Former director of Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma Dominique Dugas has been appointed as general manager of non-profit organization Québec Cinéma.

Dugas was appointed by the board of directors and will begin his term on Sept. 4, according to a news release.

Dugas joins Québec Cinéma from Quebecor’s non-profit organization Éléphant: mémoire du cinéma québécois, where he was general manager. Prior to that he was the director of programming for Québec Cinéma’s film festival Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma from 2007 to 2012, and then the festival’s director from 2012 to 2019.

The chairman of the board of Québec Cinéma, Patrick Roy, said in a statement that Dugas was “the ideal person to take on the general management of Québec Cinéma and help develop the talents of the solid team in place.”

Dugas said his goals were to make Quebec cinema more accessible and promote it “as a source of national pride.” The organization also produces touring festival Tournée Québec Cinéma and the annual awards show Gala Québec Cinéma.

The Big Pitch cohort announced

CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) have announced the 12 participants selected for the 2023 The Big Pitch competition.

The Big Pitch, funded by Telefilm Canada in partnership with TIFF, is the final stage of the nine-month CaribbeanTales Black Incubator and Studio Access Project (CTBISAP), which provides training to Black Canadian filmmakers, and the CineFam Limitless Incubator, which promotes women and non-binary people of colour.

The participants will be “vying for prizes, and a deal from any of the industry folks that come to watch the competition mining for future gems,” said CaribbeanTales festival director Diana Webley in a statement.

This year’s participants with a feature film project are Andrea Martina Crowther (Labranza), KhaRå Martin (Scarborough Love) Chelsea Nyomi (Blooming Dancer), Vicky Plancher (Dorsin and Brown), and Lulu Wei (What’s My Name?; documentary).

Participants pitching TV series include Celestina Aleobua and Naira Adedeji (Jaded), Atefeh Khademolreza (Fish Island), and Vanessa Mitchell (Baked Goods).

The lineup also includes Nauzanin Knight (Happy Pappy; animated series), Giselle Miller (Novelette is Trying; web series), and Mahlena-Rae Johnson (Ellies; episodic series).

The Big Pitch will take place on Sept. 10 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox Luma Lounge.

DGC Ontario increases AFC fund by $100,000

The Director’s Guild of Canada Ontario (DGC Ontario) has increased its financial contribution to the AFC, the charity that supports workers in the entertainment industry.

The decision to boost support by up to $100,000 was made in response to the impact of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes, according to a statement by DGC Ontario.

The new funds, which are in addition to DGC Ontario’s annual contribution of $60,000, will be available retroactively from Aug. 1 until the end of November, added the statement.

The WGA strike began on May 2, followed by the SAG-AFTRA strike on July 14.

BMG releases The Swearing Jar soundtrack

The soundtrack for director Lindsay MacKay’s musical romance The Swearing Jar has been released by music label BMG.

The 21-track album features songs with music and lyrics by Hamilton, Ont., screenwriter-songwriter-actor Kate Hewlett and a score from composer Timothy Williams. The album was released on Aug. 25 on digital platforms.

The Swearing Jar premiered at TIFF in 2022 and was produced by Jane Loughman of Monkeys & Parrots in association with Middle Child Films and Farpoint Films.

Production was supported by Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates, which also supported the release of the album.

Photo by Julie Artacho