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CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Production company for popular werewolf romantasy filmed in Vancouver placed under creditor protection
Social Sharing Fantasy werewolves are set to haunt Shiver — the much-anticipated film based on the first novel in the Wolves of Mercy Falls romantasy series which wrapped filming in Vancouver late last year. But the financial wolves at the doors of the movie's producers have put Shiver on ice — forcing the production company formed to make the film into insolvency and leaving hundreds of Canadian creditors out millions of dollars. A B.C. Supreme Court judge placed Mercy Falls B.C. Inc into creditor protection this week after proceedings which lay bare a battle between the film's producers and the U.S.-based studio which allegedly pledged $20 million to make the movie. " Shiver was a big production in British Columbia," says James Joyce, who is owed more than $24,000 for his work delivering the snow and ice needed to turn Lower Mainland sets into the movie's Minnesota setting. "They put a lot of people to work, and those people — you know what it's like — you've got to pay your bills," Joyce says. "You paid for your gas to go to work, or you paid for your groceries to go to work, or if you're in the catering company, or you provide porta-potties or whatever. You've put that money out and now I guess (the producer) can't pay anybody." 'An imminent crisis' The legal filings provide a window into a financial fight as pitched — if not quite as supernatural — as the interplay between humans and werewolves in author Maggie Stiefvater's best-selling young adult fiction books. The central characters in the court battle are Jeanette Volturno, president of Mercy Falls BC Inc., the company incorporated to produce Shiver and Ryan Hamilton, director of the Wyoming-based studio which owns the rights to make the book into a movie. In an affidavit, Volturno claims as of May 8, the studio had only paid $11 million of the $20 million it agreed to provide and what cash it had given "frequently, if not always, came late, and was sent in piecemeal advances from various sources." "The failure by the studio to meet its funding obligations has caused an imminent crisis," writes Volturno — an American who has worked on more than 95 feature films, including The Hunger Games and Academy Award winners Whiplash and Get Out. "The (production company) has no access to the cash required to pay its vendors and trade creditors, which has put the production at a standstill." Shiver stars American actress and singer Maddie Ziegler as human Grace Brisbane and Australian actor and model Levi Miller as her werewolf boyfriend Sam Roth, who tempers his lupine lifestyle with shifts as his human self at a local bookstore. The court documents say production began on the film in August 2024, with principal photography wrapping up in early December, when a lack of funds ground production to a halt. "The production is now in the post-production phase, which consist of film editing, sound editing, audio and music, visual effects, creating a trailer and promoting and marketing the film to potential purchasers," Volturno's affidavit reads. "The film was originally scheduled to be released to the public in July 2026. If (the production company) is able to pay its creditors and resume work, it intends to continue the production to completion in order to finish the film." Studio wants to complete film The creditor protection process is intended to give a debtor breathing space by preventing any legal action from going ahead without the permission of the court while a company restructures or finds financing to pay off its debts . The judge overseeing the case also appointed a third-party monitor to oversee the production company's finances. Last week, Hamilton filed an affidavit objecting to the proposal for creditor protection, accusing Volturno of substituting "substandard personnel on the production" and refusing to share information on the status of millions of dollars worth of provincial film tax credits. Hamilton says his studio — not Volturno's production company — owns the intellectual property rights to any part of Shiver already in the can. He says the studio "has never sold, given, or otherwise relinquished any of its comprehensive rights in the film," meaning any deals "premised upon the ownership or sale of the film by (Volturno's production company) would constitute misappropriation of studio property." "It is (the) studio's intention to complete and sell the film," Hamilton wrote, calling on the judge to let the parties settle their differences "through routine business negotiation" instead of the Canadian courts. "(The) studio is also the only realistic source of such financing in the future." 'Shame on you all' According to the court filings, the production company owes $6.6 million to a variety of creditors in the US. and Canada — including more than $42,000 to the City of Vancouver and $17,500 to the Canada Revenue Agency. Even award-winning Australian director Claire McCarthy is out $22,480 — money Volturno says has to be paid "before Ms. McCarthy will continue to work on the film." The court documents include lengthy email chains from creditors like Wendy Cohen — the head of a New York-based company which handles clearance and product placement. "I've been told this $2,000 is forthcoming on five separate occasions now," she wrote Hamilton earlier this month. "In all my years in the film business I have never come across such blatant lying and stealing. Shame on you all. You should find another field to work in as you obviously don't know how to budget or produce a film." Mark Hirschi, the owner of Salmon's Transfer, is owed more than $43,000 for the work his company did packing, temporarily moving and unpacking the contents of houses used as sets during filming to "make it look like nobody was there." He says the financial problems surrounding Shiver have had a huge impact on the local film industry. "It raises the hairs on the back of your neck," he says. "It makes you way more hesitant to work with the film industry, because there's a sense of trust. When you're working with other companies, we all have a sense of trust. You want to rely on that person to pay the bill. You've done the service, you pay the bill."
