Quebec salutes Mankiewicz

le Prix Albert-Tessier, presented by the Government of Quebec for career achievement in cinema, has been posthumously awarded to director Francis Mankiewicz, who died last August after a lengthy illness. Monique Spaziani, the late director’s companion, accepted the honor in Mankiewicz’s name at a gala ceremony Nov. 28, broadcast on Radio-Quebec.

Considered to be one of the country’s most talented directors, Mankiewicz’s credits include Les Portes tournantes (1988), named best Quebec film of that year; Le Temps d’une chasse (1972), his first feature-length film; and Les Bons debarras (1979), winner of eight Genies including best motion picture. In television, he directed a number of blockbuster cbc dramas including And Then You Die (1987), Love and Hate (1990) and Conspiracy of Silence (1991).

This year’s Prix Denise-Pelletier went to actress Monique Mercure, whose career in theater, film and television spans more than 30 years. Mercure’s credits include Les Vautours, L’Heritage, Shehaweh and Naked Lunch.

The Quebec awards are accompanied by a $30,000 bursary.

New Cogeco v-p

alain Plante has been named vice-president, television, at Cogeco Radio-Television, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Montreal-based Cogeco.

Plante assumes responsibility for the operation and development of Cogeco stations cksh-tv and cfks-tv in Sherbrooke and cktm-tv and cfkm-tv in Trois Rivieres. He is also overseeing Cogeco’s new specialty channel applications, Entertainment Television Canada, a national English-language service, and Tele-Varietes, a national French-track proposal.

Louis Audet is Cogeco Radio-Television president.

Malofilm, Showtime deal signed

malofilm Distribution and Showtime Networks in the u.s., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Viacom International, have signed an agreement giving Malofilm the Canadian home-video and tv rights to certain Showtime feature films and specials. Malofilm also acquires the pay-tv rights to features where the Canadian rights are held by Showtime, among them the box office hit A Few Good Men.

The deal was announced Nov. 25 by Yves Dion, Malofilm Distribution president, and Matt Riklin, first vice-president, business and program distribution at Showtime Networks. The agreement includes the rights to a collection of 30 half-hour dramas showcasing the directorial debut of professionals in the u.s. film industry.

Malofilm Distribution has offices in Montreal and Toronto and is a subsidiary of Malofilm Communications. Showtime Networks operates three networks in the u.s. – Showtime, The Movie Channel and flix, in addition to SET Pay-Per-View.

First five for TVO

rudy Buttignol, commissioning editor of The View From Here, tvontario’s new documentary series, has released the names of the first five projects which will be completed for the program’s winter 1995 airdate. A total of 13 documentaries will be commissioned.

Genie Award-winning producer Simcha Jacobovici (Deadly Currents) teams up with director Elliott Helpern on Northern Justice, an exploration of the Canadian Arctic’s ‘unique’ justice system.

George Unger will complete his 12-years-in-the-making project Champagne Safari, a feature-length expose of European tycoon Charles Bedaux.

Lynne Fernie and Aerlyn Weissman (nominated for a 1993 Genie for Forbidden Love) team up again, this time with producer Rina Fraticelli for Jane Rule: Contract with the World. The film focuses on censorship issues through interviews with author Rule and anecdotes from her friends and colleagues.

Lindalee Tracy and her Genie award-winning husband, producer Peter Raymont, will explore life on the streets of Ottawa in Abby I Hardly Knew Ya, a reconstruction of the events in Tracy’s deceased derelict father’s life.

The last of the five to be commissioned is producer James Cullingham’s Duncan Campbell Scott, a follow-up to his series As Long as the River Flows.