“Forget the cinema. If you want to see your favourite cinematic universes brought to life, there's only one place to see it truly done justice, and that's on the internet.” – The Telegraph

TORONTO (September 4, 2015) – As Fan Expo Canada begins in Toronto, The Movie Network and Movie Central announced today the premiere date for their new Original Documentary FANARCHY. From director Donna Davies (Nightmare Factory), the 90-minute original Canadian documentary explores this cultural transformation, putting a spotlight on the die-hard fans who risk life, limb, and financial bankruptcy in their quest to pay homage to the films and stories they love. FANARCHY premieres Saturday, Oct. 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada, following screenings at Fan Expo Canada’s GeekFest Film Festival (September 5) and the Atlantic Film Festival (September 18).

** Media Note ** – Download photos at https://www.bellmedia.ca/pr/tv/movie-network/ or http://mediacentre.corusent.com.

For a look at FANARCHY, click here.

The geeks are going mainstream. From remakes of Indiana Jones and recreations of Middle-earth, to Star Trek tributes and superheroes reimagined, the phenomenon known as fan films is rising and becoming a creative force in its own right. With fans no longer satisfied as passive consumers of content, and with affordable technology at their fingertips, they’re now producing more new content per month than studios and networks combined. Whether it’s an original idea or their own personal spin on a favourite film or TV show, fans are taking the reins, revamping the old system, and blurring the line between amateur and professional filmmaking. FANARCHY uncovers this subculture, exposing the burgeoning fan film media landscape and the issues that potentially complicate it: copyright, intellectual property, and the concept of originality in a remix culture.

Featured in FANARCHY is the story of famed fan filmmaker Chris Strompolos, creator and star of the cult hit Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation, a 1989 film shot by a group of teenagers that is now making headlines at fan conventions and film festivals around the world, and spurred the recent Jeremy Coon (Napoleon Dynamite)-directed documentary Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made. Also interviewed are: Vic Mignogna, creator and star of Star Trek Continues, a popular fan-produced web series shot in an expansive 18,500-square-foot studio that houses the largest, most complete Star Trek inspired sets in the world; U.K. filmmaker Chris Bouchard, who helmed The Hunt For Gollum, an unofficial prequel to Lord of the Rings released for free with currently over 12.5 million views on YouTube; expert influencer Harry Knowles, founder of Ain’t It Cool News, one of the preeminent fan culture websites in the world; and many more including Maya Glick (Rain: a fan film about Storm), Brea Grant (Best Friends Forever), Greg Nicotero (executive producer/director of THE WALKING DEAD), film critic Leonard Maltin, and author Donald F. Glut, comic book writer and the “Granddaddy” of fan films.

Five fast facts about FANARCHY:

• 207 backers have pledged over $10,000 via Kickstarter to help bring RAIN: A Fan Film about Storm to life
• The creators of the fan-made film, Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation, were contacted by Steven Spielberg and invited to meet him personally
• Vic Mignogna, lifelong fan of the franchise and creator the Star Trek Continues web series, spent his own time and money to rebuild a 9,000 square foot replica of the Star Trek original soundstage
• The creators of the Elfquest comic book series gave the creators of Elfquest: A Fan Reimagining the film and TV options to the franchise after they expired with Warner Bros.
• InnerSpace host Teddy Wilson has a brief cameoFANARCHY is a production from Ruby Tree Films in association with The Movie Network and Movie Central, directed by Donna Davies. The film is produced by Davies and Ann Bernier with the assistance of the Canadian Media Fund, and with the participation of Film and Creative Industries Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Film Industry Tax Credit, and The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. For Bell Media, production executive is Tina Apostolopoulos. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Tracey Pearce is Head, Specialty and Pay, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Entertainment Production and Broadcasting, Bell Media. For Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central, Kale Stockwell, Original Production Coordinator; Chris Bell, Director of Original Programming; and Maria Hale is Executive Vice President, Head of Content Distribution and Pay Television, Corus Entertainment.

  In Eastern Canada, the film will be available on TMN GO and HBO Canada OnDemand. In Western Canada, it will be available on the go with Shaw Go Movie Central app, Bell TV app, Telus Optik on the go, and HBO Canada On Demand.

  HBO Canada is a multiplex channel of Bell Media’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada).