*Even heads feature unit

Telefilm Canada has named Pierre Even as its new director, business unit – feature films at its Montreal office. Even was an investment analyst with the agency’s feature unit and has a background in distribution.

The Montreal feature unit has about $13 million for features from various envelopes and is made up of investment analysts Jean-Claude Marineau, Louise DesLairiers, Michel Pradier and Jamie Gaets (temporary), project assistant (distribution) Lyne Cote, legal counsel Stephane Odesse and project coordinator Suzanne Ostiguy.

Even replaces Nicole Giroux who resigned in late December.

*Aboriginal awards

Cancom, the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation and Television Northern Canada have teamed up to sponsor the 1999 Ross Charles Awards. The awards will provide funding to 12 aboriginal broadcasting staffers or independent producers, directors, writers and/or technicians chosen to participate in an intensive television production course.

The course will be held from May 23 to June 5 at the Banff Centre for the Arts. The application deadline is March 10.

The awards were named for the late Ross Charles, an Ojibway native and Cancom’s first vp of aboriginal relations.

TVA nabs DM business

groupe Jean Coutu has transferred its considerable direct-marketing budget, specifically its direct-to-home circular, to Reseau tva. tva has been actively targeting classified newspaper ads and dm in general as potential new sources of business. The traditional Pharmacie Jean Coutu circular now becomes an electronic bulletin backed by a series of comedic commercial spots scheduled around specific primetime programs. The media campaign is developed by Mediavision and produced by tva affiliate JPL Productions.