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Abbey Church on Parnell Square finally sheds its scaffolding after 18 years
The 180-foot spire of the Abbey Presbyterian Church, which featured in James Joyce's Ulysses and Dubliners, is now displayed in all its glory after a restoration project finished. The church is 160 years old this year and was constructed under the guidance of Scottish architect Andrew Heiton. Dublin merchant Alexander Findlater bankrolled the £14,000 project which took two years to build. The scaffolding on the tower face and spire was installed to protect people on the ground in case any remnants of the structural damage fell onto the street below. The restoration – partly funded by the historic structures fund – involved extensive stone repairs, the installation of stainless steel components, as well as cleaning, repointing and decorative work. According to Reverend Alan Boal, the church fell into disrepair after the wrong building materials were used on a restoration project in the 1960s. Concrete was used instead of the original materials of lime mortar. 'The concrete eventually cracked which let water in and eroded the iron work which held the thing together,' Reverend Boal said. 'It's called a cantilever scaffold and it was there purely to protect people on the ground in case something fell off the building.' Reverand Boal said it was difficult to fundraise for the restoration of the abbey. 'We really struggled to raise the money, so we sold a building that we originally had. The heritage grant has been a really big support for us,' he said. Despite the tower being marred by scaffolding for 18 years, the actual building took just over a year. 'Ironically, the work we had to do actually hasn't taken long. It was redoing a restoration job that wasn't particularly well done in the 1960s and 70s,' he said. 'Because the Abbey is a protected structure, we had to ensure that all of the facing stone came from the exact same quarry in Devon.' Green Party local councillor Janet Horner said scaffolding on a building can impact the way people view our city. 'Unfortunately, in Dublin, we have a problem with timelines. These maintenance projects tend to bloat very quickly,' she said. 'It does impact how people see the city, construction sites everywhere and scaffolding on display can lead to a hostile environment.' Cllr Horner says the redevelopment of the Abbey Church has come just at the right time 'That whole area is up for redevelopment when the Parnell Library comes in. Having that building on display really helps to add to that cultural quarter,' she said. 'Between the library, the Hugh Lane Gallery and the Poetry Museum which is coming around, having the square looking its best will be incredible. 'I really want to see those projects delivered as soon as possible,' she added.
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Travel + Leisure
7 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Underrated City Is Called the 'Coffee Capital' of Italy—and It Was Named One of the Best Places to Travel in 2025
Take an evening stroll on Piazza Unita d'Italia, the 'living room' of Trieste and the largest seafront square in Europe. Enjoy fin de siècle glamour and views of the Gulf of Trieste from a balcony suite at Savoia Excelsior Palace, one of the city's grand dame hotels. Enjoy a guided tour of Miramare Castle, the home of the ill-fated Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, and be sure to spend time in the peaceful botanical gardens. If you're visiting in early October, don't miss Barcolana, the largest sailing race in the world, with thousands of boats participating. Sip on literary history at Caffè San Marco, the vintage coffeehouse where James Joyce and his contemporaries once held court. On just about any list of must-see places in Italy, Trieste isn't usually in the top 10. But one visit to this elegant city, with its broad, palace-lined piazzas, impressive literary chops, and fascinating history, and you'll soon see what the rest of the world is missing out on. Facing the northernmost Adriatic Sea, Trieste is in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, set on a sliver of land just a few kilometers wide and surrounded on two sides by Slovenia. For more than 500 years, it was one of the most strategically important cities for the Habsburg Dynasty, and later, a crucial seaport for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the Cold War, Trieste's location just outside the Iron Curtain made it a hotbed for espionage, defections, smuggling, and other international intrigues. The city has long attracted artists, writers, and intellectuals, and a cerebral, film-noir-like vibe still pervades, especially in the city center. Modern Trieste is a mix of its past—part Italian, part Slavic-Slovenian, and part Austrian-German. And while the city's geopolitical importance may have faded, its deepwater port is increasingly attracting large cruise ships that have been banished from Venice, located roughly two hours southwest. That means more and more travelers are discovering the sophisticated charms of this seaside city. Travel + Leisure even named it one of the best places to travel in 2025. So make sure to grab your seat at a sidewalk cafe before they're all taken. Guest room in Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Wellness Resort. Trieste's reigning five-star property, Grand Hotel Duchi d'Aosta, overlooks Piazza Unita d'Italia and features rooms and suites with a spot-on mix of modern and early 20th-century style. The James Joyce Suite pays tribute to the Irish novelist, who spent much of his adult life and his most productive years in Trieste—even if he could never have afforded such posh digs. Rooms at Savoia Excelsior Palace, first opened in 1911, can feel a little business-like, says Florence-based editor Mary Gray. 'But you really can't beat the port views from the suite balconies.' We love that the hotel retains so many original details, including elaborate molded ceilings and an exuberant white stucco facade. 'Triestini are warm and welcoming,' says Gray. 