 7
When Peggy Bradbury, former top model, returns from Mexico to the scene of her former glory for the funeral of one of her modeling contemporaries, she blithely volunteers to save the career of the designer who made her famous. Will she succeed? Or will she come spectacularly undone? Writer: Judy Holm, based on a story by Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Markham Street Films Inc. 3 of 15
S AILOR G IRL In the summer of 1981, 19-year-old rebel Kate McLeod signs on to a Great Lakes freighter and sails off into an unexpected world of stormy, sexy and dangerous adventures. Based on the award-winning novel by Sheree-Lee Olson. Writer: Johanna Schneller Director: Anita Doron Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara
Praise for Sheree-Lee Olson’s book “Olson has a deft poetic style that imprints characters and situations with casual grace and potency” – Ibi Kaslik, The Globe and Mail “Olson understands the appeal of tough sex and wide open water… a book about a girl rebel… that cuts to the quick” – Katherine Govier, author of Three Views of Crystal Water Winner of Independent Publisher Book Awards: Literary Fiction Bronze Award 2009, Shortlisted for ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award: Fiction - Literary 2008
IN DEVELOPMENT
T HE M ISTRESS
OF
N OTHING
Based on Lady Lucie Duff Gordon's journey to Egypt in the mid-19th century. Duff Gordon’s maid, Sally Naldrett, travels to the Middle East with her lady and falls in love with their interpreter and guide, Omar. The blithe domestic scene takes a turn for the worse when Sally becomes pregnant. Based on the award-winning novel by Kate Pullinger. Writer: Elke Town Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Praise for Kate Pullinger’s book "gritty, moving, and utterly believable” – The Globe and Mail “A hot dusty complicity between Lady, maid and manservant’ — this is the tantalizing dynamic Kate Pullinger places at the center of her novel The Mistress of Nothing” – Lisa Fugard, The New York Times Winner of the Governor General's Award for Fiction in 2009
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C OMPLETED F EATURE F ILMS
B IG N EWS F ROM G RAND R OCK Small-town journalist Leonard Crane starts making up stories in his hometown paper, but gets in trouble when one of his fabricated news pieces attracts the attention of a big city reporter. Starring: Ennis Esmer, Meredith MacNeill, Kristin Booth, Peter Keleghan, with Gordon Pinsent & Aaron Ashmore Writer / Director: Daniel Perlmutter Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: LA Comedy Festival, Windsor International Film Festival, Grand River Film Festival, Calgary International Film Festival, Cinefest Sudbury Film Festival Awards: Winner, Best Actor LA Comedy Fest, Ennis Esmer “A fictional romp with a poignant core” – Toronto Sun “A straight-faced but screwball comedy that’s absolutely pleasing” – The Globe and Mail
H OLD F AST When Michael’s parents are killed in a car crash, he and his younger brother are split up and Michael, 14, is sent to live in a city far from his outport home. Based on the award-winning novel by Kevin Major. Starring: Avery Ash, Douglas Sullivan, Molly Parker, Aiden Flynn, Des Walsh, Andy Jones Writer: Rosemary House Director: Justin Simms Producers: Rosemary House, Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Seoul International Youth Film Festival, Atlantic Film Festival, Sao Paulo International Film Festival, St. John’s International Film Festival, Windsor International Film Festival, International Youth Film Fest, Pznan Poland Awards: Winner, Audience Award – Teen’s Eye Program, Seoul Youth Film Festival “Hold Fast deserves to be seen” – The National Post “Hold Fast is a lyrically tender…and often amusing work” – The Toronto Star
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V ICTORIA D AY It is May 1988 in Toronto. The school year is coming to a close. The Victoria Day long weekend heralds the beginning of summer. In Boston, Wayne Gretzky’s dynastic Edmonton Oilers are playing in the Stanley Cup Finals. Best of all, Bob Dylan is coming to town. Ben Spektor, 16, attends the concert with his two closest friends, Sammy and Noah. Outside the concert, Ben sees what looks like a routine exchange: two teenagers buying drugs. In a way he could never have predicted, the consequences of this drug deal will alter the course of his summer and, quite possibly, the rest of his life. Starring: Mark Rendall Writer / Director: David Bezmozgis Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Sundance Film Festival “A tiny perfect gem about the no-man's-land of adolescence.” – Liz Braun, JAM Movies
