The Trolley IMAX Experience received a tremendous reception at its World Premiere from a capacity audience at Toronto’s Ontario Place Cinesphere IMAX. Exhibited as a special presentation at the Hot Docs Toronto International Documentary Film Festival on Saturday May 5th, the event attracted an enthusiastic audience of more than six hundred.
The screening included an introduction by Alex Rogalski (Hot Docs senior Canadian programmer), a videotaped address by filmmaker Stephen Low (filming at sea for a new IMAX production) and a post-screening Q&A session by producers Pietro Serapiglia and Alexander Low.
Toronto Launch. Following the World Premiere and widespread media coverage (over 51 pieces of coverage and an estimated reach and readership of 227 million), a public run of the The Trolley at Ontario Place Cinesphere is now underway. The launch team for the film are gearing up for an exciting summer of The Trolley at the Cinesphere IMAX and are working to mobilize Torontonians and visitors to the city to share the ride and come down to Toronto’s lakeshore playground to experience this immersive globe-trotting true story of a remarkable invention and its worldwide impact.
About the film. As communities across North America and around the world continue to fight traffic gridlock and debate their transportation needs, a new IMAX documentary shares a story about getting the world on track. The Trolley propels audiences on a journey through some 34 cities and 15 countries to relate the story of a most remarkable invention. The film tackles global warming and urban transportation head-on with an incisive look at a breakthrough electric technology of the 19th century that still beats the pants off transportation technologies of today. Find out more about The Trolley here: The TrolleyAdditional markets. In addition to Ontario Place Cinesphere, The Trolley will also launch at: Pacific Science Centre, Seattle; the Canadian Museum of Civilization (Gatineau); Telus World of Science, Edmonton and; IMAX Victoria at the Royal BC Museum among other locations.
About the Cinesphere, Ontario Place. Recently refurbished with state-of-the-art IMAX-with-Laser projection and proprietary 12-channel sound system, the historic Cinesphere (the first permanent IMAX theatre in the World) is now once again one of the top cinema experiences on the planet. The Cinesphere is located at Ontario Place, Toronto’s recently refurbished and re-launched waterfront playground that includes the Budweiser performance stage, re-designed and re-forested biking and walking paths, beach volleyball and restaurant. To buy tickets and find out more about Ontario Place Cinesphere: Ontario Place – CinesphereAbout Hot Docs. Hot Docs celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. The event has grown into one of the largest and most popular documentary festivals in the world. Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market. Each year, the Festival presents a selection of approximately 200 cutting-edge documentaries from Canada and around the globe. The Trolley is the first IMAX film ever presented at the Hot Docs festival. Find out more about Hot Docs here: hotdocs.ca
Stephen has been recognized with important career honours and his films have earned a host of awards around the world.
HONOURS, MEMBERSHIPS & SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
Honorary Member, Director’s Guild of Canada (Inducted 2012)
Member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences —“Accepted for demonstrating exceptional accomplishments in the field of theatrical motion pictures.” (2004 – present).
Kodak Vision Award, Lifetime Achievement; Large Format Cinema Association (LFCA), Los Angeles, California (2004)
Alumni Honour Award, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario (2005)
Giant Screen Consortium Award – In honour of Stephen Low for his contribution to the Canadian Large Format Industry, Giant Screen Consortium, Canada (2002)
FILM AWARDS (SELECTED)