'I learned this on my first visit when I stayed at this cozy hole-in-the-wall hotel within walking distance of all the main attractions.' Family-run and set in a house from the 1700s, this intimate 10-room lodging has exposed stone walls and wood-beam ceilings. There are also five self-catering apartments for rent, some of which have balconies. Set about 30 minutes from Trieste, this seafront resort offers easy access to the city, though it's tempting to just stay on property and enjoy the ample amenities, including a European-style Purobeach club with multiple pools plus a spa, shops, and several restaurants and bars. Aerial view of Miramare he sailed off to Mexico, where his short-lived reign as Emperor Maximilian I ended in front of a firing squad, Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian oversaw the construction of Castello di Miramare. Set on a dramatic promontory on the Gulf of Trieste, the striking white stone castle contains its original furnishings and artwork, including the archduke's study, designed to resemble a wooden ship's interior. Our guided tour brought the castle and the stories of Ferdinand and his bride, Princess Charlotte of Belgium, to vivid life. The extensive, wooded gardens are delightful. Trieste is known for its grand 19th-century architecture, but its past dates back much further—to the second millennium B.C.E. The Città Vecchia, or Old City, is a medieval area built over older Roman ruins, on narrow streets which likely follow their original Roman layout. Home to a Roman theater, charming litle cafes, shops, and guesthouses, the Città Vecchia is a fine base for exploring Trieste. There's a lot to unpack at Museo d'Antichità J.J. Winckelmann, Trieste's main archaeological museum, which contains artifacts from the immediate area and throughout the Mediterranean. But according to British writer William Cook, 'The main draw is the eerie memorial to the man after whom it's named, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, a German art historian and archaeologist who is widely regarded as the founding father of modern archaeology. Winckelmann was passing through Trieste when he befriended a young man, Francesco Arcangeli, who murdered him here, for reasons which remain unclear.' Winckelmann is buried at Trieste Cathedral. Ringed by neoclassical and Liberty-style buildings, Piazza Unita d'Italia is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in Europe for its grand dimensions and dramatic seaside setting. By day, you can ogle yachts in the Gulf of Trieste and espy the distant Dolomites. Come evening, sip a spritz or a prosecco in one of the elegant cafes fronting the piazza. In the summertime, the piazza is the setting for concerts and other events. A restaurant on the water in Trieste. Vegetarians, or anyone who's not in the mood for a heaping plate of boiled meat, might find this historic eatery somewhat challenging. But it's a Trieste tradition and typical of the Austro-Hungarian buffets that serve meat, meat, and more meat, accompanied by pickles, sauerkraut, potatoes, and spicy mustard. 'For dinner, it's well worth the cab fare to venture outside the center for comforting goulash and other delicacies in an elegant, old-world lodge setting,' says Gray of Antica Trattoria Suban. It's been in the same family since its 1865 debut, when the original Suban used his lottery winnings to open a restaurant. Despite a meat-heavy menu, vegetarians will find plenty of choices here. Trieste is known as the coffee capital of Italy, and that's saying a lot considering how much Italians love their java. Caffè degli Specchi, located right on Piazza Unita d'Italia, offers the quintessential coffee-drinking experience in Trieste, with tufted chairs and antique fixtures, plus espresso and other coffee drinks, pastries, and brunch fare served with much pomp and circumstance. This Trieste institution lacks the piazza views of the more famous Caffè degli Specchi, but according to Gray, 'the people-watching is equally excellent, and there's a whole bookshop inside.' James Joyce was a regular, and he and his contemporaries would still feel at home in the well-preserved Art Nouveau interior. Archway leading to Miramare Park in Trieste, calls winters in Trieste 'gloomy in the best possible way,' but visitors not in the mood for cold, windy days will do best to visit from late spring to early fall. The Barcolana, the world's largest sailing race, takes place at the beginning of October and involves thousands of sailboats of all sizes. Be sure to book your hotel well in advance if you plan to visit during this period. In the summer months, the normally chilly waters of the northern Adriatic Sea are warm enough for swimming, and beaches near Trieste, especially Barcola and Grignano, fill up with sunseekers. A busy street in Old Town, Trieste. Trieste can be reached by train, plane or car. Trenitalia regional and high-speed trains from Venice travel at least once an hour to Trieste, and the journey takes between two and three hours. Private high-speed carrier Italo also runs trains between Venice and Trieste. Reachable by train from Trieste, Trieste Airport is about 30 minutes from the city, and welcomes flights from within Italy and other points in Europe. The closest airport with flights arriving from the U.S. is Venice Marco Polo Airport, about a two-hour drive from Trieste. Much of Trieste's historic center, as well as the Città Vecchia, is walkable. The city is served by an extensive bus network operated by Trieste Trasporti, which also offers ferry service to points along the coastline, including Miramare Castle. Delfino Verde also offers seasonal ferry service. Taxis are readily available in Trieste, and you can call them via Radio Taxi Trieste or the Uber app. It's not necessary to have a car to explore Trieste, though a rental may come in handy for reaching suburban areas or venturing into neighboring Slovenia or Croatia. Otherwise, if you drive to Trieste, you'll likely be able to park your rental car and stick to exploring on foot or via public transportation.