T HE C OCKROACH T HAT A TE C INCINNATI An adaptation of The Cockroach Trilogy, Alan William’s hilarious and acerbic rant about modern man and pop culture in the ‘60’s. Based on the award-winning plays, The Cockroach Trilogy. Starring: Alan Williams Writer: Alan Williams Director / Producer: Michael McNamara Festivals: Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF Canadian Open Vault Series (20th Anniversary screening) Awards: Best Actor Genie nomination, Alan Williams “Williams’ performance is astounding” – Brian D. Johnson, Maclean’s Magazine “Funny, furious…more than a little frightening” – Geoff Pevere, The Globe and Mail
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D OCUMENTARIES
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F EATURE D OCUMENTARIES
CELTIC SOUL Celtic Soul follows Canadian actor and funny man Jay Baruchel on an epic road trip through Canada, Ireland and Scotland with his new friend, well-known Irish soccer journalist Eoin O’Callaghan. Creators: Jay Baruchel & Eoin O’Callaghan Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox Festivals: Windsor International Film Festival, Whistler International Film Festival, Glasgow Film Festival, Cinequest, Offside Fest Barcelona, Thinking Football Film Festival Bilbao
“’Beautifully eccentric’, ‘very funny’, ‘deeply poignant’, ‘tender and full of warmth and wisdom’” – John Doyle, The Globe and Mail
THE TRICK WITH THE GUN The Trick With The Gun explores the hidden world of magic and magicians, from sleight-of-hand parlor tricks to the death-defying Bullet Catch. Author Chris Gudgeon and magician Scott Hammell attempt to discover what pushes these artists of illusion to transform our world, even for a moment, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Creators / Writers: Scott Hammell & Chris Gudgeon Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox Festivals: Windsor International Film Festival
D AVID & M E When troubled teen Ray Klonsky began writing letters to prison inmate David McCallum, both of their lives changed forever. Hundreds of letters later, Ray graduated from university determined to try to set his friend free. Writers / Directors: Ray Klonsky & Marc Lamy Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox Festivals: Sebastopol Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Inspiration Film Festival, Warsaw Film Festival, Bushwick Film Festival, Manhattan Film Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival Awards: Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival Audience Award, Inspiration Film Festival – Best Feature Documentary, Manhattan Film Festival – Best Feature Documentary Markham Street Films Inc. 8 of 15
A CQUAINTED W ITH THE N IGHT Acquainted With the Night is a documentary journey through the world after dark, from sunset to sunrise, illuminating nighttime phenomena, customs and rituals around the globe. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Palm Springs International Film Festival, Cinequest Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, Yellowknife International Film Festival, Windsor International Film Festival, Wisconsin Film Festival Awards: Winner, Best Direction in a Documentary Program – Michael McNamara, 2011 Gemini Awards Winner, International Spirit Award, 2012 Sedona Film Festival Nominations: Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program - Judy Holm & Michael McNamara, 2011 Gemini Awards Best Picture Editing in a Documentary Program or Series – Roderick Deogrades & Roland Schlimme, 2011 Gemini Awards “Acquainted With the Night is a dreamscape of colour and sound that celebrates the dark and its effect on human nature.” – Ted Shaw, The Windsor Star
100 F ILMS & A F UNERAL 100 Films & A Funeral follows the spectacular rise and untimely demise of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, the company that brought you Four Weddings and a Funeral and some of the most influential films of the past 20 years.: Four Weddings and a Funeral, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Trainspotting, Dead Man Walking, The Usual Suspects, Elizabeth, Bean and Notting Hill. Interviews include: Jodie Foster, Sir Alan Parker, Michael Kuhn, Tim Bevan and many more. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Oslo International Film Festival, Edmonton International Film Festival, Windsor International Film Festival Awards: Winner, Best Picture Editing in a Documentary Program or Series – Roderick Deogrades, Gemini Awards 2008 Nominee, Best History Documentary Program – Judy Holm & Michael McNamara, Gemini Awards 2008 "Big, fat, naughty, juicy and fun! Michael McNamara takes a handful of visionaries, adds a true Hollywood story and delivers surreal laughs, tears, and gasps..." - Anne Brodie, MSN Sympatico Markham Street Films Inc. 9 of 15
R ADIO R EVOLUTION : T HE R ISE & F ALL OF THE B IG 8 Radio Revolution investigates the international social, political and musical impact of radio station CKLW during the 1960s and 70s. CKLW was the sonic mirror of Windsor’s sister city, separated by a half a mile of dirty Detroit River water – reflecting excitement, soul, creativity – and bloody murder. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producer: Judy Holm Awards: Winner, Best History Documentary Program or Series – Judy Holm & Michael McNamara, 2004 Gemini Awards “If you thought the gang at WKRP in Cincinnati was wild wait until you meet the characters who ruled Ontario radio station (CKLW) in the late 60’s and early 70’s” - Canada.com/TV Times