2021 Best Science Film—Secrets of the Universe; GeekFest Toronto 2021
2021 Best Visual Effects—Secrets of the Universe; Canadian Diversity Film Festival, Toronto
2020 Best Immersive Media—Secrets of the Universe; 6th Annual Raw Science Film Festival, L.A.
2020 Best Physics Movie—Secrets of the Universe; Vienna Science Film Festival, Vienna, Austria
2018 The Remi Special Jury Award—The Trolley; The 52nd Annual WorldFest, Houston, Texas
2018 Winner, Documentary Feature—The Trolley; 2018 Mexico International Film Festival, Mexico
2018 Special Presentation and World Premiere—The Trolley; Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2018, IMAX Cinesphere at Ontario Place, Toronto
2012 Best Film—Rocky Mountain Express; Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA), Sacramento California
2012 Best Cinematography—Rocky Mountain Express; Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA), Sacramento California
2012 Best Sound Editing, Special Venue—Rocky Mountain Express; MPSE Golden Reel Awards
2012 First Prize, Current Affairs—Rescue; 22nd International Military Film Festival, Bracciano, Italy
2011 Maximum Image Award—Titanica; IMAX Hall of Fame
2011 Best Aviation Photography—Fighter Pilot; Fly Film Festival, Poland
2011 Best Short Documentary—Legends of Flight; Skyfest, Asheville, North Carolina
2011 Golden Sheaf Award: Documentary Arts and Culture—Ultimate Wave Tahiti; Yorkton Film Festival, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
2011 Silver Palm Award—Legends of Flight; Mexico International Film Festival
2011 Bronze Palm Award—Ultimate Wave Tahiti; Mexico International Film Festival
2011 Jury Lycéen Award—Ultimate Wave Tahiti; Festival Les Toiles de Mer
2010 Golden Palm Award—Fighter Pilot; Mexico International Film Festival
2010 Best in Show—Fighter Pilot; Skyfest, Asheville, North Carolina
2010 Best Sports Category—Ultimate Wave Tahiti; Blue Ocean Film Festival, Savannah, Georgia
2010 Outstanding Achievement in Action Sports Filmmaking—Ultimate Wave Tahiti; Newport Beach Film Festival, Newport Beach, California
2009 Honorable Mention, Educational Value—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; 6th Annual Montana CINE International Festival, Missoula, Montana
2009 International Finalist, Marine and Earth Sciences—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; Blue Ocean Film Festival, Savannah, Georgia
2009 Honorable Mention, Ocean Exploration and Adventure—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; Blue Ocean Film Festival, Savannah, Georgia
2009 Honorable Mention, Marine Animal Behavior—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; Blue Ocean Film Festival, Savannah, Georgia
2009 Golden Wheel Award—Super Speedway; International Reel Wheel Film Festival, Knoxville, Iowa
2007 Best Scientific Exploration Film—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; The Explorers Club Documentary Film Festival, New York, NY
2006 Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Motion Picture and Television Industries—Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag; Motion Picture Sound Editors
2005 Scientific Literacy Achievement Award—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; Association for Biomedical Reasearch
2004 Grand Prize, Best Film of the Year—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; La Géode Film Festival, Paris
2004 Kodak Vision Award—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA)
2004 Special Achievement in Film—Volcanoes of the Deep Sea; Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA)
2004 Maximum Image Award (Hall of Fame Award)—Beavers; IMAX Corporation (voted by IMAX theaters world-wide).
1999 Best Entertainment DVD—Super Speedway; European DVD Awards, Dublin Castle
1997 Northern Nevada Motion Picture Award—Mark Twain’s America; Low Films International, 1997 Distinguished Business of Nevada
1993 Board of Directors Award for Best IMAX Film—Beavers; Hawaii International Film Festival
1993 Genie Award for Best Feature Length Documentary—Titanica; Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
1990 Gemini Award for Best Writing in an Information / Documentary Program or Series—The Defender; Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
1990 Gemini Award for Best Director in an Information / Documentary Program or Series—The Defender; Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
1989 Best Picture—The Defender; Golden Sheaf Awards, Yorkton Film Festival (Saskatchewan)
1989 Best Director—The Defender; Golden Sheaf Awards, Yorkton Film Festival (Saskatchewan)
1989 Best Script—The Defender; Golden Sheaf Awards, Yorkton Film Festival (Saskatchewan)
1989 Jury Prize for Best IMAX/OMNIMAX Film—Beavers; 2nd International Film Festival de la Géode, Paris
1989 Public Prize for Best IMAX/OMNIMAX Film—Beavers; 2nd International Film Festival de la Géode, Paris
1989 Super Channel Award —The Defender; Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival
1981 Best of Show—Challenger: An Industrial Romance; Cindy Competition / Audio Graphics Films and Information Film Producers of America (Cindys)
1981 Gold Cindy Award—Challenger: An Industrial Romance; Information Film Producers of America (Cindys)
1981 Gold Camera Award (for outstanding creativity in the production of audio/visual communications in international competition)—Challenger: An Industrial Romance – US Industrial Film Festival
1981 The Chris Award—Challenger: An Industrial Romance; 29th Annual Columbus Film Festival
1980 Silver Award—Challenger: An Industrial Romance; San Francisco International Film Festival
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our long time friend and production collaborator, Bill Reeve. A cinematographer, stereographer Bill passed away on Tuesday May 22nd after a battle with cancer.
Bill brought together a fascination with things engineered and the photographic arts to become a master of the IMAX camera. Bill’s contributions to the industry were many and included work on several Stephen Low films: Titanica, Mark Twain’s America (3D), Super Speedway, Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, Fighter Pilot, and Legends of Flight (3D). We will miss you Bill.