The Guardian
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Gertrude Stein: an Afterlife by Francesca Wade – how a literary legend was made
When The Autobiography of Alice B Toklas was published in 1933, it made 60-year-old Gertrude Stein famous after decades of obscurity. The book painted a thrilling picture of life among the Parisian haute bohème in the early years of the 20th century. Picasso, Matisse, Scott Fitzgerald and Ezra Pound all made repeat appearances at the apartment in Rue de Fleurus which Stein shared with her partner Toklas. After decades of pushing language to its limits, Stein had written The Autobiography in a comparatively accessible style with jokes and anecdotes and full sentences. Or, as one relieved critic noted at the time, Gertrude Stein had finally started making sense. In this thoughtful and deeply researched book, Francesca Wade explains that the success of The Autobiography had the unintended effect of moving the focus from Stein as a writer to Stein as a celebrity. While she loved the fame and money, what Stein really wanted was to be acknowledged for her earlier, more radical work in which words were set free from the shackles of meaning and grammar. The fact that her epic The Making of Americans, composed between 1902 and 1911, failed to find a publisher until 1925 had meant that James Joyce and TS Eliot, whose respective breakthroughs came in 1922 with the publication of Ulysses and The Wasteland, were regularly hailed as the founders of literary modernism. This left Stein looking like a latecomer or, worse still, a copycat. To have a chance of asserting her primacy, Stein wanted her entire archive, published and unpublished, novels as well as shopping lists, deposited at Yale where it would be made available for generations of scholars and critics (not biographers, whom she hated). Their job, as she saw it, would be to restore 'Gertrude Stein' to her rightful place as the true originator of what she called 'modern writing'. Mostly, the plan worked. Gradually the suggestion that Stein was a pretentious fraud faded away to be replaced by the idea she was a dazzling innovator who had blown the cobwebs off literary language and ushered in an entirely new way of recording human experience. By giving her book the subtitle 'An Afterlife', Wade signals that it is this process of making and remaking Gertrude Stein's posthumous reputation that is her main focus. So it is odd that she spends half her lengthy text retelling Stein's very well-known life, from the early days as a medical student in Baltimore to the last scary years hiding out from the Nazis in the French countryside (although they seldom acknowledged their Jewishness, Stein and Toklas knew that they were at high risk of being sent to a concentration camp). As a result, it is not until page 204, following Stein's death from cancer in 1946, that Wade embarks on the more interesting and original aspects of her investigation. At this point we are introduced to a new cast of characters – the librarians, academics and even despised biographers – who pile into Yale and rifle through the enormous archive. Inevitably there are rivalries and fallings out. One of the chief actors is Leon Katz, who interviewed Toklas in the winter of 1952 and plucked up the courage to show her a vitriolic attack that Stein had written in 1907 describing her future life partner as 'ungenerous, conscienceless, mean, vulgarly triumphant and remorselessly caddish, in short just plain low'. Katz guarded his notes like a terrier, even refusing to show them to the equally tenacious Janet Malcolm when she was writing her own study of the Stein-Toklas relationship in 2007. But on Katz's death in 2017 his notes passed into the archive and Wade believes she is the first person to have made use of them, although they were published in 2021. This is a big win, not least because it throws new light on the genesis of The Autobiography. Far from being a celebration of a serene and settled relationship, it now looks as though the crowd-pleasing classic was composed by Stein in a desperate attempt to keep Toklas from storming out after one provocation too many. But if Wade had written a shorter and more focused investigation of Stein's posthumous reptuation, perhaps it would have showcased her achievement to even better effect. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion Gertrude Stein: an Afterlife by Francesca Wade is published by Faber (£20). To support the Guardian order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
