Montreal: Leading players in the Canadian feature film industry including representatives from the apftq and cftpa, and cafde, the distributors association, attended a Telefilm Canada retreat in Ste. Adele, Que., Nov. 25-26 to discuss major revisions to the agency’s feature film policies.

The preliminary meeting in Ste. Adele sets the stage for an expanded consultation early in the new year, probably February, according to the agency.

Besides preparations for an industry-wide pitch to Canadian Heritage for a new feature film fund, policy issues on the table include a wider role for the Feature Film Distribution Fund, and the declining participation and low licence fees on the part of Canadian broadcasters.

Other areas under discussion include the feasibility of a marketing coop program with exhibitor involvement, and an incentive system which would put producers at risk. The latter proposal would factor in producer-revenue and box-office performance in the evaluation of new feature projects.

According to Telefilm, the average box-office return for Canadian features in 1996/97 is under $200,000. During the period, Telefilm-funded features received an average of 44% of their production budgets from the agency. The total public share of financing for features last year was 94%, reflecting the decline in funding on the part of conventional and pay-tv broadcasters.

While content quotas are not on the review agenda, Telefilm executive director Francois Macerola says better results for features are needed quickly otherwise government will drop out.

A policy document is expected by April 1.

In other Telefilm news, the agency reports investments of $42.1 million in 76 new tv, film and multimedia projects for the three-month period from July 1 to Sept. 30.

ctcpf Equity Investment Program funding totaled $18 million in 27 English-language tv productions, just under $7 million in 29 French-language tv productions.

eip investment in feature films totaled $5.9 million in four English-track films and close to $2.9 million in four French-track movies.

Feature Film Fund investments amounted to $3.2 million in three English movies, $3.1 million in five French features.

Telefilm committed over $1.4 million to one project through the Commercial Production Fund, and $432,876 to three projects through its Multimedia Pilot Program.

Selected funding highlights in tv include Emily of New Moon ii, $4 million; Black Harbour, $3.6 million; Riverdale, $2.5 million; Cold Squad, $2.4 million; Freaky Stories (Series i), $1.28 million; The Incredible Story Studio, $1.15 million; La Part des Anges, $1.4 million; War of 1812, $1.1 million; Un Voix en or, $800,000; and Watatatow, $700,000.

Funding for feature films (eip and fff combined) includes the historical drama Quand je serai parti, vous vivrez encore, $2.3 million; two Canada/u.k. coproductions, Conquest and Such a Long Journey, $1.9 million each; the b.c. feature Rupert’s Land, $1.6 million; Last Night, $1.6 million; Dog Park, $1.5 million; C’t’a ton tour Laura Cadieux, Simone en 1997 and Le Paradoxe, $1 million each; Baby Face, $588,000; and the French coproduction Les Etats d’absence, $450,000.