(September 27, 2000)…Mentors is wrapping filming on its second season with veteran Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent (Win Again!, Who Has Seen the Wind) guest-starring as Oliver’s (Chad Krowchuk) future self. Produced by Anaïd Productions and Minds Eye Entertainment, Mentors is also celebrating two recent Gemini nominations, with director Fred Frame up for Best Director in a Dramatic Series and actor Matt Frewer nominated for Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series.

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’ season finale, entitled Future Tense, sees Oliver (Chad Krowchuk) preparing to leave for college. Believing that his younger cousin Simon (Steve Mitchell) is not ready to handle the responsibility of the Visicron, he decides to dismantle his invention. But suddenly he is transported into the future where a mysterious older man (Gordon Pinsent) accuses Oliver of being careless with time travel. Defending his actions, Oliver realizes what a remarkable contribution to various lives Visicron has made. Future Tense ends with Oliver passing Visicron along to its new keeper, young Simon Cates.

Mentors was created by Josh Miller of Minds Eye Entertainment who is producing the series with Margaret Mardirossian of Anaïd 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), Dr. James Naismith (Joe Flaherty), Anne Frank (Jessica Goldapple), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Willam B. Davis), Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Kidder), Casanova (Tony Rosato), Sacajewea (Michelle St. John), Black Bart (Cameron Daddo), Jack London (Chad Willett) and Moses (Jan Rubes) as well as Dave Thomas as Oliver’s science teacher, Al Sherman.

Anaïd 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 Saturday nights at 7:30 PM and Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM on Family Channel (check local listings for times and days).

For more information/interview, please contact:

Ava Karvonen or Larissa Banting,
(780) 488-0440