Streetcars Get the IMAX Treatment at Hot Docs 2018
The Trolley, a creation of award-winning IMAX filmmaker Stephen Low,
showcases the beauty, history, and impact of one of the greatest innovations in transportation.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 (Toronto, ON) – Filmmaker Stephen Low, who has spent three decades producing and perfecting large-format cinema experiences, will have his newest project, The Trolley, debut as a Special Presentation at Hot Docs 2018. The Trolley propels audiences on a journey around the world to explore the power and potential of the trolley, tram or streetcar—a once nearly forgotten masterpiece of 19th century innovation. The film’s stunning aesthetic and ‘how-things-work’ approach turn a streetcar ride into something extraordinary. Following the trolley’s rollercoaster existence from 19th century invention to near extinction in the 1960s, the film focuses on Toronto as one of the only cities in North America to have retained an extensive streetcar network. The Trolley will have its World Premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on Saturday, May 5 at the Cinesphere, Ontario Place at 3PM EST.
“The Trolley stares down the automobile. In climate change, humanity faces a global crisis that is in scale and complexity unlike anything we have encountered before, yet we already have the solutions. And one of them is staring us in the face,” explains filmmaker Stephen Low. “I had to make this film to give streetcars their due. The film may prove especially poignant and nostalgic for Torontonians, given that streetcars (trolleys) have been these charming fixtures in the city since before we can remember. I hope we are able to give people a look at how and why they evolved – and I hope that the film helps humanize the transit system that is so vital to our lives and future.”
Can the trolley triumph? This film is sure to stimulate passions in its viewers. Showcasing surging urban machines from across of the eras, The Trolley evokes nostalgia, romance and adventure, but also underlines the dramatic transportation dilemma faced by humankind in an era of enduring auto-mania and impending climate catastrophe. In its visuals, its storytelling, its soundtrack, and its overall enchantment, the film is accessible and informative, elucidating the true and enduring magic of streetcars, including the red rockets that have been seen as both a point of pride and contention for so many Torontonians.
The Trolley has one Special Presentations screening at Hot Docs Canadian International Festival, in IMAX: Saturday, May 5 at 3PM EST, Cinesphere, Ontario Place
Links
Find out more about The Trolley here: The Trolley
Find out more about Hot Docs here: hotdocs.ca
The Science Museum of Minnesota. Photo: Diane Carlson.
Rocky Mountain Express will run at the William L. McKnight – 3M Omnitheater at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St-Paul, MN from October 13th, 2017 through March 18th, 2018.
The world premiere of Aircraft Carrier 3D (43-min) was held at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, May 24th, 2017. Aircraft Carrier focuses on the world of naval power and the astounding activity and air operations aboard a giant Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan. The film presents authentically, the true scale and drama of carrier and fleet naval operations to giant screen audiences for the first time.
Gen. Jack Dailey, Director of the National Air and Space Museum and Acting Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Sean J. Stackley welcomed attendees to the Premiere. The project was presented by Bob Kresser, CEO, K2 Communications, with an introduction by the film’s director, Stephen Low.
The film launches in theaters immediately. Filmed in 15/70 motion picture film and Ultra-high-definition digital 3D, Aircraft Carrier is available in both 43-min and 24-min versions, in IMAX® Laser / 12.0 and in all digital 2D and 3D formats.
In celebration of Canada’s 150th Birthday, The Stephen Low Company is pleased to announce the availability of Canada 150 graphics for the promotion of the award-winning IMAX® Experience Rocky Mountain Express.
The Film Connection
Rocky Mountain Express tells the remarkable story of one of the nation’s founding projects: the shaping of a transcontinental railway. Give your audiences the journey of a lifetime aboard CPR locomotive 2816 and help celebrate Canada’s birthday.
An essential promise to partners of Confederation in 1867, the building of a transcontinental railway would tie together the provinces of the Dominion of Canada and its far-flung communities.
A risky, rough and dangerous undertaking, the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway ultimately helped bring connection, industry and prosperity and shaped a place for the new nation in the world.
The new transcontinental linkage also helped citizens and visitors discover how truly spectacular this land called Canada really was.
Join the Party
150 years only comes around once. Make the most of an extraordinary birthday party. Celebrate with Canadians and honorary Canadians everywhere!
Exhibition Formats
Available for exhibition in:
IMAX with Laser
15/70
giant screen digital
Film Licensing
For information on licensing Rocky Mountain Express for your theater, contact: Pietro L. Serapiglia
Sam Roberts expresses appreciation of Rocky Mountain Express. Check out: “Sam Roberts, Part 1: Love Affair With Trains” on the VIA Rail blog. Thanks Sam! Did we mention that the most recent Sam Roberts Band album is called Terraform?
[image: Matt Williams]