While ’96 was a step forward for French films in Quebec (and ’97 looks largely disappointing), sodec president Pierre Lampron says the new French Film Festival in Quebec City clearly demonstrates that Unifrance understands its interests lie in investing and promoting French movies in the province.

Cinemaginaire president Denise Robert says the 20% coproduction minimum places Canada at a definite disadvantage, curtailing producers here from participating in more important European movies and projects.

And as national cinemas continue to be battered by u.s.-led global media conglomerates, Robert says government should deepen its support of national cinema.

Policy and policymakers aside, the producer says the key to expansion is the multiplication of business-to-business contacts between Canada and international partners and clients.

Based in London, Eng., producer Denis Heroux, one of the great pioneers in Canadian coproduction, says showcases such as the Montreal World Film Festival play an important role in that they help Canadian broadcasters get closer to quality foreign movies, movies he says they would otherwise ‘be afraid to show.’

Heroux, a ’96 wff jury member, says producers may discover new international directors, actors and writers at wff and use that experience to develop coproductions and to bring shoots to Quebec.

Heroux (A nos deux) worked on bringing the new $20 million Claude Lelouch movie Apres Tout to Montreal this fall.

‘One of the things that we have discussed with government ­ and they were very positive ­ is that instead of an 80/20 [financing split] we would have a 90/10 split. It’s obvious that if we keep the level at 20% we cannot bring in these kinds of movies because the budgets are too high when you compare it to a Quebec movie and too low when compared to an American movie.

‘It’s important because Spain is discussing such an agreement with France. We’ll have to do films at the same kind of levels if we want to bring the French people [filmmakers] to shoot in Quebec and vice versa, because in the past we were too rigid,’ he says.

If there are no minority coproduction investments, Heroux says there will not be enough motivation ‘to go out and fight for the film’ in the marketplace.

As an example, Heroux points to the u.k. where indigenous films are reappropriating a share of the domestic market from the majors.

‘I’m living in London and I can tell you that there is a huge energy here. Each week in London there is one interesting British movie opening. That’s a lot. It means you have 50 movies [a year] that are not American pictures. And there are also movies from New Zealand, from Australia.’

Lower minimum required

On expanding coproduction, CFP Distribution executive vp Christian Larouche points to the threshold issue, saying the Canadian partner cannot invest in bigger budget movies when the minimum qualifying investment is 20%.

‘As long as we’re handcuffed with 20% we will not be able to work on films with bigger budgets,’ says Larouche.

‘We won’t invest in a coproduction for the sake of coproducing. We want the film to have the best chance possible to succeed in our territory and our partner’s territory, and we can recoup our money.’

In reply, Telefilm Canada executive director Francois Macerola says Telefilm is talking with Heritage Canada on a proposal to change the 20% minimum for French-track features to 10%.

Quebec and Canadian movies

Commenting on the situation with French-track features, Macerola says: ‘This year in French, we might be able to invest in something like 15 feature films, and I hold that the main problem in features is still a lack of critical mass. One d’es not create the habit of going to see a Quebecois or Canadian film by launching only five or six or eight films a year. You must have a rhythm, and it must be accelerated to permit the Canadian public to have access to their own films.’

Telefilm has commissioned industry consultant Michel Houle to do a full review of Canadian theatrical feature film production and distribution. And at the same time, Heritage Canada has asked Carole Boudreault of Montreal’s Alex Films to prepare an analysis of the domestic exhibition business. A first draft of Houle’s study is on Macerola’s desk.

Macerola says the solution has to come from players, not just the agency. ‘I want the solution to come from the people who are deeply involved in filmmaking and film distribution in this country,’ he says.

The report is expected to address the need for new funding sources for features, better relations between producers and distributors, and improved distribution practices between the Quebec and English Canadian markets. It could be available next month.

Others are concerned young filmmakers and producers will be handed a diminished role, especially in Quebec.

‘There has been a structural problem for years for emerging filmmakers in Quebec for the reason that there was a well-established feature film industry that already exists and nowhere for them [young filmmakers] to go,’ says Cite-Amerique Film producer Martin Paul-Hus.

Programs from sodec and Telefilm, including Jeunes Createurs and the federal agency’s low-budget program for features under $1 million, have helped to improve the situation in the past two years.

‘But there’s a long way to go,’ says Paul-Hus. ‘It’s important that Telefilm not only make the investment but keeps in touch with this group of young filmmakers. They not only have to do the right thing, but also be seen to do the right thing.’

Because most of the new generation is essentially unknown, Paul-Hus says recent personnel changes at Telefilm are worrisome.

In the past, Quebec operations director Louis Laverdiere, who joins Cite-Amerique this fall, held roundtables with young filmmakers, and this approach should be continued, says Paul-Hus. Heroux suggests a solution is for our best filmmakers to shoot more often, a la Woody Allen and Claude Lelouch, who basically do a movie a year.

He says our best directors ‘have to go outside’ more in order to succeed.

‘There is no formula because cinema is about prototype. One invents a different case every time. This is what I have learned after all those years.’

Heroux (Black Robe, Quest For Fire) is executive producing ­ with the backing of Toronto-based Alliance Communications ­ on The Statement, a new feature based on the Brian Moore novel. Heroux says the same parties intend to adapt Moore’s latest novel, slated to be published this fall.

‘I’m happy because there is a lot of energy with Alliance and they are very present here in England. And they are preparing a very important Hungarian movie, also,’ he says.

Heroux says he agrees with Unifrance’s Toscan du Plantier’s view that better coproduction relations will lead to better distribution.

‘Coproductions are always a question of ties between people and if they trust one another. It takes a while.’