Family Channel laces up for original feature film Ice Girls

THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION AND TWO-TIME OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST
ELVIS STOJKO STARS IN FIGURE SKATING FLICK

CANADIAN FIGURE SKATERS MICHAELA DU TOIT AND TAYLOR HUNSLEY MAKE THEIR ON-SCREEN DEBUT

MOVIE KICK STARTS FAMILY CHANNEL'S MARCH BREAK PROGRAMMING LINEUP

TORONTO, Feb. 25 2016 /CNW/ - March Break gets an early start on Family Channel when the new original feature film Ice Girls glides onto the network, Friday, March 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Starring three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic Silver Medallist Elvis Stojko alongside Natasha Henstridge (The Whole Nine Yards, Would Be Kings) and young Canadian figure skating champions Michaela Du Toit and Taylor Hunsley, the new movie follows skater Mattie Dane as she struggles to regain her confidence and determination after having her dreams shattered. Filmed in Sudbury, ON, Ice Girls highlights the world of competitive figure skating and features a guest appearance by Olympic Champion Tessa Virtue, who recently announced she and ice dance partner Scott Moir would be returning to compete on the international stage.

For 15 year-old aspiring figure skating champion Mattie Dane (Du Toit), life on the ice is her be all and end all. So when she sustains an injury at a major competition, her world comes crashing down. Her family moves to a small town after they fall on hard times, leaving Mattie struggling to find her place in her new surroundings. The local skating rink provides her some solace, but talented figure skater Heather (Hunsley), accompanied by her ultra-competitive mother (Henstridge), quickly remind Mattie what she's missing by not being on the ice. Mercury (Stojko), the local rink manager and former figure skater, can see the potential Mattie possesses and sets to task mentoring her to guide her back on her path to greatness.

Ice Girls sets in motion a March Break lineup that any judge would give a 10. The weeklong programming event runs from Monday, March 14 through Friday, March 18 and is filled with morning and afternoon marathons of Family favourites starting at 7 a.m. ET/PT including The Next Step, Lost & Found Music Studios, Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street, Gaming Show (In My Parents' Garage), Nowhere Boys, AwesomenessTV and Cheerleaders. At 12 p.m. ET/PT each day, viewers can enjoy both classic and contemporary movies. Plus, with Family Channel on Free Preview this March, viewers across Canada can experience all the great programming the network has to offer for the entire month. For the full March Break schedule, visit Family.ca.

As previously announced, Friday, March 18 marks the launch of Family's new arts school inspired series Backstage, which follows 12 teens as they embark on their quest for artistic greatness. The premiere airs at 7 p.m. ET/PT immediately followed by a new episode of The Next Step.

In addition to the aforementioned cast, Ice Girls stars rising music star Shane Harte (Lost & Found Music Studios) whose single "Left Standing" is rapidly climbing Canadian charts and renowned Canadian actress Sheila McCarthy (Little Mosque on the Prairie). Commissioned by DHX Television, Ice Girls was created by Responsible Cinema Inc. (RCI) and produced in association with Tajj Media. William Steinkamp serves as executive producer alongside G. Scott Paterson, Lowell Conn, Warren Fergus, Anthony Cowley, Kelly Gilbert and Lara Daans who was also a writer for the film. Damian Lee was the film's director and writer, and Jeff Sackman and Steve Solomos were producers. Damian Lee was the film's director and writer, and Jeff Sackman and Steve Solomos were producers.

Family Channel offers the best in family television entertainment in a premium, commercial-free environment. Dedicated to celebrating family life and providing a daily vacation for children and their families, Family airs a unique mix of top-rated Canadian and acquired series, movies and specials. Family is also home to F2N – an entertainment haven for teens that features high quality programs after 9 p.m. Family Channel subscribers have access to Family OnDemand and Family Online at no additional cost, to see hit movies and series when they want them, where they want them. Visit us at Family.ca.

DHX Television is comprised of Family Channel, Family CHRGD, Family Jr. and Télémagino, and is part of DHX Media Ltd., a leading creator, producer, marketer and broadcaster of family entertainment. Dedicated to celebrating family fun, DHX Television delivers best-in-class programming through premium subscriptions and its original production mandate, and creates and produces captivating in-market events that appeal to Canadian families. DHX Television is home to world-renowned series including The Next Step, Degrassi: Next Class and Teletubbies. DHX Media Ltd. has offices globally, and is traded on the NASDAQ and Toronto Stock Exchange.

SOURCE Family Channel

Joanna Landsberg, Publicist - DHX Television, [email protected], 416.977.7458