* Cogeco’s PDF backs 64

Cogeco has released details on the Cogeco Program Development Fund’s fiscal year, ended Aug. 31, 1999. Cogeco reports through the fund 19 new series, 14 new mows, pilots and miniseries and 21 feature films were developed with $512,466. In addition, nearly $1.8 million was doled out to finance production of 10 mows, miniseries and pilots. In all, 64 productions were helped along by the fund.

* Honors for Mtl. women

The Montreal chapter of Women in Film and Television is honoring six industry women at wift’s second annual gala, Friday, April 28 at Hotel Chateau Champlain.

This year’s honorees are: director/screenwriter Lea Pool, nominated for a best direction Genie Award for the feature film Emporte-moi; filmmaker Monique Champagne, a founding member of inis, Quebec’s advanced film school; Suzanne Laverdiere, director of acquisitions and coproductions at Radio-Canada, and a former program executive at sodec; and veteran doc and movie producer Bernadette Payeur of production house acpav. Payeur is the producer of the ’99 box-office hit Miracle a Memphis: Elvis Gratton ii, and the historical conquest saga Fevrier 15…1839.

Kodak’s Prix de la Releve (new filmmakers award) goes to the Wild Heart Productions director/producer team of Catherine Bainbridge and Katerina Cizek.