Au revoir, Telefilm

Telefilm Canada closed its office in Paris, France on March 31, citing among its reasons its high cost and a duplication of efforts with the Canadian embassy and local offices of the Department of Canadian Heritage and SODEC. The federal agency says it will continue to operate in Europe through the Canadian programs at the Cannes and Berlin festivals and other projects such as the recent Canada/U.K. copro program.

Telefilm head Wayne Clarkson said in a statement that savings from the closure will be redirected to Telefilm industry development efforts.

Degrassi delayed?

It is ‘looking less likely’ that the Degrassi: The Next Generation movie will shoot this summer as originally hoped, according to Epitome Pictures principal Stephen Stohn. The movie version of the teen drama has been held up by rewrites and scheduling conflicts, says Stohn, and is starting to look at a spring/summer shoot in 2007.

Meanwhile, the Toronto shop will shoot another 13 x 30 of the Degrassi series this spring (at minimum, they are in talks to make more) in tandem with a third season (13 x 30) of its Instant Star, both for CTV.