
Season 17 of CBC’s original family drama Heartland will premiere on Sunday, October 1st at 7 PM (7:30PM NL) exclusively on CBC Gem and CBC TV. The first episode of Heartland season 17 marks the 250th episode of the series that started in 2007. Produced by Dynamo Films and SEVEN24 Films, season 17 features 10 new one-hour episodes.
To celebrate the milestone of 250 episodes, Heartland will have its season 17 World Premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival on Thursday, September 28th at 7:00 PM MT in the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Fans can celebrate episode 1701 in-person together with Heartland cast and crew. Heartland lead cast Amber Marshall, Shaun Johnston, Michelle Morgan and Chris Potter with Spartan the horse will be in attendance for the red-carpet and post-screening Q&A. Heartland‘s star horse, Spartan will be walking the red carpet! Tickets for the Heartland season 17 World Premiere screening are available for purchase here.

Amber Marshall shares her excitement for the Heartland season 17 World Premiere screening at the Calgary International Film Festival, “There is always such an incredible energy when Heartlanders get together. Being able to share this experience with the cast, crew and fans from around the world makes what we do extra special.“
Shaun Johnston continues, “250 episodes of Heartland! That sure is a beautiful thing. Working on Heartland has been the greatest gift in a professional lifetime for me. And having been in the Heartland family since the very first day of production all those many years back makes me proud to say that I am honoured, humbled, and privileged to be Jack Bartlett. Thank you CBC. And thank you, fans of Heartland.“

Michelle Morgan shares, “Heartland entering the 17th season in an industry where a series is lucky to get a second or a third season is hard to wrap your head around. For me it’s been a blessing. I get to do what I love, which is acting and now also directing in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I get to ride horses and watch stunning sunsets over the Rockies. I attribute the longevity of Heartland to a perfect alchemy of all the most important elements in television. We have a good story engine and great chemistry between the different actors on the set. We have a stunning and unique setting, a little piece of southern Alberta known as the Foothills. Of course we have many knowledgeable local cowboys and cowgirls to guide the show and keep it authentically grounded in the western world, but the most important element is that it is a multi-generational show. A show that anyone in the family can watch and enjoy. It’s so rare these days in the time of niche and highly targeted programming.”

Chris Potter finishes off by saying, “In 2007, Heartland presented an opportunity of great promise. Over the course of its seasons, the promise realized, Heartland has become a dream. A way of life for many of us involved in its ongoing creation. As we celebrate our 250th episode milestone it is with admiration for, and congratulations to, every person involved in making the show throughout the seasons. For me the dream goes on until I ride my horse into the Heartland sunset. What a ride it’s been so far!”

Season 17 Synopsis
Amy (Amber Marshall) and the rest of the Heartland family know better than most that while dreams can sometimes come true, more often life takes us in unexpected directions. Season 17 of Heartland is all about embracing the unexpected. It’s about new experiences and taking the path less traveled. In Season 17 the Bartlett-Fleming family will find themselves excited for the future and ready to embrace new adventures, challenges, and relationships. But no matter how much things may change, Amy (Amber Marshall), Lou (Michelle Morgan), Jack (Shaun Johnston), and Tim (Chris Potter) will continue to fight for what they believe in while staying rooted in the land that has been in the Bartlett-Fleming family for generations.

Check out our season 16 interview with Heartland‘s Amber Marshall below.
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