Jennifer Lopez Lands In New Comedy ‘Shotgun Wedding’ With Armie Hammer For Lionsgate
Jennifer Lopez and Armie Hammer will blast their way down the aisle for Lionsgate’s action-comedy Shotgun Wedding. The announcement was made today by Erin Westerman, President of Production for Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group.
The film will be produced by Mandeville’s Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman, who produced Lionsgate’s hit film Wonder; the team is also producing the comedy Under Cover, Rabbids, and the Wonder companion White Bird: A Wonder Story for Lionsgate. They will be joined as producers by Nuyorican Productions’ Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. Jason Moore will direct from a screenplay by Mark Hammer and Liz Meriwether. Alex Young is overseeing the production and executive producing for Mandeville Films, and Courtney Baxter for Nuyorican Productions. Ryan Reynolds is also executive producing along with George Dewey. James Myers and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the production for Lionsgate. Production is expected to begin early next year. Shotgun Wedding will be presented at the upcoming AFM.
In Shotgun Wedding, Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Armie Hammer) gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage. “Til Death Do Us Part” takes on a whole new meaning in this hilarious, adrenaline-fueled adventure as Darcy and Tom must save their loved ones — if they don’t kill each other first.
“Jennifer and Armie’s irresistible magnetism, separately and together, make them the perfect pairing for this action comedy,” said Westerman. “They are both incredibly funny actors that can also deliver on the action, but what sets this movie apart is the way their infectious chemistry commands the screen. You can’t take your eyes off them.”
Richard Pryor Bio-Pic To Be Written & Directed By ‘black-ish’ Creator Kenya Barris
MGM won a heated film rights auction and will partner with black-ish creator Kenya Barris for a movie on iconic comedian Richard Pryor. Barris will make his directorial debut on a film he will write. The producers are Barris and his Khalabo Ink Society, Jennifer Lee Pryor and her Tarnished Angel and Tory Metzger for Levantine Films. Adam Rosenberg will serve as executive producer.
This comes after the studio acquired rights for a biopic on Sammy Davis Jr.
Hollywood has long been fixated in turning Pryor’s life into a narrative film, which the comic kind of did after lighting himself on fire in a freebasing accident. He includes that in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling back in 1986. The most serious attempt to mount a movie came in 2016, when The Weinstein Company and Pryor’s widow Jennifer teamed with director Lee Daniels on a script by Bill Condon and Danny Strong that was going to star Mike Epps as Pryor, with Oprah Winfrey playing Pryor’s grandmother, who ran a brothel and raised the iconic comic there; Eddie Murphy as Pryor’s father, Leroy “Buck Carter” Pryor and Kate Hudson to play Pryor’s widow, Jennifer. The film never made it to the start line.
Pryor’s incredible life deserves a film. MGM describes him as: a groundbreaking, once-in-a-lifetime talent, Richard Pryor was a masterful storyteller, a multi-talented entertainer, a comic of acerbic wit, and a survivor with no self-pity. With his raw, honest and deeply personal approach to comedy, Pryor transformed the entire art form through his work, inspiring and influencing the generations of artists to come.
Said Barris in a statement: “The way Pryor did what he did — with truth and specificity that was somehow self-aware and self-deprecating, and said with an unmatched level of vulnerability – that was the power and impact of his work,” said Barris. “Pryor had a voice that was distinctly his and, in many ways, comedy since then has been derivative of what he created. To me, this is a film about that voice, the journey that shaped it, and what it took for it to come to be.”
Said Jennifer Lee Pryor, “Having had a front row seat to much of Richard’s life, I am excited that the mystery of his genius is finally going to be explored and Kenya Barris is the perfect person to do it. Richard and Kenya are creative brothers.”
Said Michael De Luca, MGM Film Group Chairman and Pamela Abdy, MGM Film Group President, “The NY Times has said of Richard Pryor, he was an ‘iconoclastic standup comedian who transcended barriers of race and brought a biting, irreverent humor into America’s living rooms, movie houses, clubs and concert halls.’ We couldn’t agree more. Along with our partners Kenya, Tory, Jennifer and Adam, we are incredibly excited to share Richard’s extraordinary life with audiences the world over.”
