Telefilm Canada injected close to $40 million into Quebec’s film and television production industry in 1993/94. About a quarter went to nine full-length, French-language features and a Quebec/Mexico coproduction.

Three of the films were from first-time feature directors – Michel Poulette for Louis 19, le roi des ondes, Charles Biname for C’etait le 12 du 12 et Chili avait les blues, and Phil Comeau for Le Secret de Jerome, a Quebec/Nova Scotia coproduction shot in the Maritimes.

In television, the newsroom drama Scoop iii went into production last summer and completed its third and most successful season on air earlier this month. Another fascinating tv project shot in ’93/94 is Mourir d’amour, a Canada/France coproduction penned by teams of Quebec and French writers under the age of 35.

And children’s series like The Busy World of Richard Scarry and Pacha et les chats continued to make export gains.

According to Louis Laverdiere, Telefilm’s Quebec operations director, the agency invested approximately $39 million in drama, documentaries, children’s shows and variety specials in the year ending March 31, 1994: 65% of the funds went to drama, 18% to children’s shows, 17% to documentaries, and 6% to variety specials.

The investments were sourced from the Feature Film Fund, $9 million; the Broadcast Fund, $24 million; the Special Production Fund, $4 million; and the Revenue Sharing Fund, $2 million.

On average last year, Telefilm financed 40% of the budgets of Quebec tv series and dramas, while broadcasters picked up about 20%.

In tv, 88 French-language projects were greenlighted by Telefilm during the year, but some were not produced for financial reasons.

Unfortunately, says Laverdiere, Telefilm could not accommodate all the licences issued by broadcasters.

‘Telefilm did not have the capacity to respond to all the letters (from broadcasters),’ he says. ‘We asked them to be more selective, and reduce wasted time because there was no money.’

In the development area, Telefilm invested $2.3 million in both feature and television projects in 1993/94.

‘In features, we are trying to develop a certain amount of diversity between film d’auteur and more popular commercial kinds of films,’ says Laverdiere.

Looking to the year ahead, Laverdiere says the Montreal office is likely to reduce its level of participation in children’s programs, and last year’s high-level of documentary production will likely drop. Big-budget, high-impact drama will again receive the lion’s share of funding.

The following list of 1993/94 Quebec-originated productions was compiled by Playback using information supplied by the Montreal office of Telefilm, producers and others. The list is subdivided into feature films, tv series, tv movies, documentaries, variety specials and children’s programs which received funding from Telefilm between April 1, 1993 and March 31, 1994. Regular Fund and Special Production Fund projects are listed separately.

Ababouinee – Ababouinee Productions, Montreal. Malofilm Distribution (distributor), Marc-Andre Forcier (writer/director), Nardo Castillo, Claude Leger (producers)

Budget $3.9 million

Telefilm funding $1.5 million

The Return of Tommy Tricker – Les Productions La Fete, Montreal. Malofilm Distribution (distributor), Michael Rubbo (writer/director), Rock Demers (producer)

Budget $3.18 million

Telefilm funding $1.5 million

Le Chant des silhouettes (Windigo) – Lux Films, Montreal. Allegro Films Distribution (distributor), Robert Morin (writer/director), Nicole Robert, Muriel Lize (producers)

Budget $2.8 million

Telefilm funding $1.375 million

C’etait le 12 du 12 et Chili avait les blues – Les Productions du Cerf, Montreal. Alliance Vivafilm (distributor), Charles Biname (director), Jose Frechette (writer), Louise Gendron (producer)

Budget $2.48 million

Telefilm funding $1.2 million

La vie d’un heros – Les Productions La Fete, Montreal. Malofilm Distribution (distributor), Micheline Lanctot (writer/director), Rock Demers (producer)

Budget $2.5 million

Telefilm funding $1.2 million

Louis 19, le roi des ondes – Les Films Stock International, Montreal, in coproduction with Eiffel Productions sarl, France. Malofilm Distribution (distributor), Michel Poulette (director), Emile Gaudreault, Sylvie Bouchard, Michel Michaud (writers), Richard Sadler, Jacques Dorfmann (producers)

Budget $3.1 million

Telefilm funding $1.1 million

Instant Amoureux (release title: Mouvements du Desir) – Cinemaginaire, Montreal, in coproduction with Catpics Coproductions ag, Switzerland. Alliance Vivafilm (distributor), Lea Pool (writer/ director), Denise Robert (producer)

Budget $3.3 million

Telefilm funding $1 million

Octobre – Corporation de developpement et de production acpav, Montreal. C/FP Distribution (distributor), Pierre Falardeau (writer/director), Bernadette Payeur, Marc Daigle (producers)

