As the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continue to excite fans on both sides of the border, CTV, together with Cirrus Communications and Dream Street Pictures announced today that production has begun on the new CTV Original Movie Sticks and Stones.

David Sutcliffe and John Robinson star in inspirational hockey movie about sportsmanship and Canada/U.S. relations -

The two-hour movie is inspired by a compelling true story of how a Canadian pee wee hockey team attempted to mend Canadian/U.S. relations in the world of amateur sport. Sticks and Stones stars David Sutcliffe (Gilmore Girls, Murder in the Hamptons), John Robinson (Head in the Clouds, Killer Wave), and introduces young actor Alexander De Jordy. Principal photography for Sticks and Stones takes place in Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick, the greater Halifax area and Montreal through June, 2007.

Sticks and Stones is inspired by real-life events surrounding the Canadian pee wee hockey team that organized a Friendship Series tournament to make amends for the ill-treatment an American team received during a visit to Canada at the beginning of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. In March 2003, thousands of anti-war protesters in Montreal harassed a bus carrying 12-year-old American hockey players from Brockton, Massachusetts, on their way to play in a tournament. Later, Canadian fans attending a professional hockey game booed the American national anthem in front of these same kids, who were barraged by hecklers telling them to "go home".

After the team was made to feel unwelcome at the hockey tournament that they had looked forward to all season, the boys and their families left, vowing never to return to Canada. A year later, thanks to the efforts of several New Brunswick families, the American pee wee players were welcomed back to Canada for the "Friendship 2004 Hockey Tournament".

"Sticks and Stones offers a compelling script backed by a strong cast that brings this controversial yet heart-warming story to life," said Susanne Boyce, CTV's President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group."

"This movie is inspired by a story of North-South reconciliation that happened right in our own backyard," said Rick LeGuerrier of New Brunswick-based Dream Street Pictures.

"We are thrilled to be starting production with CTV on this inspiring family film," adds Producer and Cirrus President Josée Vallée.

Sticks and Stones is produced by Cirrus Communications and Dream Street Pictures, in association with CTV, and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund, the Shaw Rocket Fund and New Brunswick Film. Producers are André Béraud and Josée Vallée for Cirrus Communications (C.R.A.Z.Y., Naked Josh) and Tim Hogan and Rick LeGuerrier for Dream Street Pictures (Canada Russia '72, Open Heart). Directed by acclaimed director George Mihalka (Dr. Lucille, Race to Mars), Sticks and Stones features a script by Sharon Buckingham (To Walk with Lions), John McBrearty and Andrew Wreggitt (Shades of Black: The Conrad Black Story, One Dead Indian). Director of Photography is Daniel Vincelette (Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis) and Michel Proulx (Maurice Richard) is Production Designer. The CTV executive overseeing the film is Samantha Morris Mastai. Tecca Crosby is Acting Senior Vice-President, Dramatic Programming for CTV. Susanne Boyce is President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group.

Sticks and Stones is the latest dramatic title from CTV's Signature Series, CTV's original movie production strand that features programming dealing with social issues of national importance. Previous titles that have enjoyed critical and ratings success include Selling Innocence, One Dead Indian; Milgaard; The Sheldon Kennedy Story; Tagged: The Jonathan Wamback Story; Prom Queen: The Marc Hall Story; Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story; Plague City; Doomstown and Last Exit. Terrorist Next Door, inspired by the real-life events surrounding the recruitment and capture of Ahmed Ressam - aka the "Millennium Bomber," is the next Signature Series movie slated for broadcast. CTV's Signature Series was established in 1997.

Since 1996, Cirrus Communications has served local, national and international television networks and distributors through the production of award-winning documentary and fiction series and feature films. Productions include the critically acclaimed La vie la vie which twice swept the Gémeaux awards winning a total of 14 trophies including Best Drama, the top-rated historic saga Nos Étés, now in its third season, and three seasons of the Monte-Carlo and Gemini-winning series Naked Josh, among others. 2005 saw Cirrus move its feature film division into high gear with the release of top-grossing hit C.R.A.Z.Y. To date, the film has been sold to over 50 countries and won more than 50 prizes worldwide. The film swept both the Genies and Jutras awards bringing home a total of 27 trophies including Best Picture. C.R.A.Z.Y. was Canada's choice for the Best Foreign Film at the 2005 Academy Awards. Cirrus Communications is an Attraction Media Company.