Pryor was the first-ever recipient of the prestigious annual Mark Twain Humor Prize, and arguably the greatest stand up comic of all time. He starred in nearly 50 films, and the series The Richard Pryor Show and Pryor’s Place. He wrote for shows including Sanford and Son, The Flip Wilson Show and two Lily Tomlin specials, one of which earned him both an Emmy and a WGA Award. His first screenwriting credit Blazing Saddles, with Mel Brooks, earned him the WGA Award. His stand-up has been captured in four feature films, Live and Smokin’, Richard Pryor Live in Concert, Richard Pryor Live on Sunset Strip, and Here and Now (the latter also his 1982 directorial debut). His numerous recordings have earned him two platinum albums, five golds, and five Grammy’s.
Barris is represented by CAA, Artists First, and attorney Gregg Gellman. Pryor and Levantine are represented by Hogan Lovells.
Source: Deadline
Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Announces First Stand-Up Comedy Special “AFFION CROCKETT: MIRROR II SOCIETY”
Laugh Out Loud, Kevin Hart’s comedy brand and multi-platform entertainment company, announced today its first original solo stand-up special, “AFFION CROCKETT: MIRROR II SOCIETY” is coming to LOL Network streaming and audio channels on Nov. 13.
From the hilarious mind of comedian, multi-hyphenate entertainer Affion Crockett (The Wedding Ringer, Pixels, A Haunted House), “MIRROR II SOCIETY” marks the first long-form special from the accomplished actor, writer, dancer, rapper, comedian, and Internet sensation (50 million views on YouTube) offering a relentless barrage of jokes and physical humor as he dives into his hilarious experiences growing up as a dancer, coming to grips with getting older, relationships, politics and much more.
“I’m thrilled and honored to be the first comedian to launch a solo stand-up special on Laugh Out Loud,” said Affion Crockett. “We put a ton of work into this for the culture and being able to partner with LOL to bring ‘Mirror II Society’ to the masses is a vibe. Plus, Kevin Hart promised me a Lambo if this does numbers.”
Consumers can watch, listen and laugh with Crockett across the robust LOL Network including: Pluto TV, XUMO and SiriusXM starting November 13th – with additional rollouts to continue through the year.
“Affion’s unique mix of dynamic humor and infectious energy is a breath of fresh air, and we couldn’t be more excited to launch our first long-form stand-up special with Affion,” said Kevin Hart, CEO of Laugh Out Loud. “We’re rolling out the red carpet for Affion across all of our divisions: LOL Network, LOL X, LOL Audio and LOL Studios, further illustrating how we are finding new ways to deliver comedy in color, whenever and wherever.”
“MIRROR II SOCIETY”is directed by Delmar Washington. Affion Crockett, Nynese Smoot, and all serve as executive producers. The special was financed and produced in partnership with Washington and Crockett’s production companies, Ximen Media Group and Lejan Entertainment respectively.
Timed to the debut of “MIRROR II SOCIETY” Laugh Out Loud’s experiential division, LOL X will host two drive-in screenings of “MIRROR II SOCIETY” in partnership with BlackFilm.com. LOL X presents Comedy In Color At The Drive-In with BlackFilm.com will take place in Atlanta (11/13) and Los Angeles (11/14). Each stop will feature a special sneak-peak of the stand-up special followed by the screening of classic Black films Boomerang (Atlanta) and Harlem Nights (Los Angeles). For more information, complimentary tickets and to view the full schedule please visit BlackFilm.com Affion Crockett is one of the most versatile entertainers around, as an accomplished actor, writer, dancer, rapper, comedian, music producer, and director. Affion’s comedy skills have also resulted in roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm, black-ish, The Comedians as well as his own sketch comedy show for FOX called ‘In the Flow with Affion Crockett,’ which was also executive produced by Jamie Foxx.
VH1’s Tiffany “New York” Pollard Returns For ‘I Love New York: Reunited’ & Hosted By Vivica A. Fox
VH1 today announced reunion specials of its hit series I Love New York airing on Monday, November 23rd at 8:00pm ET/PT, followed by Hollywood Exes on Tuesday, November 24th at 8:00 pm ET/PT.
Reality TV queen Tiffany “New York” Pollard is returning to the small screen to look back on her wild journey finding love on the iconic reality hit I Love New York. In this one-hour special of I Love New York: Reunited, Pollard and some of her most memorable flings will revisit the show’s greatest moments, break down the biggest heartbreaks, and dive into how the cast members’ lives have evolved through the years.