G ENUINE A RTICLE : T HE F IRST T RIAL For three days in November the fiercest competition in the Canadian legal profession rages not in the courtrooms, but in the towers of Canada’s financial heart on Bay Street. The prize is not winning a case, but winning law student interns. And, for both the firms and students, the stakes are as high as they get. For the first time ever, viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the legal profession’s unique and dramatic recruitment system. This is Genuine Artical: The First Trial. Writer / Director: David Bezmozgis Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Sheffield International Film Festival
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D OCUMENTARY S ERIES
F ANBOY C ONFESSIONAL Fandom – it’s no longer just about collecting things – it’s about collecting experiences. Fanboy Confessional gets inside these experiences and reveals unique insights into heretofore-secret worlds and celebrates the real superheroes of fandom. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Awards: Nominee, 2012 Canadian Cinema Editors Awards, Best Editing in Lifestyle/Reality “Watching Fanboy Confessional is like getting a free ticket to… Comic-Con, without the crowds and hassle. It's a spry, cheerful ride through a funhouse of cultural mirrors, where it's OK to dress up like a squirrel and pretend, if only for a moment, that one has the power to change the world” – Alex Strachan, Montreal Gazette
D RIVEN BY V ISION Driven By Vision explores of the remarkable shrines and structures that have sprung from the imaginations of visionaries throughout North America. From the 160-foot towers and turrets of Bishop's Castle in Colorado to the incredible Cathedral of Junk in Texas, Driven by Vision delves into the human stories about how these places came into existence. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Awards: Winner, Best Direction in a Documentary Series - Michael McNamara, 2009 Gemini Awards Nominee, Best Direction in a Documentary Series - Michael McNamara, 2006 Gemini Awards “This is exactly what we should be seeing on television…a message of hope through beauty in the subject matter and in the filmmaking.” – Albert Maysles
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S CIENCE D OCUMENTARIES
ADHD: NOT JUST FOR KIDS One out of every 20 children have ADHD, and most of them will carry it into adulthood. ADHD: Not Just For Kids shows how it can be a recipe for failure and disaster, or a source of strength and creativity. It just has to be recognized in the first place. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox Broadcast Date: March 16, 2017, CBC
T HE C HOLESTEROL Q UESTION The Cholesterol Question takes viewers on a hard-hitting ride into the heart of cholesterol’s controversial tale – from one of our essential biological substances to public enemy number 1 – to unravel the mystery of heart disease. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox Awards Winner, Best Documentary Screenwriting, Michael McNamara – Writers Guild of Canada Nominated, Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series, Canadian Screen Awards
L IGHTS O UT ! A documentary for the CBC's Nature of Things with David Suzuki exploring the connections between Circadian Rhythms, Light at Night and Human Health. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Academia Film Olomouc IFF of Science Documentaries, Bratislava Film Festival of Science, Pariscience Awards: Winner, Student Jury Award, Academia Film Olomouc IFF of Science Documentaries “A compelling investigation of the health consequences of living in our high tech world where exposure to artificial light is constant” – The Examiner Markham Street Films Inc. 12 of 15
SOCIAL ISSUE DOCUMENTARIES
ONCE AN IMMIGRANT Once An Immigrant traces one family’s transition from postwar immigration to second generation Canadian pride, while exploring the connections between Ireland’s history of emigration waves and Canada’s reputation for welcoming the world. Creator: Peter Keleghan Writers: Steve Lucas & Peter Keleghan Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox
I CE , S WEAT & T EARS A look inside the colourful and highly competitive sport of Figure Skating. What does it take for these athletes to become World Champions? Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox Awards: Nominee, Best Documentary, Canadian Screen Awards 2014 "...a captivating and illuminating look inside elite figure skating" - John Doyle, The Globe and Mail "[McNamara] nails the quadruple axle of film" - Katherine Monk, The Ottawa Citizen
T HE F-W ORD : W HO W AN TS
TO BE A
F EM IN IST ?
