The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) has offered a glimpse at the lineup for its 73rd edition, with three Canadian projects among them. The festival will run from Feb. 16 to 26, 2023.

Brandon Cronenberg’s horror film Infinity Pool (pictured) will have its European premiere in the Berlinale Special program. The film is produced by Toronto’s Film Forge and Elevation Pictures, as well as Croatia’s 4 Film and Budapest prodco Hero Squared. It will have its world premiere at Sundance in January.

Making its international premiere in the Forum program at Berlinale is Antoine Bourges’ Concrete Valley, produced by Shehrezade Mian of Markhor Pictures and Meelad Moaphi. The film had its world bow at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

Rounding out the selections is Carol Nguyen’s short film Nanitic for the Generation Kplus section, making its international premiere. It is written, directed and edited by Nguyen, who also produces alongside Marie Lytwynuk.

CRTC selects WildBrain offer in arbitration decision

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has sided with WildBrain on a carriage dispute with Rogers Communications over the pricing of the Family and Family Jr. linear broadcast channels.

The two companies sought final arbitration from the CRTC in July over rates for the respective kid-targeted offerings, according to the Commission. Rogers had proposed a reduced rate for the channels, citing a decrease in consumer interest in Family and Family Jr., due to a rise in streaming and on-demand platforms for children’s programming, an oversaturation within the market due to Disney-branded channels from Corus Entertainment, and the availability of programming on WildBrain Spark.

WildBrain countered with the argument that Rogers’ proposal is “at odds with the Commission’s objectives for a healthy and dynamic wholesale market,” based on the Let’s Talk TV policy framework. The media company also said Rogers “exaggerated” the weight of declining subscribers within its factors, adding that it has implemented strategies to increase its content and “build up its services, which are performing well.”

In its decision to select WildBrain’s offer, the CRTC said the proposal was “in line with historical rates,” although Rogers’ rate was a “better reflection” of historical rates. However, it found WildBrain rates were more reasonable based on penetration, as Rogers’ offer would “discourage its efforts to increase or sustain current penetration levels.”

Buck expands branded content strategy with new hire

Buck Productions has hired Brian Meadwell as brand strategy and creative director as part of a new brand and design department within the prodco. Meadwell is tasked with supporting the company’s branded content strategy for national and global clients. Buck Productions brand clients include Aviva Insurance, Infiniti and Hilton Hotels.

Meadwell has more than 25 years of experience working with brand agencies in B2B and B2C, including in the entertainment industry, with Corus Entertainment and Spin Master. Buck Productions, led by CEO and founder Sean Buckley, continues to produce long-form content, including season four of Merchants of the Wild for APTN and Cottage Life, and Discovery+ original 40 Year Old Property Virgin.

Image courtesy of Elevation Pictures