'Hotel' is expected to air in March, 2006, but watch this space!

November 10, 2005
Think Fink: Ken Finkleman out of The Newsroom

Ken Finkleman, Canada's equivalent of Ricky Gervais, behind CBC
series "The Newsroom" and "More Tears" is shooting an ambitious,
untitled six-part miniseries, set in a hotel and with 200 roles,
running "the gamut from love story to comedy to murder mystery. Most
shooting was done in Toronto but [Ottawa's] Chateau Laurier was
chosen for several locations, including the kitchen, sub-basement
and retro-looking pool. The sprawling story is framed around two
murders, some 40 years apart, set at a hotel housing a bizarre range
of characters. The project features recognizable Canadian faces such
as Tom McCamus, Don McKellar and Martha Henry, who plays the drug-
and-alcohol addicted facility's owner."

(Thanks to Maria) 

UK drama distributor High Point Films has become the first outfit
outside North America to represent Canadian indie 100 Per Cent Film
and Television, picking up worldwide rights to comedy thriller At
the Hotel.

At the Hotel (6x60') is 100 Per Cent's second series venture
following The Newsroom, which picked up the best comedy gong at the
2005 International Emmys, and stars some of Canada's hottest current
tickets, including Martha Henry (Clean), Hrant Alianak (Monk),
Natalie Lisinska (The Office Temps) as well as Benz Antoine and
Walter Alza who both star in the current 50 Cent film, Get Rich or
Die Trying.

Veteran writer director Ken Finkleman (The Newsroom, Married Life,
Foolish Heart) is behind the project, which is billed as
an "outlandish comedy with thriller undertones" as well as a few
musical numbers.

The series revolves around two unsolved murders, centring episode by
episode on the eccentric guests of Chateau Rousseau, a once grand
but now dilapidated hotel in the heart of Toronto.

At the Hotel has its domestic airing on CBC in Canada in March. High
Point will take the series to the international market at Mip TV in
April.

Jules Grant
27 Jan 2006
© C21 Media 2006

(Thanks to Maria again!)