THE documentary Citizen Black, about disgraced media mogul Conrad Black, has already begun generating buzz ahead of its global premiere at Montreal’s World Film Festival, in the Documentaries of the World section.

Toronto’s Persistence of Vision Productions (The Frank Truth) is blessed with fortuitous timing, having begun rolling on the doc prior to allegations of Lord Black’s boardroom double dealings, his ouster as Hollinger International CEO and the selloff of his newspaper empire made front-page headlines across the country and around the world.

The project originated with financing from TVOntario, which will air the film on November 3, SCN, Knowledge Network and SBS Australia. POV sought the last piece of the funding puzzle from Nick Fraser, commissioning editor for BBC’s Storyville feature doc strand, with whom it finally hooked up at Hot Docs in 2002.

Production began the following January, and although Black never sat for a formal interview, he did answer director Debbie Melnyk’s questions at media events. When news of Black’s business troubles became public, Melnyk and crew ramped up their efforts, although the director says she initially approached her subject without preconceived notions.

‘It was just a profile of Conrad Black, to see who this guy is who runs this multinational organization and owns all these papers. He’s sort of like the modern press baron, the Citizen Kane,’ Melnyk explains.

And like the titular character in Orson Welles’ classic film, many of whose actions are portrayed critically, Black also has a sympathetic side, Melnyk found.

‘I wanted to be well-rounded, because a lot of times [docmakers] have agendas,’ the director says. ‘I didn’t know Conrad Black. I did research on him, started to get to know him, and met him a few times. I didn’t have this idea that ‘I’m going to slam Conrad Black’ or ‘I’m only going to say good things about him.’ When you meet him, he’s actually a very funny, charming guy.’

One of the scenes in which Black’s charm shines through is at a book signing for his biography Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom at the Washington Press Club, one day before he was removed as Hollinger CEO. ‘He was quite humorous and relaxed,’ Melnyk recalls. ‘It was very entertaining the way he was talking to people.’

Of course, the allegations of Black dipping into company funds ultimately dominate the last part of the film, and have ignited high interest in the doc. A further bit of good timing is the fact that docs are hot right now, particularly those that take aim at powerful corporate icons, such as box-office-record-setter Fahrenheit 9/11, Super-Size Me and, closer to home, The Corporation. POV is optimistic about its film for all these reasons, and is currently gauging exhibitor interest for a theatrical release in Canada, the U.K., Australia, New York and Washington.

Speaking of Fahrenheit, the subject of POV’s next production is none other than director Michael Moore. Melnyk and partner Rick Caine dropped post sound on Citizen Black in May to follow Moore to Cannes, where the storm surrounding his new anti-George W. Bush film began. There are several profiles of Moore coming or in the can, mostly with an uncomplimentary right-wing slant, such as Michael Moore Hates America.

In fact, the filmmakers are going down to Dallas next month to cover an entire anti-Moore film festival. Caine and Melnyk argue over what to call their film: if Moore proves an elusive subject, it could be Michael & Me, in reference to Moore’s fruitless efforts to interview GM chair Roger Smith in his debut feature Roger & Me, although Caine is partial to Manufacturing Dissent: The Rise of Nonfiction Filmmaking. CHUM Television is on board in the development phase.

As with Citizen Black, Melnyk says the Moore doc will be balanced. ‘I think he’s right on politically, but he can be a bit of an egomaniac – nasty to the people around him and very prima donna-ish, which is bizarre, because he comes across as the everyman,’ she explains. ‘So we’re going to explore those things.’ *