Janette's TV Podcast

What drew you to your business or career? And what keeps you going? I reunited with Canadian actress Kim Roberts once again at this year’s Vaughan Film Festival (VFF) in what has now become an annual tradition. This was my FIFTH time interviewing her. Always a riveting conversation. Kim never stops working. She is known for her roles on Paw Patrol, The Sinner, The Handmaids Tale, and Schitt’s Creek. In 2022, Roberts won the Independent Leader Award at the VFF. We discuss her latest projects, how she stays motivated and how she’s lasted so long in the acting business.Subscribe to YouTube Channel@JanettesTVPurchase JTV T-Shirts & Sweatshirtshttps://www.janetteburke.com/shopFor A Complete List of Where to Watch & Listen to Us - https://www.janetteburke.com/watch-li...Sponsor Spotlight Packagehttps://www.janetteburke.com/sponsor-...Website – www.janetteburke.com Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Could you work with your family?   Arianna Baldassarra is Vice-President of Greenpark Group, the Presenting Sponsor at the 2023 Vaughan International Film Festival (VFF).    Greenpark Group is Arianna’s family business, started by her grandfather. I sat down with her to discuss her VP role and being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated business: construction, building & development. We also talk about what it is like working alongside her grandfather, father, and uncles. The appreciation they have for her and her background in interior design, graphic arts, and dance, as she brings a fresh perspective to their housing & condo projects. And much more! Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Crank up the radio to the most popular Top 40 hits and you’re bound to hear American/Canadian singer/songwriter, Derik Baker’s, better known as Virginia to Vegas.   He’s released two studio albums and seven extended plays. His gold and platinum-certified upbeat, hyper catchy, indie pop songs.  include: "We Are Stars", "Lights Out", "Selfish", "Just Friends" and "Betterman", released through Wax Records and Ultra Records.   I caught up with Derik on the red carpet of 2023’s The Vaughan International Festival (VFF) Awards Gala where he was the entertainment headliner to talk about how he transitioned from aspiring filmmaker to popular singer, where he derived his inspiration and band name, what’s next for him, and much more! Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Have you ever been scammed? So much of our world is full of fake news, fake people, and fake things. But who would have ever thought that the largest fake ID empire in North America could be invented by two teenage girls in West Vancouver, British Columbia? That’s the theme of the show Fakes - an American-Canadian television comedy/drama series, which premiered in 2022 on CBC Gem in Canada and Netflix internationally.The series stars Emilija Baranac and Jennifer Tong as Zoe and Rebecca and premiered September 1, 2022.Each episode is portrayed from the perspective of one of the two young women, making use of the unreliable narrator technique as their respective viewpoints sometimes contradict each other. Richard Harmon, who plays the supporting character Tryst, highlighted this aspect of the show as a fun creative opportunity for him as an actor, because it allowed him to play more than one variation on the character, based on the differing views of his character in each of the main characters' perspectives, instead of having to maintain a single consistent characterization.The cast also includes Eric Bempong, Wern Lee, Matreya Scarrwener, Lauren K. Robek, Dylan Sloane, Mya Lowe, Ryan Mah, Emily Leung, Cindy Piper, Devon Slack, Oliver Rice, Debbie Podowski, Roraigh Falkner, Devon Alexander and Toby Hargrave.The show was nominated for Best Comedy and Best Picture Editing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series. David Turko, creator, and writer and I met on the red carpet at this year’s Canadian Screen Actors Awards where I interviewed him about the challenges of writing comedy and what’s next for him. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Have you ever regarded Canadian actors, TV & film negatively now or in the past? Tammy Frick is a Canadian film industry executive, who was appointed as chief executive officer of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in October 2022. Previously, she was executive director of the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival from 1995 to 2022, and an associate director of Cultural Industries Ontario North. In 2019, she won an award from the Toronto chapter of Women in Film and Television International in honor of her achievements in the film industry. In 2021 she sought the nomination to be the Liberal Party of Canada candidate for Sudbury in the 2021 Canadian federal election, losing to Viviane Lapointe.   Now Tammy’s advocating for Canadian talent. I caught up with her on two different days and red carpets at this year’s Canadian Screen Actors Awards to talk about Canada’s TV & Film Industry and the trends lead by Ryan Reynolds and Other Famous Canadians that are sure impact how you consider and consume Canadian content. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Remember high school? How hard it was and still is when you're different? That’s how it is for outcast BFFs Astrid (Jana Morrison) and Lilly (Samantha Aucoin) who, after being bullied and deciding enough is enough, accidentally crack open a portal to a terrifyingly quirky monster dimension, causing their world to become a lot more complicated. Not only do Astrid & Lilly have to navigate high school, their families, and their crushes, but they also must vanquish a bunch of terrifying monsters with the help of their guide Brutus and their hilarious new superpowers. It's up to them to conquer the creepy creatures and save the world, becoming the badass heroes they were meant to be while surviving the horrors of high school.   Astrid and Lilly Save the World is a Canadian supernatural teen comedy-drama television series that premiered on January 26, 2022. Produced by Blue Ice Pictures, the series, which was nominated for Best Comedy at The Canadian Screen Actors Awards,  airs on Syfy in the U.S., CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. and ITVX in the U.K. It is also available for streaming on Tubi in the U.S. and Crave in Canada.   I caught up with the show’s creators, show runners, producers, director and leads on the red carpet to talk about how being weird is wonderful! Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Thinking about your kids going back to school, what courses & extra-curricular activities to register them for, and what their future holds? Time to experience the incredible filmmaking of some of this year’s brightest VFF’s (Vaughan International Film Festival’s) Student Screenings that took place at York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts this June in this week’s DOUBLE FEATURE.First up -The Test from RHHS STUDIOS, winner of the impressive Student Short Films line-up. Filmed entirely on a mobile phone, this psychological thriller depicts a brilliant student rushing to take a crucial exam, but when she finally stumbles in, a far more perplexing challenge presents itself. How does she use her skills to handle the pressure and pass? Featuring lead actress, Enchan Chen, directors, Nicholas Hoffman & Marcus Yang, Lucas Chee and teacher, Anna Wilson. Written, directed, produced, edited, and lead actress, Lauren Pappas, Saint Elizabeth Catholic High School, Influence (d), showcases a teen influencer who has had enough of hiding her true identity. Instead of posting her normal weekly video, she posts an insightful self-monologue video to show others what it truly is like to be an influencer today. In both episodes, I speak with the students/stars about their passion for filmmaking, what they learned shooting these films, how VFF can pave their future in filmmaking, theatre, & music careers, the challenges they faced, and more! Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Thinking about your kids going back to school, what courses & extra-curricular activities to register them for, and what their future holds? Time to experience the incredible filmmaking of some of this year’s brightest VFF’s (Vaughan International Film Festival’s) Student Screenings that took place at York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts this June in this week’s DOUBLE FEATURE.First up -The Test from RHHS STUDIOS, winner of the impressive Student Short Films line-up. Filmed entirely on a mobile phone, this psychological thriller depicts a brilliant student rushing to take a crucial exam, but when she finally stumbles in, a far more perplexing challenge presents itself. How does she use her skills to handle the pressure and pass? Featuring lead actress, Enchan Chen, directors, Nicholas Hoffman & Marcus Yang, Lucas Chee and teacher, Anna Wilson.Written, directed, produced, edited, and lead actress, Lauren Pappas, Saint Elizabeth Catholic High School, Influence (d), showcases a teen influencer who has had enough of hiding her true identity. Instead of posting her normal weekly video, she posts an insightful self-monologue video to show others what it truly is like to be an influencer today. In both episodes, I speak with the students/stars about their passion for filmmaking, what they learned shooting these films, how VFF can pave their future in filmmaking, theatre, & music careers, the challenges they faced, and more! Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

