• Paul Atkinson is the new chairman of the Toronto International Film Festival Group. Atkinson will sit on the 24-member board alongside four new directors – filmmaker Deepa Mehta, Bell Canada executive William J. Fox, UCS Forest Group CEO Warren Spitz and Constance Sugiyama, senior partner at the law firm of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Atkinson has been on the TIFFG board since 2004 and is also its campaign co-chair.
• Cookie Jar Entertainment has appointed Peter Wachtel to the new position of product design director. Based in Los Angeles, Wachtel will develop and implement product plans for major Cookie Jar brands like The Doodlebops, Hurray for Huckle and Caillou.
• The Okanagan Film Commission has appointed Joyce D. Wegner as its board chair for 2007/08. Wegner has been a member of the board of directors since 2004.
• Alexandra Szacka has been named Moscow correspondent for CBC and Radio-Canada starting this fall, replacing Nick Spicer.
• Roch Brunette is the new general manager of the Ottawa-Gatineau Film and Development Corporation, and is looking to raise the group’s profile with the local film and television industry.