TFCA Best Canadian Film prize to be split by nominees
Hugh Gibson (pictured), who won the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award at the TFCA gala on Jan. 10 for his documentary The Stairs, will split the $100,000 prize with his fellow nominees, Matt Johnson (Operation Avalanche) and Kazik Radwanski (How Heavy This Hammer). “In the case of myself and Kaz, the prize money exceeds our films’ entire budgets. Each of us could have won, and it was an easy decision to split the money: even divided, the prize guaranteed windfalls for everyone,” Gibson said in a release announcing the decision.

Danishka Esterhazy to receive award at Sundance
Winnipeg-based writer/director Danishka Esterhazy will receive the Amazon Video Direct Inaugural Filmmaker Award at IMDB’s annual Sundance Film Festival ceremony on Jan. 23. Esterhazy wins the prize for her independent feature films, including her debut feature Black Field.

eOne names new VP, international sales
Entertainment one has named Christian Fritzsche as vice-president of international sales. Fritzsche will focus his efforts on selling new and existing content to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In a release announcing his appointment, Stuart Baxter, president of eOne Television International, said Germany is a growing market of particular importance to the global studio’s business. Prior to joining eOne, Fritzsche worked at BBC Worldwide where he built up its scripted business for that region.

Mr. D‘s Snieckus gets new gig
Canadian actress and comedian Naomi Snieckus, who plays Bobbi on Mr. D, has co-created and is set to host a new podcast, Firecracker Department with Naomi Snieckus. The show, which will launch Feb. 27 on iTunes and YouTube, will see Snieckus interview women in the entertainment business from the comfort of her home. Guests include actresses Jayne Eastwood, Annie Murphy, Tommie-Amber Pirie and Zoie Palmer. “Firecracker Department” is produced by Carousel Pictures’ Tyler Levine, who co-created the show. Katelyn Cursio serves as co-producer. The podcast is produced in association with Grayson Matthews.

Maudite Poutine heads to Rotterdam
Karl Lemieux’ Maudite Poutine has been selected to screen at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Lemieux’ debut feature, produced by Montreal’s Metafilms, will screen in the A Band Apart programme, which is devoted to modern films that tell stories of outsiders who provoke the establishment. Maudite Poutine also competed in the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons section.