In the one-hour special of Hollywood Exes: Reunited, the independent ladies will gather for a look back at the show that brought them all together, and fill fans in on what has happened since the cameras stopped rolling. The special will feature Andrea Kelly (ex-wife of R-Kelly), Nicole Murphy (ex of Eddie Murphy), Mayte Garcia (ex-wife of Prince), Shamicka Lawrence (ex-wife of Martin Lawrence), Shanna Moakler (ex-wife of Travis Barker) and Sheree Zampino (ex-wife of Will Smith).
Additional talent names for both specials will be announced at a later date.
As part of VH1’s “Throwback Thanksgiving” marathon, fans can catch up on previous seasons of I Love New York and Hollywood Exes leading up to premiere, starting Monday, November 23rd at 9:00am ET/PT.
Niecy Nash To Host New Daytime Syndicated Talk Show
Niecy Nash may be adding talk show host to her résumé.
CBS Television Distribution, the studio behind The Drew Barrymore Show, is nearing a daytime syndicated talk show set to be hosted by the Reno 911! and Claws actress.
Sources say a presentation will be filmed in the near future for the potential series, which is being produced as a co-production between CTD and Ben Winston and James Corden’s Fulwell73. A showrunner has not yet been determined. Reps for CTD declined comment.
Should the show move forward, it would mark a return to hosting duties for the actress and comedian. Nash previously hosted — and earned a Daytime Emmy — for Style Network’s Clean House (2003-10). More recently, she has guest hosted series including Today and Access Hollywood Live.
On the acting front, Nash has continued to remain in high demand with roles including Reno 911! (and its Quibi follow-up), Mrs. America, Claws, Scream Queens, Never Have I Ever, When They See Us, The Soul Man and Getting On. She is repped by WME, Artists First and Jackoway Austen.
CBS TV Distribution recently launched The Drew Barrymore daytime syndicated series. The unit of ViacomCBS is also behind syndicated hits Judge Judy, Dr. Phil, ET, Rachael Ray and The Doctors.
Should Nash’s series move ahead, it would join a roster of syndicated daytime talk shows hosted by the likes of Ellen DeGeneres, Kelly Clarkson, Tamron Hall and Wendy Williams.
Winston and Corden’s Fullwell73 has a long relationship with CBS, where the latter hosts the network’s Late Late Show.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Showtime Orders New Untitled Series Starring Writer And Comedian Known As Ziwe
SHOWTIME has placed a straight-to-series order for an untitled variety series starring and executive produced by rising star Ziwe. The series will feature interviews, sketches and more – including unscripted and unpredictable real-world rendezvous between everyday people and Ziwe, a writer, comedian and performer. The announcement was made by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.
In addition to writing for DESUS & MERO®and OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT on SHOWTIME and Dickinson, Ziwe hosts an online show, in which she invites friends and celebrities alike as guests and, armed with a smiling and biting wit, overtly baits them into comically uncomfortable conversations about race. The show is seen by rapidly rising audiences on YouTube and Instagram. She has also been a voice performer as Kamala Harris among other roles for OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT, as well as Tooning Out the News, and she appears in her own Pop Show, which she created and performs at Brooklyn’s Union Hall with original pop songs off her album Generation Ziwe. Ziwe’s comedy career began as an intern for Comedy Central, and a year later she wrote for The Onion and The Rundown with Robin Thede.
“Through her addictive online series and her work for our own DESUS & MERO and OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT, Ziwe has clearly emerged as an auteur voice in comedy and culture,” said Malhotra. “She has turned all of our heads here at SHOWTIME, and we’re excited to be the home for her new series as she continues to grow her edgy and hilarious brand of commentary on race, politics and everything in-between.”
Said Ziwe: “I am beyond excited to make my dream a reality with the brilliant minds at SHOWTIME and A24! I can’t wait to make an iconic show with even more iconic guests.”
The UNTITLED ZIWE PROJECT is produced by A24. This continues the partnership between SHOWTIME and A24, who recently announced the forthcoming comedy series MOONBASE 8, premiering on November 8.
Eva Longoria Joins Ice Cube In New Sci-Fi Pic For Universal
Eva Longoria is set to join Ice Cube in the untitled grounded sci-fi movie for the studio with Patrick Aiello and Timur Bekmambetov producing. Rich Lee will direct from a script by Kenneth Golde.
