FROM THE UNION TO FUNNY MONEY: ALMOST 20 YEARS OF CREATIVE HUSTLE AT EIFF

Some announcements hit a little differently.

Today, the Edmonton International Film Festival announced the Opening and Closing Night Gala films for its historic 40th anniversary, and we’re incredibly proud that Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story will officially close EIFF on Saturday, October 3, followed by the festival’s Closing Night After-Party.

For ScoreG, this one feels pretty damn full circle.

Almost 20 years ago, a crazy former strip club owner from Kelowna, BC named Adam Scorgie met two incredibly talented filmmakers in Vancouver, Brett Harvey and Stephen Green.

We didn't have a blueprint. We definitely didn't have much money.

What we did have was a ridiculous amount of passion, belief and hustle,  and this crazy idea that three guys from Western Canada could somehow make an important documentary together and get it out into the world.

That film became The Union: The Business Behind Getting High.

At the time, we had all the hopes and dreams young filmmakers are supposed to have. We just didn't realize how many of them would actually come true. The Union went on to become one of the most recognized cult cannabis documentaries of its era and opened doors we never imagined when we started making it.

But looking back almost two decades later, the greatest thing that came out of The Union wasn't a festival, an award or a distribution deal.

It was the friendships.

Brett, Stevo and I became brothers.

We kept creating. We kept taking chances. We kept showing up for one another. We succeeded together, screwed things up together, learned together and somehow turned that first crazy independent film into careers and friendships that have lasted almost 20 years. Along the way, we went on to create great films together, including The Culture High, Ice Guardians, Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo and Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story.

The ScoreG family has grown along the way too. Shane Fennessey has become a huge part of this next chapter, joining us as a producing partner and fellow Creative Hustler. Shane co-produced Funny Money alongside Brett and me and will be right there with us presenting the film in Edmonton on Closing Night.

And back in 2007, one of the first places to tell us we might actually be onto something was right here in Edmonton at the Edmonton International Film Festival, where The Union won Best Canadian Documentary.

Now, nearly 20 years later, Brett, Stevo and I get to come back to EIFF with another film we poured ourselves into — Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story — this time as the Closing Night Gala of EIFF's 40th anniversary.

That's pretty special.

Funny Money tells a crazy story: Dane Cook defined comedy, until a betrayal shattered his world. Funny Money reveals the meteoric rise, staggering loss and revival behind a comedy icon.

And Edmonton is a fitting place to celebrate it.

Dane has his own history with this city. Parts of Good Luck Chuck were filmed here, and in 2009 he returned with his Isolated Incident tour and packed Rexall Place.

For me, Edmonton is home turf. And for ScoreG, it's also home to a partner that deserves a massive thank-you: Super Channel.

Super Channel believed in Funny Money early and helped us bring this film to life — just as they have done with so many of our documentaries over the years.

When you stop and look back at the journey, the truth is pretty simple: we wouldn't have the career we've been fortunate enough to build without Super Channel believing in independent Canadian filmmakers like us.

They've backed our stories, supported our crazy swings and repeatedly given us the opportunity to make ambitious documentaries from right here in Alberta and take them to audiences around the world.

To Don McDonald and the entire Super Channel team: thank you. Not just for Funny Money, but for nearly two decades of believing in ScoreG, our filmmakers and our stories. We don't take it for granted.

So having all of these roads lead back to Edmonton for Closing Night feels like one of those moments where you have to stop for a second and appreciate the journey.

The 40th EIFF runs September 24 through October 3, with Smudge the Blades opening the festival and Funny Money bringing it home on Closing Night. This year's festival will also introduce the Creative Screen Business Summit, presented alongside Edmonton Screen, bringing filmmakers and industry professionals together around the business of building screen careers right here in Alberta.

For a company built in Edmonton with the belief that you don't need to leave Alberta to tell stories that travel around the world, we couldn't be prouder to be part of it.

Nearly 20 years.

From The Union to Funny Money.

From three guys trying to figure out how the hell to make their first documentary to still making films together all these years later — with a few more Creative Hustlers joining the family along the way.

Same friendships. Same passion. Bigger swings.

If that isn't a pretty cool example of what we mean when we call ourselves Creative Hustlers, I don't know what is.

Thank you to Vincent Brulotte and the entire EIFF team for continuing to champion independent filmmakers and for inviting us back for such a special milestone.

Thank you to Super Channel for continuing to believe in us.

And to Brett, Stevo and Shane — we're still here, brothers.

Still creating.

Still hustling.

Still dreaming way too big.

Wouldn't have it any other way.

See you Closing Night, Edmonton.

Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story

EIFF Closing Night Gala — October 3, 2026