How was your weekend - everything you expected or a complete bore? Let’s get your week rocking! Take a moment to experience yet another fascinating tale & lifestyle of the accomplished, influential, and motivational!  Sheba Mason is a comedian, singer, actress, MC and the “love child” of the late comic genius Jackie Mason and Ginger Reiter.  Since 2020, Sheba has been running “Speakeasy” – a comedy club at Three Monkeys - a bi-level bar/restaurant on Manhattan’s West Side, 7 days a week. She also costars in the latest iteration of The Jackie Mason Musical, portraying her mother. The play written by Ginger in 1983 (originally appearing as herself) chronicles Jackie & Ginger’s 10-yearrelationship from the time they first met in Miami to Sheba’s birth, the front-page news paternity suit, Jackie’s finger flip on The Ed Sullivan Show (which nearly cost him his career), and lots more! It’s been selling-out across the USA and is coming to Toronto this December. Sheba & I met in Toronto last winter when she was headlining Jewish Princesses at Leah Poslun’s Theatre.  We chat about her relationship with her famous father, decision to follow in his footsteps, role in Reality Disorder now Streaming on Amazon Prime, record album: Not Just a Whore (available on i-Tunes), NYC performances at Gotham Comedy Club and what’s behind The Jackie Mason Musical. Learn More https://shebamason.com/ Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Set in the 1870s, Gabe Polsky’s adaptation of John Williams’ literary western stars Nicolas Cage as a buffalo hunter who lures a naïve young man into an ambitious expedition in the Colorado Rockies.   On the red carpet at tiff 2022 and at the premiere of the film Butcher’s Crossing, I caught-up with actors Nicolas Cage, Rachel Keller, and the rest of the cast, followed by the film’s Q & A to discuss the Cage’s decision to star in and strong themes in this movie. Best known for Moonstruck and his wild turns as cinema’s most volatile man, Cage continues to prove he is also capable of great depth and nuance on screen, playing opposite Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) in a beautiful adaptation of John Williams’ literary western. This frontier epic tells the story of an Ivy League drop-out as he travels to the Colorado wilderness, where he joins a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts his life and sanity at risk. From Will’s innocence to insight, as the adventure unfolds, Director Gabe Polsky (TIFF ’14’s Red Army) frames deep subject matter: greed, wrong & right, betrayal, destruction, distinction, and total carnage. Will and his ostensible mentor Miller fall into a spiral reminiscent of Willard and Kurtz in Apocalypse Now — something Cage nods to in the shades of Brando he brings to his performance. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