Budget $2.2 million

Telefilm funding $1 million

Les Secrets de Jerome – Citadel Communications, Halifax, and Animation Cine-Groupe j.p., Montreal. Allegro Films Distribution (distributor), Phil Comeau (director), Phil Comeau, Jean Barbeau (writers), Barry Cowling, Marie-Andree Vinet (producers)

Budget $1.5 million

Telefilm funding $450,000

Garden of Eden – Verseau International, Montreal, in coproduction with Macondo Cine-Video s.a., Mexico). Alliance Vivafilm (distributor), Maria Novaro (director), Beatriz Novaro, Maria Novaro (writers), Jorge Sanchez Sosa, Lyse Lafontaine (producers)

Budget $2.9 million

Telefilm funding $282,221

La Folie des crinolines – Production Cogagne, Montreal. Cinema Libre (distributor), Serge Gagne, Jean Gagne (writers/directors) Serge Gagne (producer)

Budget $456,000

Telefilm funding $100,000

Motel St-Laurent – Tapioca Films, Montreal. Cinema Libre (distributor), Pascal Maeder (writer/director), Benoit Chartrand, Pascal Maeder (producers)

Budget $302,000

Telefilm funding $70,000

series and minisERIES

Scoop iii – Productions sda, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Pierre Houle (director), Rejean Tremblay, Fabienne Larouche (writers), Francois Champagne, Louise Gendron (producers)

Budget $8.84 million

Telefilm funding $3.1 million

Rene Levesque – Communications Claude Heroux International, Montreal. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Roger Cardinal (director), Clement Perron (writer), Claude Heroux (producer)

Budget $6.9 million

Telefilm funding $2.875 million

Jalna – Rose Films, Montreal, in coproduction with La Societe Cineteve et SFP Productions, France. Radio-Canada, tvontario/La Chaine francaise, France 2 (broadcasters), Philippe Monnier (director), Claude Fournier, Jean-Pierre Sinapi, Daniel Tonachella (writers), Marie-Jose Raymond, Fabienne Servan-Schreiber (producers)

Budget $16.5 million

Telefilm funding $1.15 million

Mourir d’amour (Programme cadre de fictions francophones) – Telefiction, Montreal, in coproduction with Groupe Le Sabre, France. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Richard Ciupka, Marion Sarrault, Pascal Goethals (directors), various writers, Jacques Bonin, Claude Veillet, Francois Charlent (producers)

Budget $9 million

Telefilm funding $1 million

Chambres en ville V – Les Productions Cleo-Clip (1991), Montreal. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Marlene Lemire (director), Sylvie Payette (writer), Jean Fournier, Charles Ohayon (producers)

Budget $3.6 million

Telefilm funding $950,000

Zap – Verseau International, Montreal. Radio-Quebec, tvontario/La Chaine francaise (broadcasters), various directors and writers, Aimee Danis, Lyse Lafontaine (producers)

Budget $3.1 million

Telefilm funding $825,000

Les Grands Proces – Productions Sovimage, Productions du Sagittaire (Pierre Nadeau), Montreal. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Mark Blandford (director), various writers, Vincent Gabriele, Pierre Nadeau (producers)

Budget $2.2 million

Telefilm funding $700,000

La Petite Vie – Les Productions Avanti Cine Video, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Pierre Seguin (director), Jean-Claude Lesperance, Jean Bissonnette, Luc Wiseman (producers)

Budget $2 million

Telefilm funding $500,000

Rira bien v – La Societe de production Conceptuel, Montreal. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Michel Berthiaume (director), Andre Dubois (writer), Andre Dubois, Ubaldo Fasano (producers)

Budget $900,000

Telefilm funding $450,000

Rock et Belles Oreilles (La Police) – L’Equipe Spectra, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Michel Langlois, Eric Cayla (directors), Le Groupe rbo (writers), Alain Simard (producers)

Budget $480,000

Telefilm funding $200,000

CHILDREN’S SERIES

Watatatow iii – Les Productions Jeunesses Bouchard Morin, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Jean-Pierre Morin, Jacquelin Bouchard (producers)

Budget $3.6 million

Telefilm funding $1 million

La Princesse astronaute – Les Productions Sogestalt, Montreal. Canal Famille (broadcaster), Jean-Pierre Maher (director), Monique Fournier (writer), Renald Pare, Pierre Beaudry (producers)