Plot details are vague other then it being described as a grounded sci-fi film in the vein of District 9already that touches on themes of privacy versus surveillance. Universal has greenlighted the film and has fast tracked it by having it go into production this month.
Universal landed the package last month and what really sealed the deal was the technology that Bekmambetov has been fine-tuning ever since signing his five-picture deal with the studio. The idea behind this format that was part of the presentation is a production that had the look of commercial event film but at the budget of a contained thriller. This new technology will allow for a fully remote production with all actors and crew working from their individual separate locations. So basically if Cube or Longoria wanted his part of the shoot to be done from his home, it could be done without a problem and with crew working from somewhere else.
The shoot would be a first of its kind at this scope and is not only done at a lower budget but also provides the safe working environment every studio is trying to achieve during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Longoria, who recently signed with WME, was most recently seen Dora And the Lost City Of The Gold and Slyvie’s Love. She also set to star in Flamin’ Hot for Searchlight, the recently announced Spa Day for Sony and 24/7 for Universal, which she will also direct.
She is also repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners andJ ackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein.
Source: Deadline
Sony Pictures Enters First Look Deal With Jeff Friday’s American Black Film Festival Titles
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is changing the game with its latest venture. The studio has revealed that they have inked a unique first-look deal with Jeff Friday Media (JFM), the newly-formed production house launched by the company CEO Jeff Friday, founder of the annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which has become a leading festival and touchstone for Black content creators.
Under the multi-year deal, Sony will be offered first consideration for narrative feature films submitted to the Festival, and year-round access and introductions to emerging filmmakers discovered by Friday. In a time when Hollywood is actively seeking diverse and inclusive voices in front of and behind the camera, the deal will broaden SPE’s pipeline, ushering in the next generation of storytellers, and accelerating exposure and opportunity for filmmaking talent of color. Friday will serve as producer of the original films created by the talent he discovers.
“Diverse voices and stories propel our studio and the industry at large,” said Josh Greenstein, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group President. “We are grateful to Jeff for opening up his vast rolodex to us and are looking forward to meeting and working with these brilliant, creative minds.”
“We are very excited to grow our partnership with SPE and create opportunities for emerging writers and directors of color to produce studio films,” said Friday. “Our goal is to aggressively expand the market for Black and Brown content and demonstrate that diversity is great for the motion picture business.”
“This distinct partnership accelerates relationship-building, inroads and opportunity on both sides, which is critical for a sustainable pipeline,” said Paul Martin and Keith Weaver, co-chairs of Sony Pictures Action, the studio’s racial equity and social justice initiative. “We are energized about capturing the breadth of emerging storytellers and content and bridging the gap; funneling creators and projects directly into the hands of our engaged studio executives.”
For over two decades, Friday has been an advocate and supported the early work of many Black artists that have now become some of the most prominent names in the industry. This includes Ava DuVernay, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Ryan Coogler, Will Packer, Issa Rae, Anthony Anderson, Omari Hardwick, Saladin K. Patterson, Ben Watkins, among others.
The first virtual edition of the American Black Film Festival took place from August 21-30. The fest honored Curtis, directed and written by Chris Bailey, as the Best U.S. feature while Hisonni Johnson was named Best Director for Take Out Girl. The Best Screenplay went to Addison Henderson for G.O.D – Givers of Death and the Khaled Ridgeway-helmed comedy Death of A Telemarketer was chosen as fan-favorite movie.
This year, the fest expanded its programming with “ABFF Pride” a curated film section showcasing LGBTQIA content and introduced its inaugural John Singleton Director Award for Best First Feature which went to Solomon Onita, Jr. for Tazmanian Devil.
In addition, Friday will launch the first Social Justice Now Film Festival (SJNFF) which will take place virtually October 21-25. With SPE as a founding sponsor, the fest bolsters the studio’s long-standing relationship with Friday and it will showcase content to heighten awareness, inspire action, and confront the social and economic issues disproportionately impacting communities of color.
On October 21, the fest will also feature drive-in presentations on opening night at Paramount’s Drive-In Theater which will include the Destin Daniel Cretton-directed Just Mercy and Ryan Coogler’s award-winning Fruitvale Station. Both films star Michael B. Jordan, who was previously announced as Co-Ambassador alongside Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Opal Tometi. All official selections of SJNFF and spotlight screenings will be available to stream for free on abffplay.com, a new digital platform, powered by Endeavor Streaming from October 21-25.