The life, music, and activism of legendary Indigenous singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie are explored in this documentary that is as captivating as its subject, who smashed through barriers to become an inspiration to fans and fellow musicians alike. Just in time for Canada and Independence Day, comes a tribute to Canadian/American singer & activist, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s extraordinary life and career, Madison Thomas’s Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On is as captivating and vital as its legendary subject, the first Indigenous person to win an Oscar (in 1983 for Best Original Song “Up Where We Belong” which she co-wrote and was featured in An Officer and a Gentleman). She was also the first recurring Indigenous guest star on Sesame Street. This well-researched film divulges many lesser-known details of Sainte-Marie’s life and brings together a fine collection of subjects whose love and admiration is palpable — most notably Joni Mitchell, who beams with affection when she talks about her. Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On is a much-needed, inspiring biography of one of our most revered and courageous artists. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Voiced by actress, Keira Knightly, Charlotte, the movie is an animated drama that tells the true story of Charlotte Salomon, a young German-Jewish painter who comes of age in Berlin on the eve of the Second World War. Fiercely imaginative and deeply gifted, she dreams of becoming an artist. Her first love applauds her talent, which emboldens her resolve. But the world around her is changing quickly and dangerously, limiting her options, and derailing her dream. When anti-Semitic policies inspire violent mobs, she leaves Berlin for the safety of the South of France. There she begins to paint again and finds new love. But her work is interrupted, this time by a family tragedy that reveals an even darker secret. Believing that only the extraordinary will save her, she embarks on the monumental adventure of painting her life story, Life? or Theatre?At The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, where the film was featured with Q &A on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day and National Film Day Canada, I sat down with Screenwriter, David Bezmozgis, to talk about how the film came to light and its relevance amidst the rise of antisemitism today. Discover this compelling film and 3 things you likely never knew about the Holocaust. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

May 16th marked Vaughan International Film Festival’s Spring Launch. As an Official VFF Media Sponsor, I was on hand to speak to Reshmi with Newstalk 1010’s The Rush, Host & Spring Launch MC, Reshmi Nair. about what can be expected at this year’s June 19th-June 22nd event from The Talent & Screenings to The After-Parties and Awards Gala with this year’s nominees, winners, and musical guests. I also talk with Antonio Ienco, VFF Co-Founder and Director of Sponsorship & Events about how far the festival has come from inception to now it’s 11th year. Learn Morewww.vaughanfilmfestival.comSummer Under the Stars Binge-a-thon! Watch this Episode with Our Compliments and Consider Becoming a Member of Janette’s TV YouTube Channel And hit the BELL to be notified of more upcoming Season 12 episodes! Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

