(April 2, 2014 – Toronto, Ontario) Shooting had just started on Turbo Kid, a new Canada-New Zealand co-pro when Toronto-based Raven Banner Entertainment announced it had scooped up distribution rights for Canada, minus Québec. The film brings together a wealth of talent including the Montreal film collection RKSS, producers Anne-Marie Gélinas, Benoît Beaulieu of EMAfilms, and Ant Timpson and Tim Riley of T&A Films. Topping off the list is the annoucement that producer-writer-director Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun, ABCs of Death) has signed on and adds his genre-busting experience in the role of Executive Producer.
Written and directed by RKSS, a Montreal Collective that includes Anouk Whissell, François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissell, Turbo Kidtells the story of a post-apocalyptic parallel future of 1997 where an orphaned teenager called The Kid scavenges the wasteland searching for relics from a better time… the 80s. During one of his expeditions he meets Apple, a mysterious girl with a rather large secret. As their relationship deepens they accidentally run afoul of Zeus, the self-proclaimed leader of Wasteland. Zeus, a sadistically droll maniac who murdered The Kid’s parents and now controls the lands most precious commodity, fresh water. When Apple is kidnapped by Zeus’ gang, The Kid joins forces with Frederick, the laconic leader of the legendary Arm-Wrestling clan. Armed with little more than blind faith and an ancient turbo-charged weapon he discovers, The Kid must fulfill his ultimate destiny; destroy Zeus, avenge his parents death and get the girl of his dreams.
“RKSS are visionary filmmakers who have the unique ability to take token genre conventions and turn them completely inside out,” stated Raven Banner’s Michael Paszt. “Getting involved was an absolute no brainer for the Raven Banner brand.”
Fuelled by offbeat humour with lashings of action and gore, Turbo Kid stars the iconic Michael Ironside (Starship Troopers, Scanners) as Zeus, Munro Chambers (Degrassi – The Next Generation, Cracked) as The Kid, Laurence Leboeuf (19-2, Trauma) as Apple, Aaron Jeffery (X-Men Origins) as Frederic, Edwin Wright (Top of the Lake) as Skeletron and Romano Orzari (Omertà) as Bagu. The film is a hyper-aware slice of hybrid pop-entertainment. One that draws inspiration from Italian post-apocalyptic epics, Peter Jackson splatter comedies, the Mad Max trilogy and 80s fad movies like Thrashin’ yet manages to transform from mere homage to become something completely unique and genuine to the world of genre film.
Téléfilm Canada and the New Zealand Film Commission are funding partners. Canadian producers Anne-Marie Gélinas & Benoit Beaulieu (EMAfilms) have released several features. Their most recent production is Mars & Avril, Martin Villeneuve`s futuristic sci-fi love-story. The film garnered international acclaim and was also honoured with many nominations in Québec and Canada. Anne-Marie Gélinas was the Line Producer of Rebelle (War Witch) that went on to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars®. T&A Films was born from the partnership between two New Zealanders, arts & entertainment lawyer Tim Riley and renowned producer and distributor Ant Timpson.
While Raven Banner has most of Canada, Filmoption International has secured rights for Québec. The United States will be covered by Epic Pictures (V/H/S, Zombeavers), which also serves as the film`s international Sales Agent.
Raven Banner Entertainment is a sales, distribution and production company specializing in genre films for the worldwide market. Whiles its expertise is in strategic project management and campaigns, the company can also be involved in any and all aspects of production, from acquisition, representation, negotiation, marketing management and plans, and sales.
With shooting just starting on Turbo Kid it makes sense that no release date has been announced.
Leboeuf
