Ben Proudfoot film ranked 7th on Netflix list

Earlier this fall, we reported that Netflix acquired The Turnaround, a new film from Ben Proudfoot. 

We're delighted to report that The Turnaround is listed in postition #7, of Netflix's “24 Best Documentaries of 2024.”   Congratulations Ben, keep up the great work!

(A reminder that earlier this year, Ben won an Oscar for Best Short Documentary for his film The Last Repair Shop.)

From the December 11th Instagram post by Ben Proudfoot:

Wow!! THANK YOU @nonficsdotcom for the incredible honor of being included on this list “24 Best Documentaries of 2024,” what a stellar group of films to be alongside!

7 is our lucky number, too! ✨

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ben Proudfoot (@bgproudfoot)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calgary: Carisa Hendrix at High Performance Rodeo [Jan 14 - Feb 2]

Tickets at High Performance Rodeo.   (Side note:  Mump & Smoot are also part of next year's rodeo!  We had a great experience taking clowning classes with Michael Kennard.  Great line up for 2025!)

(Keep your ears to the ground Calgary.  Rumour mill has it, that there's a possibility of maybe a Carisa Hendrix lecture or talk too)

Can't wait that long?  Carisa will also be at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!

 

 

From the November 8th Facebook post by High Performance Rodeo:

🎉 Saddle up for some big news! We’re thrilled to reveal the three headliners lighting up the stage at the 39th Annual High Performance Rodeo in 2025! You won’t want to miss these must-see acts. 🤩✨

 

London: After Hours at La Casa -- Dinner and Illusions with James Alan [Dec 21]

From the December 21st Facebook post by La Casa Ristorante:

✨After Hours at La Casa: Dinner and Illusions ✨Join us Saturday, December 21st for a magical night of Christmas with special guest James Alan! Enjoy dinner at 7PM, followed by a magical show at 8:30PM. Tickets just $25—reserve your spot for an unforgettable evening!

 

 

 

 

 

2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase summary

CanadasMagic.com is proud to present the 2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase.

This concludes the 2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase (ICMS)! 

We hope you enjoyed reading about many of the talented magicians across the country.  Thank you for joining us on the journey.

A huge shout out to everyone who submitted names and supporting text to us last month.  Thank you for generously making the time to celebrate your peers!

   

We couldn't have done this without the help of:

• Derrick Chung  
• Doug Hunt
• Garnet Garven
• Ian Stewart 
• Lee Asher 
• Leif David
• Paul Romhany
• Ryan Pilling
• Matt DiSero 
• and a mystery magician!
  

Thank you for the thought and time involved in sending us your submissions.

 

Congratulations again to everyone featured.  Keep up the great work!

Be sure to click on the links below to find out what makes each magician inspirational in their own right.  The story isn't just about who was selected.  Of equal, or perhaps greater importance, is why they were selected!

Review the submissions for the
2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase:
 
 Alex Boyer
Chanelle Munroe
Julie Eng
Ken McCreedy
Lon Mandrake
Marc Trudel
Matt Johnson
Ryan Michael
Scott McClelland
Sean Watson
Steve Valentine
Tabraze Sheikh

 

[Guest post] Remembering The Amazing Kreskin

The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon.

--  

Remembering The Amazing Kreskin
by the Magic Demon
Exclusive to Canada's Magic

The legendary American mentalist The Amazing Kreskin has died, age 89.

To multiple generations of fans he WAS mentalism.

He had a strong Canadian connection.

Many of us will recall his late 1970s TV series taped first in Ottawa at CJOH TV and later in Toronto at CFTO TV.

It was at the latter where I sat enthralled by his performance during a taping. It was also the first time I began to understand how he did what he did, which fostered both a lifetime admiration for his talent and gifts but also a personal interest in performing mentalism (as an amateur) as a theatrical device with which to explore limits of imagination and the element of wonder in all of human life.

I was lucky enough to see him again in person during the late summer of 2014 where he performed outdoors at the Toronto annual CNE.

The photos below were taken during one of his "hypnosis" shows (although he always firmly insisted such a phenomenon did not exist and preferred to call it "powers of  suggestion.")

