FILE UNDER "M" FOR MENTORS

Released: July 20, 2000

(EDMONTON) Mentors explores the world of the paranormal next week in a homage to The X-Files, trusting no one other than William B. Davis (The X-Files' Cigarette Smoking Man) to guest star as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Produced by Anaid Productions and Minds Eye Entertainment, Mentors is currently filming 13 episodes in and around Edmonton for its second season.

Filming is currently underway on this week's episode, Dear Diary, starring Jessica Goldapple (Student Bodies) as Anne Frank, with Michele Boniface directing. Touched by the power of Anne Frank's diary writings, Dee (Sarah Lind) decides to give Anne 36 hours of freedom from the confines of her attic hideaway. Anne's remarkable ability to see the good in people transforms how Dee and Oliver (Chad Krowchuk) relate to a gang of outcasts at their high school.

"Having the opportunity to play Anne Frank is an honour," says Jessica Goldapple.

"Growing up Jewish, I've always felt it was my duty to listen to testimonials of the Holocaust victims and remember them best by spreading the word. I also believe that it is of the utmost importance to view their lives as much more than the injustice brought upon them. Anne's diary attests to the strength of the human spirit, including man's capacity to help his fellow man - and this episode of Mentors delves into these ideas well. I am delighted to portray Anne as she might have been in life, if she had had 36 hours of freedom; I know I am not alone in wishing she could have had many more."

Next week's episode, entitled The Truth Is In Here, is a respectful homage to the hit series, The X-Files, with director Grant Harvey (American Beer) ensuring that the spooky atmosphere and look of the popular show is eerily captured. When ghostly incidents occur at school, Oliver brings back Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (William B. Davis) to help him look for a rational explanation. But when Oliver discovers that Doyle actually believes there may indeed be a spirit realm, Oliver begins to widen his narrow perspective to allow for greater possibilities - he may want to believe after all.

"When we first developed this episode, we fell in love with the idea of introducing writer Arthur Conan Doyle into an "X-Files" type of story," says Josh Miller, Mentors' creator.

"But never in our wildest dreams did we contemplate that we would be fortunate enough to cast William B. Davis, who plays the Cigarette Smoking Man on the The X-Files series, as Doyle. We think it's a bit of a coup, actually, and we think he'll be a great mentor."

Mentors follows the adventures of young computer genius Oliver and his friend Dee as they zap historical figures into their 21st century lives via an ingenious computer program. Each mentor is called upon to help the kids solve a particular challenge they've encountered. Along the way, the mentors reveal surprising, little-known facts about themselves, adding new hues to their already colourful lives.

Mentors was created by Josh Miller of Minds Eye Entertainment who is producing the series with Margaret Mardirossian of Anaid Productions with Kevin DeWalt of Minds Eye Entertainment as Executive Producer. The series features Chad Krowchuk (Jake and the Kid) as Oliver, Belinda Metz (So Weird) as his mother Anne, Shaun Johnston (Traders) as his father Roy, and Sarah Lind (Incredible Story Studio) as his best friend, Dee.

Historic mentors from previous episodes include Albert Einstein (Elliott Gould), Alexander Graham Bell (Len Cariou), Joan of Arc (Lisa Jakub), Lewis Carroll (Thomas Cavanagh), Napoleon Bonaparte (Saul Rubinek), Oscar Wilde (Simon MacCorkindale), St. Nicholas (Brian George), Harriet Tubman (Sandra Caldwell), Cleopatra (Ellie Harvie), Ludwig van Beethoven (Henry Czerny), Daniel Boone (Roddy Piper), Frederick Banting (Matt Frewer), Edgar Allen Poe (Michael Sarrazin), Nostradamus (Kim Coates) and Dr. James Naismith (Joe Flaherty).

Anaid Productions Inc. is an award-winning film and television production company focused on family programming, arts documentaries, drama, comedy and variety series. Recipient of the CCA Rogers Communications award for the arts documentary Ronnie Burkett: A Line of Balance and an Alberta Film and Television Award for the comedy travel series, The Tourist. Into its third season, The Tourist airs on Life Network in Canada, Travel Channel (US) and Travel Channel (UK). The Tourist holds the distinction of being the most-watched travel show in all of the United States of America.

Established in 1986, Minds Eye Entertainment is a fully integrated production, post-production and distribution entity with offices throughout Western Canada and the US. Its award-winning feature films, television series, shorts and documentaries have been translated into a dozen languages and sold in more than 100 countries. Internationally recognized for its commitment to distinctive motion picture product, Minds Eye's selected list of credits includes the features Sins of the Father, Something More, Viva Las Nowhere, Without Malice, Murder Seen and Held Up. On the small screen Minds Eye is best known for the 52 episode hit series for kids Incredible Story Studio, the top rated mini-series The Lost Daughter, Stranger in Town and Eli's Lesson.

Mentors is produced with the participation of Family Channel Inc., Shaw Children's Programming Initiative via the Dr. Geoffrey R. Conway Fund and the Shaw Television Broadcast Fund, CFCN Production Fund, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Canada Television Fund - License Fee Program, Telefilm Canada - Equity Investment Program, the Government of Canada Film Tax Credit Program and Minds Eye International.

International distribution of Mentors is provided by Minds Eye International.

Watch Mentors on Sunday nights at 5:30 PM Central and 6:30 PM Pacific/Eastern on Family Channel (check local listings for times and days).