Budget $1.5 million

Telefilm funding $600,000

Pacha et les chats iii (Kitty Cats) – Les Productions Prisma, Montreal. Radio-Canada, Radio-Quebec (broadcasters), Peter Svatek, Andre Guerard, Richard Lahaie (directors), various writers, Laurent Bourdon, Claude Godbout (producers)

Budget $2.3 million

Telefilm funding $500,000

Les Debrouillards iv – Productions sda, Montreal. Radio-Canada, Canal Famille (broadcasters), Andre Guerard, Jean-Louis Cote (directors), Louise Arbique, Diane Bastien, Marie-Josee Cardinal (writers), Diane England, Francois Champagne (producers)

Budget $1.6 million

Telefilm funding $400,000

Les Contes du chat perche – Les Productions Cinar, Montreal, in coproduction with France Animation s.a., France. Radio-Canada, Radio-Quebec, Canal Plus, France 3 (broadcasters), Francois Brisson, Jacques Colombat (directors), various writers, Ronald A. Weinberg, Christian Davin (producers)

Budget $5.2 million

Telefilm funding $350,000

Livrofolie Plus – acpav, Montreal. Canal Famille (broadcaster), Andre Guerard, Alain Charpentier (directors), Pierre Olivier (writer), Marcel G. Sabourin, Marc Daigle (producers)

Budget $590,000

Telefilm funding $270,000

Lea et Gaspard (Zoe and Charlie) – Animation Cine-Groupe j.p., Montreal, in coproduction with Societe Tele-Images, s.a., France. tvontario, Canal Plus, France 3 (broadcasters), Hubert Neault, Gilles Gay (directors), Josee Dufour, Alain Jaspard (writers), Jacques Pettigrew, Guy Delloz (producers)

Budget $2.2 million

Telefilm funding $220,000

Oki (pilot) Entreprises de creation Panacom, Montreal. Canal Famille (broadcaster), Francois J. Cote (director), Denys Saint-Denis (writer), J.-Y. De Banville, Eddy Malenfant (producers)

Budget $146,000

Telefilm funding $58,182

Geopuces – Telefiction, Montreal. Canal Famille (broadcaster), Michel Beriault (director), Dominique Drouin, Bernard Montas (writers), Jacques Bonin, Claude Veillet (producers)

Budget $94,000

Telefilm funding $30,183

TV MOVIES

Les Marchands du silence – Cleo 24, Montreal, in coproduction with Raspail et Associes, France. Radio-Canada, STA Eins, FR3, M6, TSR, Antenna TVS (broadcasters), Francois Labonte, Jean-Guy Noel (directors), Francine Forest, Catherine Viau, Quentin Raspail (producers)

Budget $8 million

Telefilm funding $592,000

Craque la vie – Cite-Amerique Cinema Television, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Jean Beaudin (director), Monique H. Messier (writer), Michel Gauthier (producer)

Budget $1 million

Telefilm funding $440,000

Meurtre en musique – Cinevideo Plus, Montreal, in coproduction with Septembre Productions s.a., France. Radio-Quebec, Super Ecran (broadcasters), Gabriel Pelletier (director), Suzanne Aubry (writer), Justine Heroux, Jean Nainchrik (producers)

Budget $3 million

Telefilm funding $421,500

Trois femmes une amour – Verseau International, Montreal, in coproduction with Son & Lumiere, France. Radio-Quebec, Radio-Canada, France 2 (broadcasters), Robert Favreau (director), Guy Fournier (writer), Aimee Danis, Alain Clert (producers)

Budget $1.1 million

Telefilm funding $260,000

Arsene Lupin: Echec et mat – Allegro Films, Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Marc Voizard (director), Pierre Billon (writer), Franco Battista, Francois St-Laurent (producers)

Budget $4.9 million

Telefilm funding $250,000

Telefilms Phase viii, (four telefilms) – Les Productions t.v.f.a., Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Robert Menard (director), Claire Wojas (writer), Robert Menard (producer); Jean-Guy Noel (writer/director), Lyse Lafontaine (producer); Jean-Pierre Gariepy (director), Suzanne Mancini-Gagner (writer), Claude Bonin (producer); Jean-Philippe Duval (director), Jose Frechette (writer), Louise Gendron (producer)

Total budgets $4 million

Telefilm funding $1,700,000

DOCUMENTARIES

Tristan et Juliette – Inform-Action Films, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Alain D’Aix, Isabelle M. Turcotte (directors), Manon Barbeau (writer), Nathalie Barton, Guy Bergeron (producers)

Budget $1.2 million

Telefilm funding $400,000

Les Choix d’une nation ii – Les Productions Point de mire, Montreal. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Raymond Gauthier, Claude Rochette, Jean-Francois Mercier (producers)