 

 

Kreskin at the CNE
originally published as part of '[Guest post] Kreskin at the CNE'
photo: ©The Magic Demon, 2014, All rights reserved

 

 

Kreskin with a stage full of volunteers
originally published as part of '[Guest post] Kreskin at the CNE'
photo: ©The Magic Demon, 2014, All rights reserved

 

 

Kreskin's powers of suggestion
originally published as part of '[Guest post] Kreskin at the CNE'
photo: ©The Magic Demon, 2014, All rights reserved

 

 

Kreskin messing with minds
originally published as part of '[Guest post] Kreskin at the CNE'
photo: ©The Magic Demon, 2014, All rights reserved

 

 

Kreskin's influence on anatomy
originally published as part of '[Guest post] Kreskin at the CNE'
photo: ©The Magic Demon, 2014, All rights reserved

 

 

Kreskin at the CNE
originally published as part of '[Guest post] Kreskin at the CNE'
photo: ©The Magic Demon, 2014, All rights reserved

 

So RIP Amazing Kreskin.

You provided joy and mystery for generations of fans; inspiration and excellence to which to aspire for generations of mentalists.

- The Magic Demon

 

Thank you The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!

 

 

A sampling of thoughts from the magic community:

 

From the December 10th Facebook post by Bernard Cormier:

 

 

 

From the December 10th Facebook post by Brian Robert:

 

 

 

From the December 10th Facebook post by Patrick Francis Drake:

 

 

From the December 10th Facebook post by Chris Doyle Mysterion:

 

 

From the December 11th Facebook post by Tim Ottaway:

 

 

From the December 10th Facebook post by Bill Abbott: 

 

From the December 11th Facebook post at The Historical Society of Ottawa: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Eng: Inspirational Canadian Magician

CanadasMagic.com is proud to present the 2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase.

Last, but certainly not least in this year's Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase, is Julie Eng!

Julie Eng: Inspirational Canadian Magician.
 

 

 

Julie was the director of Magicana for eighteen years and how much she's done there can't be overstated. Among other things, she played a huge part in the production and release of the Johnny Thompson books as well as the more recently monumental tomes of Eddie Dawes, both projects being of tantamount importance to magic's legacy. This year, she's taken the big leap to the executive director position at Genii Enterprises and now has the reins of MagicCol. I'm so excited to see what else she's got up her sleeve for the future..

Submitted by Derrick Chung

Congratulations Julie!  Keep up the great work!

To learn more about Julie Eng, visit her website at Magicienne.com, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. 

To learn more about Magicana, visit Magicana.com.  To learn more about Genii, visit GeniiMagazine.com.

Thank you Derrick for your excellent submission!

To learn more about Derrick Chung, visit his website at DerrickChung.com and follow him on Facebook, and Instagram.  

2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase featuring (in order of publication):

Matt Johnson
Ken McCreedy
Marc Trudel
Ryan Michael
Tabraze Sheikh
Scott McClelland
Alex Boyer
Chanelle Munroe
Sean Watson
Steve Valentine
Lon Mandrake
Julie Eng
 

 

Vancouver: Jack Chow Giant Panda Habitat in CTV News

Tickets at GiantPandaHabitat.com

 

From the December 11th article "Famously narrow Vancouver building becomes habitat for animatronic giant pandas" by Lisa Steacy at CTV News:

Chow said he was inspired, in large part, by his father who he describes as a visionary and champion for Chinatown. The giant panda installation is something he hopes will continue his father's legacy of putting the neighbourhood on the map and drawing people to visit.


"Now there's another reason for people to come down to Chinatown to see something totally different. We've got giant pandas in Vancouver now!"

The question Chow says he gets most often is about how the pandas – which are taller than the building is wide – got inside. Chow, who is also a magician, declines to reveal that secret.

"We'll leave that a puzzle for people who come to visit," he said.

Read more.

 

From the August 28th upload "Jack Chow Giant Panda Habitat" at The Creative Solution YouTube channel:

Nestled inside the skinniest building in the world, this one-of-a-kind space has earned a Guinness World Record for its incredible feat of design. Step into this slender wonder and explore how we’ve crafted a lush, vibrant world for our pandas, all within the walls of this architectural marvel. It’s proof that big things really can come in small packages!