Joe Media Group

(CALGARY – August 25th, 2009) Joe Media Group, a Calgary-based production company, earned 2 prestigious Gemini nominations. At a national press conference held today in Toronto nominees were announced. The critically acclaimed The Secret of the Nutcracker was nominated for Best Television Movie and Calgary’s Louise Middleton was nominated for Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series.

The Secret of the Nutcracker
Broadcaster: CBC Television

"We are extremely proud of our movie and the incredibly Alberta talented crew led by Producer Shirley Vercruysse who worked on it," says Joe Novak, President and CEO of Joe Media. "We are also very pleased that Louise Middleton's amazing design work is being recognized", says Matt Gillespie, "and the awards she has won for this show."

The Secret of the Nutcracker is also being released for the first time on Blu-ray DVD in Canada and the United States. Shot in Alberta, the movie tells of 12 year-old Clara’s magical journey on Christmas Eve to find her father in a World War II POW camp. Help eventually comes from an unexpected and mysterious stranger named Drosselmeyer, who befriends Clara and encourages her to believe that magic can happen. Adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's classic novel by Alberta award-winning playwright John Murrell, The Secret of the Nutcracker features the talent of Brian Cox, Gemini Award-nominee Helene Joy and introduces Edmonton’s Janelle Jorde as Clara.

The Secret of the Nutcracker is directed by Eric Till, produced by Shirley Vercruysse and Jim Sutherland, and features the music of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky recorded by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Four dance spectacles, choreographed by Jean Grand-Maitre featuring the world famous Alberta Ballet, create the magic of Clara's fantasy dream world woven into this dramatic and timeless family story.

The presentation of the 2009 Gemini award categories and special awards will be divided over multiple nights. The 2009 Industry Galas will take place on October 19th and 20th in Toronto, Ontario at The Sound Academy; News, Sports, Documentary, Lifestyle, Drama, Comedy and Variety Awards will be among the categories presented. The 2009 Broadcast Gala will take place on November 14th in Calgary, Alberta broadcast live on CanWest Global and Showcase and is being produced by Joe Media Group (Calgary) and Enter the Picture Productions (Toronto)

For more information on Joe Media please contact:
Missy Venaas, Joe Media Group, 403.398.5408, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Joe Media Group is an award-winning, high-definition television and film production company based in Calgary that specializes in the development, production and post-production of documentary, performance, dramatic, lifestyle and sports event programming.