What is masculinity and how do we embrace & display masculinity across cultures? That is the main theme of the movie, Brother  and a large part of what I discussed on The Canadian Screen Actors red carpet and in the press room with the cast of the 2022 Canadian drama film, written, produced, and directed by Clement Virgo. An adaptation of David Chariandy's award-winning novel, Brother  scored an impressive 12 awards including Best Picture and Best Direction. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

It’s something we don’t like to speak or think of happening in Canada – a country that prides itself on welcoming immigrants and embracing cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity and differences Yet, many minorities contend with racism and intolerance every day. Perhaps, you are one of those people.   In Riceboy Sleeps, Korean/Canadian Actor, Filmmaker, Writer and Producer, Anthony Shim, addresses these very issues; unlike others who have recalled the trauma of immigrating to this country in their films.   Winner of Best Original Screenplay at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards, Riceboy Sleeps is a 2022 Canadian drama that Shim also edited and directed. Based in part on his own childhood, the film centers on So-Young (Choi Seung-yoon), a Korean immigrant single mother raising her teenage son Dong-Hyun (Ethan Hwang) after losing her husband and moving to Canada in the 1990’s to give him a better life. In Canada, they fight for acceptance and respect. Dong-hyun is brutally bullied by his classmates at school, and he isn’t helped by the timid, distinctly Canadian racism of his teacher and principal, who consider the family “troublesome.” At work, So-young battles loneliness and racist and sexist comments. As they negotiate with their separate circumstances, the rift between mother and son grows. Unwelcome news sparks an unplanned return to South Korea — and the in-laws So-young hasn’t spoken to in many years — but might open the possibility of mutual understanding. Shim’s deep engagement with his subjects sparks profound, affecting revelations. So-young’s joyride in a convertible heartbreakingly underscores the emotional weight of dealing with life in a new country and raising a headstrong child alone. An offhand remark in class that ends in a fight shows how tightly wound and ill at ease Dong-hyun is — even as a teenager. Throughout the film, Shim expertly balances the very different perspectives of a boy and his mother, poignantly capturing his loneliness and frustration, her isolation, and sacrifices. It premiered in the Platform Prize program at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022, and was named the winner of the program's award. It had its international premiere at the 27th Busan International Film Festival in October 2022.   I met up with Shim on the red carpet at The 2023 Canadian Screen Awards to discuss the message he wants audiences to take away from this movie. Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos

Whatever season or occasion, we owe it to ourselves to always look our best and make a good impression.   Our wardrobe is a key factor in achieving this and should reflect our unique personal style & brand, as well as accentuate our bodies, and make us feel comfortable.   As a fashion lover and accredited media at The One of A Kind Spring Show Toronto’s ladies night, it was wonderful to watch The Fashion Show proudly displaying the latest styles, colours, fabrics, patterns and trends. Wardrobe therapy!   More inspiration and wardrobe ideas came from my interview with fellow fashionista Lauren Mair, owner of ELLEMAIR CO - a clothing company that is made with passion and soul and promotes that you love your fashion, but not at the cost of our planet, animals, or people.    We discuss her philosophy, creative and artistic background that she incorporates into the beauty and versatility of the down to earth, bohemian duster statement pieces she produces from recycled and vintage pieces in vivid fabrics. Each can be dressed-up or down, worn alone or as an accent piece to make your soul happy every day, even while traveling Sign up to become a member of Janette's TV Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/@JanettesTV/videos Support the show

Regardless of how you define it, art is something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful, expressing important ideas or feelings. It’s interpretive, surrounding our homes, offices, streets, and cities, and thus, a significant part of our lives. While covering The One Of A Kind Spring Show Toronto Ladies Night as accredited media, I met Mixed Media Toronto-based Artist, Morgan Jones. His unique tea party complete with his ballerina model and work immediately caught my eye. I just had to interview him! We talked about his former career as Director of Sales for a large consumer electronics company, how he became a self-taught full-time artist, and why. How he’s inspired by the casual observation of people and life around him, and how his work is constantly evolving. The multi-step process he uses to create his art, his keen eye for texture and composition, coupled with a whimsical flare, Morgan creates works that are aesthetically engaging while also evoking a visceral response in the viewer.