fem·i·nism Does the word have any meaning? Did it achieve its goals? What unfinished business is there? To mark the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, Germaine Greer, Susan Faludi, Naomi Wolf and friends and foes of Feminism consider what it means today. Writer: Judy Holm Director: Michael McNamara Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara “The F-Word: Who Wants To Be a Feminist?… is an excellent doc that asks the question, ‘Feminism: Does the word have any meaning in 2011?’” – John Doyle, The Globe and Mail
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T HE B ODY P ART T RILOGY F LATLY S TACKED Flatly Stacked is a humorous yet poignant documentary that asks the question: How can a flat-chested woman find happiness in a world obsessed with big breasts? Director: Michael McNamara, Writers / Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara
S TACKED L IKE M E Stacked Like Me reveals the world of women whose breast size defines their lives. This cheeky lighthearted documentary explores the important issues, challenges and even delights faced by women of all ages with double-letter chest sizes. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara Producer: Judy Holm
P ENIS D EMENTIA Penis Dementia is an amusing, irreverent and insightful hunt for seminal answers to penetrating questions with help from doctors, sex experts, and actual penis users. Writer / Director: Michael McNamara, Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara “…very funny, and occasionally moving, offering fresh insight into the way our bodies and various appendages help shape our self-image” – The Toronto Star
M EET
THE
S UMDEES
West truly meets east and cultures collide when a Christian family and a Muslim family are brought together by the marriage of their children. Meet the Sumdees is a video diary of the coming together of two cultures as the WASP Canadian parents meet the Islamic in-laws in Toronto and in Pakistan as the newlyweds and the new Sumdees (Urdu for “in-laws) embark on a tour to get acquainted. Director: Michael McNamara Writers / Producers: Judy Holm & Michael McNamara Festivals: Calgary International Film Festival, Commonwealth Film Festival “…a hopeful documentary… it’s more about the similarities than the differences, particularly when it comes to parents and their hopes and dreams for their children.” – Toronto Star
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Company Profile Launched in 2002 by Michael McNamara and Judy Holm, Markham Street Films Inc. makes award-winning film and video projects for all media. Michael McNamara has served as a creative producer, director and writer of documentaries, comedy, variety and children’s programs for thirty years, receiving numerous Gemini Awards and nominations. Judy Holm, a Gemini Award-winning producer and writer, has over fifteen years’ experience in production. Prior to Markham Street, Holm worked for over a decade in feature film distribution, lastly as the VP Distribution for PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Canada. Markham Street Films’ office, located in Toronto, Canada, houses a state-ofthe-art edit suite and a variety of film, sound and lighting gear. Markham Street Films is experienced in creative producing as well as service production. Along with film development and production, Markham Street Films facilitates theatrical wide-releases for indie films from the U.S. in Canada and has a proven track record of self-distributing its own slate of films.
For a full list of our services please contact info@markhamstreet.com.
650A College Street, 2nd Floor • Toronto, Ontario, Canada • M6G 1B8 tel: 416.536.1390 • fax:416.536.7986 • i n f o @ m a r k h a m s t r e e t . c o m Markham Street Films Inc. 15 of 15