Press and Journal
20-05-2025
- Press and Journal
5 extreme day trips you can jet to from Aberdeen Airport
When you think of day trips from Aberdeen, you may envision Stonehaven, Ballater or even Dundee as a destination, but what about a little further afield? Well, if you have the stamina for it and a knack for extreme day tripping, then there are several destinations you could visit beyond the north-east of Scotland. Aberdeen Airport has several routes that cater to those seeking a great day out, such as to Norway, Ireland, Poland and the Netherlands. Here are five international destinations for extreme day trippers from Aberdeen Airport. The Dutch capital and the Granite City are very well connected, with several KLM flights daily transporting passengers across the North Sea. You can indulge in the canal-lined streets, curious architecture and delicious cuisine including a freshly made stroopwafel. The frequency of flights means you can enjoy a good amount of time in Amsterdam – up to 14 hours. Attractions include the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. 6am–8.30am, 9.10am–11.45am 9.45pm–10.15pm, 10.40pm–11.10pm Known as the city of seven mountains, Bergen has long been a gateway to the famous fjords of Norway. Attractions in this coastal city include Bryggen, a row of buildings along the harbourfront which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is also a funicular which trundles up to the top of Mount Fløyen, offering panoramic views over the city and surrounding landscape. There are cruises which take you out into the majestic fjords. A late morning flight out and an evening flight back, means you have around seven hours in Bergen. 8.50am–11.10am 6.10pm–6.35pm (Mon–Sat), 4.10pm–4.35pm (Sun) If you are looking for the perfect nature photo opportunity, then Stavanger is hard to beat. Norway's fourth-largest city has some incredible viewpoints including Preikestolen, also known as Preacher's Pulpit. Stavanger is also considered the twin city of Aberdeen due to its deep connections with oil and energy, with the city home to the Norwegian Petroleum Museum. Early flights to and from Stavanger are operated by Wideroe and evening flights by SAS, offering around five hours in the city during the week. 8.30am–10.50am (Mon–Fri) 4.35pm–4.40pm (Mon–Fri) The home of Guinness, Dublin is known for its lively pub scene and friendly atmosphere. Attractions include the Guinness Storehouse, Temple Bar and the National Museum of Ireland. The museum features one of the finest collections of prehistoric gold artefacts in Europe. Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature, and has been home to many literary giants, including James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and W.B. Yeats. 9.50am–11.30am (Mon–Thu), 7.40am–9am (Sat) 6.30pm–8.10pm (Mon), 6.35am–8.15pm (Tue), 6.25pm–8.05pm (Wed), 7.50pm–9.30pm (Sun) A port city on the Baltic Sea, Gdansk is steeped in history, with the main town reconstructed after the Second World War. Dating back to the 14th century, the Zuraw is the oldest surviving port crane in Europe and forms part of the National Maritime Museum. It is a popular destination for budget-friendly travellers as it is very affordable. Wizz Air operates the flights, with Wednesday the preferred day for travel. 9.10am–12.20pm (Mon, Wed, Fri) 7.45pm–9.10pm (Wed), 6pm–7.25pm (Mon, Fri) In addition to international destinations, Aberdeen Airport also has flights out to the Northern Isles of Scotland. The capital of Orkney, Kirkwall is a great destination from Aberdeen, being only a 55-minute flight. Orkney's history dates back millennia, with one of the highlights being the Neolithic stone village of Skara Brae – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other attractions include the Italian Chapel, Highland Park Distillery and Scapa Flow. Orkney is also home to one of the best aviation bucket-list trips – the shortest scheduled flight in the world from Westray to Papa Westray, taking about one minute. 8.50am–9.45am (Mon–Fri) 5.15pm–6.05pm (Mon–Fri) Shetland is a group of rugged and scenic islands and is the northernmost part of the UK. The islands are deeply connected to their Viking heritage, celebrated every January during Up Helly Aa. It is also a great place to view wildlife, including orcas, seabirds, and of course the iconic Shetland pony. Sumburgh Airport is located on the southern tip of Shetland and travellers will need to hire a car or catch a bus to get to the main town of Lerwick. 6.35am–7.40am (Mon–Fri) 7.45pm–8.45pm (Mon–Fri)