The ABFF’s dynamic program continues to evolve. In 2020, it expanded to include the John Singleton Award for Best First Feature Film and “ABFF Pride,” a curated film section showcasing LGBTQIA content.
Based in Los Angeles, Jeff Friday Media (JFM) serves as a platform to license and produce a diverse portfolio of feature films, unscripted television and digital content. The studio’s output will focus on Black and Brown audiences and is designed for dissemination across an array of platforms including major studio partnerships, streaming platforms, traditional broadcast and cable television networks.
Source: Deadline
Queen Latifah Joins Adam Sandler In New Netflix Sports Comedy Movie Titled ‘Hustle’
Queen Latifah, Oscar winner Robert Duvall, and Ben Foster will star opposite Adam Sandler in Hustle, the Netflix basketball feature which is being directed by Jeremiah Zagar. Sandler, who earlier this year extended his production deal with the streamer, will produce under Happy Madison banner, with LeBron James’ The SpringHill Company and Roth/Kirschenbaum Films.
NBA player Juancho Hernangomez, Jordan Hull (The L Word: Generation Q), Maria Botto ( Mad Dogs), Ainhoa Pillet, and sports commentator Kenny Smith also made the casting roster.
Sandler stars as a down on his luck basketball scout who discovers a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad and takes it upon himself to bring the phenom to the States without his team’s approval. Against the odds, they have one final shot to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NBA.
Taylor Materne and Oscar nominee Will Fetters penned the screenplay.
Latifah, an Oscar-nominated actress for her performance in Chicago, was recently seen portraying Hattie McDaniel in the Ryan Murphy and Netflix series, Hollywood. Duvall’s recent credits include co-starring with Viola Davis in Steve McQueen’s Widows and legal drama The Judge, with Robert Downey Jr. Foster was last seen in the critically acclaimed indie, Leave No Trace as well as the Mélanie Laurent-directed crime drama Galveston.
Latifah, Duvall, and Foster are all clients of UTA; Latifah is also repped by Flavor Unit; Hull by ESI Network, AEFH, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; Botto by Authentic Talent Management and Bedelka Talent.
Source: Deadline
Presenting The Highlights Of The Just For laughs Comedy Festival
The 38th Festival Juste pour rire / Just For Laughs Festival, presented by La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services in collaboration with Loto-Québec, has come to an end, and the Just For Laughs Group is proud to highlight the work of the artisans, artists and members of its team who, despite the closure of venues, produced an extraordinary festival. We would also like to mention the unwavering support of our public and private partners, who made this year’s festival possible and allowed the best of comedy to shine throughout the event.
The 38th Festival Juste pour rire / Just For Laughs Festival brought together 352 artists and 48 shows that allowed more than 778,000 people to enjoy the comedy content made available to them. Viewers from across North America, the UK and as far away as Sydney tuned into the Festival, reflecting the essential role of humour in these difficult times.
“The success of our first-ever digital festival proves that Just For Laughs really is a trailblazing organization, able to lead the industry and forge the way in creating something really unique, interactive and above all funny, despite the world’s current circumstances” said Charles Décarie, President and CEO of the Groupe Juste pour rire. “We were thrilled to see just how many people tuned into the digital festival over the weekend and are so pleased that we could curate a lineup with programming that provided so much levity and laughter to such a wide audience.”
According to an audience survey, 90% of the audience enjoyed their experience and 87% would be willing to participate in another online edition. It should also be noted that this digital festival allowed the Just For Laughs Group to increase its customer base by 23%.
THE FESTIVAL MICROSITE: A DIGITAL SUCCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH
The microsite designed especially for the duration of the Festival was a resounding success with 522,004 visits.
The top three most-watched online shows were Special Screening of Notebooks with Owen Smith on Laugh Out Loud, Le Grand Live Tangerine with Pierre-Yves Roy Desmarais and his guests, and Sainte Marie-Josée part en croisade, featuring Rosalie Vaillancourt. All of the shows presented generated a total of 88,896 hours of viewing, underscoring the comedy giant’s place in the world.
