Raven Banner has snagged Canadian distribution for Jerome Sable's black comedy about a hapless wannabe wildlife filmmaker
Verve Ventures has boarded Jerome Sable’s black comedy “Wolf of the North” for North American sales ahead of its bow at Frontières at TIFF: The Market.
One of seven projects in the genre showcase which is co-presented by the Fantasia International Film Festival and the inaugural TIFF: The Market on Sept. 12, “Wolf of the North” stars Canadian actor and comedian Pat Thornton as an obsessive wildlife star-wannabe trying to finish the last work of his more-famous father, who was eaten by Arctic wolves 30 years ago while making a film about them.
“‘Wolf of the North’ has that rare combination of a genuinely distinctive comic voice and a premise you understand immediately,” Verve Ventures head Amy Beecroft told Variety. “It’s funny, strange, deeply Canadian and surprisingly universal. It’s exactly the kind of filmmaker-driven project we’re excited to champion.”
Michael Paszt of Raven Banner Entertainment, which has Canadian distribution, said the project “hits that sweet spot we’re always chasing at Raven Banner: a bold, filmmaker-driven film with a distinct voice, a sharp sense of humor, and unapologetically Canadian.” and Sable – whose previous films include SXSW-premiering horror musical comedy “Stage Fright” and the multi-award-winning horror musical short “The Legend of Beaver Dam,” (which played Sitges, Fantastic Fest and Screamfest LA – developed the title’s main character Farley Pruitt Jr. and co-wrote the mockumentary-style script with Thornton, the pair drawing inspiration from star-director collaborations such as “Foot Fist Way” and “Bottle Rocket.”
“For too long, the name Farley Pruitt Jr. has been left off the list of legendary wildlife experts, even though he’s one of the greatest to ever do it,” Sable and Thornton told Variety in a joint statement. “He just hasn’t done it yet. But he will. And we’ll be there, every step of the way, filming it.”
“Wolf of the North” is produced by 90th Parallel Productions’ Stuart Henderson. its president and an executive producer on the film and lead producer Javiera Quintana; this is the first fictional feature project from the venerable Toronto documentary house. Andrew Bronfman of Toronto’s Beyond the Frame, a company with extensive production experience and deep connections in Northern Ontario, also serves as producer.
The title received Ontario Creates Development Funding and in June 2026 was awarded production funding from Telefilm Canada. The film is currently in the financing and pre-production, with the producers aiming to start shooting in Jan. 2028.
“We see TIFF: The Market as an opportunity to capitalize on the international market appeal of ‘Wolf of the North’ and connect with financiers to complete the film’s financing, as well as sales agents and distributors to position and exploit the film internationally,” said producer Quintana. “A dark comedy blending survival and faux documentary, the film has a distinctive voice that we believe will resonate with audiences across international markets.”
TIFF: The Market runs Sept. 10-16 as part of the Toronto International Film Festival.