Have you stayed longer than you should have in an abusive relationship due to codependency?  Do you recall being anxious all the time without being sure why?     Filmed in Canada, Alice, Darling, Oscar-Nominated actress, Anna Kendrick (“Alice”) captures the anxious psychology of a woman in an abusive relationship as her friends try to reconnect with her while on a cottage getaway.   When Alice is invited on a cottage trip to celebrate her friend’s birthday, she feels like she has to lie to her charming and successful boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick), telling him that it’s a very important business trip. Her longtime friends, played by Kaniehtiio Horn (Letterkenny) and Wunmi Mosaku (Lovecraft Country) want Alice to enjoy their time together, but she just doesn’t seem present. With Simon continuously texting her, it becomes clear that she’s being closely monitored by him and her phone turns into an overbearing conduit for emotional abuse. Once they realize what’s happening, Alice’s friends try to convince her that her relationship isn’t normal, but she continues to doubt herself, constantly modulating where she goes or what she eats, unable to disconnect from Simon, even though she knows she’s unhappy. As the weekend progresses, not only their friendship hangs in the balance, but also Alice’s safety. The women become entangled in a psychological tug-of-war with Simon, who continues his attempts at excising Alice from those closest to her. Written by Alanna Francis, returning to TIFF 2022 after 2019’s The Rest of Us, and intelligently realized by Mary Nighy, Alice, Darling captures the apprehension and dread that haunt victims of domestic abuse. Nighy’s direction puts particular focus on the little details that serve as warning signs and, coupled with a meticulous performance from Kendrick, she creates a tense atmosphere that serves as a unique portrait of psychological manipulation and one young woman’s effort to overcome it with the support of her friends. As accredited media, I was at their TIFF 2022 red carpet premier to talk to Nighy, Noah Segal (co-president at Elevation Pictures Corp), Kendrick (who in part accepted this role after being in her own abusive relationship for over 6 years), Francis, and Carrick about their roles, the importance of bringing this story to the big screen, and lots more!

Whether you marched in the civil rights movement, personally experience, or know a visible minority who continues to experience racism in our society today (sadly, incidents of crimes against humanity, discrimination and racism are still reported regularly), Sidney is a documentary portrait of the late, great Sidney Poitier. Produced by Oprah Winfrey & Derik and directed by Reginald Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang, Marshall), this piece showcases his films, life story, and litany of accomplishments as an artist and activist who forever changed what it means to be Black in America. Poitier’s own words provide the narration of his life. Woven together is a rich mix of archive footage and contemporary interviews with a stellar group of interview subjects — from the late cultural critic Greg Tate to Halle Berry, Denzel Washington to Spike Lee, to Barbra Streisand, and Oprah. Poitier’s contemporaries and the holders of his legacy detail just how extraordinary his rise was, from early failure at the American Negro Theater to Oscar-nominated roles in films like The Defiant Ones, to becoming the living, big-screen embodiment of America’s hopes for racial justice. Poitier’s rise to stardom occurred in tandem with his commitment to social change, marching for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., and helping to usher Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, a milestone in portraying Black American experience, from Broadway to the big screen. Watching signature scenes from his films, getting a glimpse of rare footage from his life beyond Hollywood, and seeing how pivotal his life and example has been for so many of today’s icons, it’s clear that there never was and never can be a figure quite like Sidney Poitier. The movie premiered at TIFF 2022. I was there as accredited media working the red carpet. It was an honor to speak with Reginald, and see in-person Sidney’s wife & daughters, Oprah, Tyler Perry, and Gayle King relay the power and impact of Sidney Potier, who paved the way for them.

Women Talking is a 2022 drama film written and directed by Sarah Polley. It is based on the Canadian 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, and inspired by the gas-facilitated rapes that occurred at the Manitoba Colony, a remote and isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia. It features an ensemble cast that includes Oscar-Winning actresses, Rooney Mara , Claire Foy (young “Queen Elizabeth” in Seasons 1 & 2 of Netflix’s The Crown), Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand, who also served as a producer on the film. Women Talking premiered at the 49th Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2022, and was released in the United States via select theaters on December 23, 2022, before a wide release on January 27, 2023, by United Artists Releasing. The film received positive reviews from critics, who lauded Polley's screenplay and direction, the performances of the cast (particularly of Foy, Buckley, and Whishaw) and score. It was named one of the top ten films of 2022 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 28th Critics' Choice Awards, 75th Writers Guild of America Awards, and the 95th Academy Awards, where it was also nominated for Best Picture. In this episode, I take you behind-the-scenes at Tiff (Toronto International Film Festival) 2022 to share with you more about the film, the various ways the women in the film deal with rape & their Mennonite culture in a riveting Q & Q with Polley and the cast minus Frances McDormand who was not in attendance.