Budget $1.4 million

Telefilm funding $275,000

Salut ye-ye – Poly Productions, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Pierre Brochu (writer/director), Jean-Daniel Eigenmann (producer)

Budget $500,000

Telefilm funding $203,850

Le Petit Musee Velasquez – Cine Qua Non Films, Montreal. TV5, Radio-Quebec, tvontario, cfcf, Knowledge Network (broadcasters), Bernar Hebert (writer/director), Michel Ouellette (producer)

Budget $600,000

Telefilm funding $200,000

Jeune autrement iii – Les Productions Concep, Hull, Que., tvontario/La Chaine francais, Radio-Quebec (broadcasters), various directors, Paule Laroche (writer), Michel Cloutier (producer)

Budget $590,000

Telefilm funding $200,000

La Memoire de Gaston – Les Productions du Lundi Matin, Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Andre Gladu (writer/director), Francois Bouvier (producer)

Budget $350,000

Telefilm funding $183,680

L’instant et la Patience – acpav, Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Bernard Emond (director/writer), Bernadette Payeur (producer)

Budget $350,000

Telefilm funding $183,680

Parlez-vous Rock ‘N’ Roll – Transimage, Quebec City. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Isabelle Turcotte (director), Nicole Marchand (writer), Michel Laliberte (producer)

Budget $350,000

Telefilm funding $183,680

De Oaxaca a Saint-Isidore aller-retour – Imageries P.B., Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Garry Beitel (writer/director), Richard Elson (producer)

Budget $350,000

Telefilm funding $183,663

Chroniques d’un psy – Les Productions Via Le Monde, Francois Floquet (Productions F2), Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Francois Floquet (director), Louis Couture (writer), Anik Dousseau (producer)

Budget $364,000

Telefilm funding $181,867

Les Choix d’une Nation – Les Productions Point de mire, Montreal. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Jean-Francois Mercier, Micheline Larivee (directors), Lise Payette, Raymond Gauthier, Claude Rochette, Jean-Francois Mercier (writers/producers)

Budget $790,000

Telefilm funding $175,000

Vivre 120 ans – Inform-Action Films, Montreal. Radio-Canada, TV5 (broadcasters), Carlos Ferrand (director), Carlos Ferrand, Alain d’Aix (writers), Nathalie Barton (producer)

Budget $418,000

Telefilm funding $165,000

El mozote: l’histoire muselee (Salvador: Quand la bete meurt) – Alter-Cine, Montreal. Tele-Metropole, TV5 (broadcasters), Daniele Lacourse (director), Yvan Patry, Daniele Lacourse (writers), Yvan Patry (producer)

Budget $330,000

Telefilm funding $161,154

Le Cirque en tete – G.P.A. Films, Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Andre Gladu (writer/director), Marcel Giroux (producer)

Budget $390,000

Telefilm funding $144,328

L’Age de la performance – Les Productions Isca, Montreal. Radio-Quebec, TV5 (broadcasters), Carole Poliquin (writer/director), Isaac Isitan (producer)

Budget $300,000

Telefilm funding $143,041

Jean qui rit, Jean qui pleure – Poly-Productions, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Pierre Brochu (writer/director), Jean-Daniel Eigenmann (producer)

Budget $375,000

Telefilm funding $143,000

Bolas – Productions Pixart, Montreal. Radio-Quebec, TV5 (broadcasters), Jean Baillargeon (writer/director), Francoise de la Cressonniere (producer)

Budget $305,000

Telefilm funding $125,000

Le Raid de Dieppe – Les Productions La Gauchet, Montreal, in coproduction with Cercle Bleu S.A., France. TV5, Premier Choix:tvec, tvontario, cfcf, FR3 (broadcasters), Valmont Jobin (director), J. Pierre Sabourin, Etienne-Louis Michon (writers), Michel Vermoesen, Roger Morellec, Raymond Gravelle (producers)

Budget $480,000

Telefilm funding $124,121

Pieds nus dans l’aube – Les Productions Jean-Louis Frund, Montreal. Radio-Canada, TV5 (broadcasters), Jacques Gagne (writer/director), Jean-Louis Frund (producer)

Budget $264,000

Telefilm funding $115,000

Ici d’Afrique ii – Inform-Action Films, Montreal. TV5 (broadcaster), Yves Langlois, Alain d’Aix (writers/directors), Ali Coulibaly, Clement Sawadogo, Nathalie Barton (producers)