“We are so pleased with the growth of our online presence through our multiple content channels. We have many priorities as a comedy leader and face the same challenges as other companies in these uncertain times. However, one thing has been proven again; we have the best team and our efforts to increase our digital strength and reach has been verified by the success of this virtual event that brought together festival-goers from around the globe,” said Anne Belliveau, Chief Marketing Officer at Groupe Juste pour rire.“
100% DIGITAL JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL
With an exciting two-day digital event, Just For Laughs was able to curate an inimitable comedy experience, including special programming that focused on today’s timely and important topics discussed by leading comedy voices. The festival is so pleased that viewers across North America, the UK and as far as Sydney, Australia joined the festivities online, verifying that laughter can really bring us together during these trying times.
Comedy mega-star, Kevin Hart’s, global comedy brand Laugh Out Loud (LOL), and its experiential division, LOL X served as the exclusive programming partner for this year’s festival, working tirelessly alongside JFL programmers to launch this first-ever festival of its kind. Highlighting a robust lineup dedicated to celebrating Comedy in Color, the first-ever virtual Just For Laughs Festival featured multiple digital comedy rooms with a hybrid of programming in the form of conversations, live discussions, and panels, designed specifically for online audiences.
With so many festival highlights, some of the top moments from the weekend included:
The festival’s kickoff event with comedy juggernauts Kevin Hart and Judd Apatow who reminisced about their start in comedy and how they first met, and provided great advice to those starting out in the business.
LOL’s Special Screening of Notebooks with producer, actor and comedian Owen Smith’s popular series, Notebooks featured top stand-up comedians with surprise festival appearances by Joe Rogan and Neal Brennan, sitting down with Owen to discuss their careers, creative writing process, comedy and more.
One of the most in demand comedians of today, Sarah Cooper, chatted with Tig Notaro, who shared insights on the power of comedy fans on social media by posting a tweet that Tig wrote on Sarah’s page and following the “likes” throughout their conversation, proving it’s the context of the joke that makes the tweet go viral!
Comedy Sessions with Howie Mandel was raw, powerful and real with conversations between artists that were intensely interesting to watch. Chelsea Handler, moderated by Nicole Stamp, saw Handler at her best with the raw honest truth of the world around us—uncensored and unedited as she also discussed what it was like filming her latest stand-up special during COVID times, set to come out on HBO Max on October 22nd.
Canada’s Drag Race presented by Crave was pure chaotic energy from start to finish! This lively conversation with the Top 4 finalists, JIMBO, Rita Baga, Scarlett Bobo and Canada’s First Drag Superstar, Priyanka, spilled the tea on the antics behind the scenes; and what a treat to have judge Stacey McKenzie join in from Jamaica.
Conversations with Funny People – Hannah Gadsby & DeAnne Smith, presented by VIA Rail Canada was a blast as we watched Hannah and DeAnne “speed dating.” This live, unscripted conversation left us all feeling like their BFFs. The newest comedy stars in the business got to shine in front of industry and fans in New Faces: Creators and Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch” panel.
“It’s great to see that we’ve been able to reach so many people and bring them together around laughter, which remains the core of Juste pour rire and what we do best,” said Patrick Rozon, Vice President of French-Language Content for the Groupe Juste pour rire. “With regard to the Festival’s English-language programming, we are even more satisfied to see that artists from around the world answered the call and offered innovative, high-quality content. We can proudly say: mission accomplished!” added Bruce Hills, President of Just For Laughs.
THE FESTIVAL IN NUMBERS
352 performers
48 shows
5.3 million minutes of entertainment viewing time
More than half a million visits to the Festival site
778,864 people in attendance
90% of festival-goers enjoyed the Festival
23% are new customers
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
The Groupe Juste pour rire would also like to thank its longstanding partners, without whom this unprecedented edition would not have been possible: La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services, Loto-Québec, Tangerine, Bell and Tim Hortons, for their invaluable contribution to enhancing the content and providing festival-goers with enriching experiences. Special thanks to our media partnersNoovo, ÉNERGIE, Rouge, La Presse and ICI Première for their valuable support in disseminating and communicating our messages to the widest possible audience. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the exceptional help and support of our public partners, the Government of Canada – Canada Economic Development and Canadian Heritage, the Government of Quebec – Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine and SODEC, Tourisme Montréal and the Ville de Montréal.