Budget $350,000

Telefilm funding $100,000

Cirque du soleil: une odyssee baroque – Productions Telemagik, Montreal. Radio-Canada, cbc (broadcasters), Jean-Philippe Duval (director), Francine Tougas (writer), Helene Dufresne (producer)

Budget $480,000

Telefilm funding $100,000

By Woman’s Hand – Animation Piche Ferrari, Montreal. Vision tv, cfcf (broadcasters), Pepita Ferrari (director), Erna Buffie (writer), Pepita Ferrari, Merit Jensen, Kent Martin (producers)

Budget $400,000

Telefilm funding $77,427

Le Pari de l’espoir (Fuck la rue!) – Verseau International, Montreal. Radio-Quebec (broadcaster), Jean Bourbonnais (writer/director), Aimee Danis (producer)

Budget $240,000

Telefilm funding $70,000

Nunavik Exiles – Nutaaq Media, Montreal. scn, cfcf, Vision tv, Knowledge Network, Information Networks, Government of N.T. Television and Radio Services, Government of N.T., cfrn, cky, ckco, atv/asn, cfcn, Taqramiut Nipingat (broadcasters), Patricia Tassinari (director), Erna Buffie (writer), Barry Howells, George Hargrave (producers)

Budget $436,000

Telefilm funding $55,000

Michel Rivard: format familial – L’Equipe Spectra, Montreal. Radio-Canada, TV5 (broadcasters), Clodine Galipeau (director), Clodine Galipeau, Michel Rivard (writers), Alain Simard (producer)

Budget $240,000

Telefilm funding $90,000

Antichambre – Cine Qua Non Films, Montreal. Radio-Canada, cbc (broadcasters), Bernar Hebert (writer/director), Michel Ouellette (producer)

Budget $257,000

Telefilm funding $64,000

Tournee ‘Rock le lait’ – L’Equipe Spectra, Montreal. Tele-Metropole, TV5, TVOntario/La Chaine francaise (broadcasters), Mario Rouleau (director), Alain Simard (producer)

Budget $190,000

Telefilm funding $25,000

Silent Witness (documentary) – 2951 274 Canada Inc. (Wichin York Film, Montreal. cfcf, Vision tv (broadcasters), Harriet Wichin (writer/director), Christine York (producer)

Budget $170,000

Telefilm funding $41,000

Le Retraite (drama short) – Les Films Lacerte, Montreal. TV5 (broadcaster), Yves Belanger (writer/director), Robert Lacerte (producer)

Budget Not available

Telefilm funding $17,500

A Brush with Life (documentary) – Cineflix Productions, Montreal. cfcf, Knowledge Network (broadcasters), Martin Duckworth (writer/director), Glen Salzman (producer)

Budget $175,000

Telefilm funding $55,000

Los Invasores (documentary) – Productions B’Alba, Montreal. Vision tv, Knowledge Network (broadcasters), Mary Ellen Davis (writer/director/producer)

Budget $110,000

Telefilm funding $35,000

Un pied dans la tete (drama short) – Les Productions Spirafilm, Quebec City. Charles-Eric Savard (writer/director/producer)

Budget $168,000

Telefilm funding $8,000

Tales of the Wild/Aventures du grand nord (telefilm collection) coproduced by Cinevideo Plus, Montreal, and Gaumont Television, France. Super Ecran, First Choice, Metropole 6, France 3 (broadcasters), Gilles Carle, Rene Manzor (directors), Gilles Carle, Robert Geoffrion and various other writers, Justine Heroux, Christian Charret, Philipope Gildas (producers)

Budget $25 million

Telefilm funding $2,460,000

The Busy World of Richard Scarry (children’s series) – Les Productions Cinar, Montreal, in coproduction with France Animation S.A., France. Family Channel, France 2, Showtime Networks (broadcasters), Greg Bailey (director), various writers, Ronald A. Weinberg, Christian Davin (producers)

Budget $6.4 million

Telefilm funding $1,635,000

La Glace et le feu (miniseries) – Communications Claude Heroux International, Montreal, in coproduction with La Societe Cipangol, France. Tele-Metropole (broadcaster), Richard Martin (director), Guy Laforge, Serge Friedman (writers), Claude Heroux, Jacques Dercourt (producers)

Budget $2.9 million

Telefilm funding $431,250

M’aimes tu? (documentary series) – Ideacom International, Montreal. Radio-Canada (broadcaster), Lynn Phaneuf (director), Louise Arbique, Monique Fournier (writers), Jacques Nadeau, Louise Viens (producers)

Budget $1.98 million

Telefilm funding $368,000

compiled by leo rice-barker and a.l. strayer, a Montreal-based writer and translator.