Canadian projects land awards at Annecy
Canadian projects picked up a number of prizes at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, with Canada/France copro Une tête disparaît (“The Head Vanishes”), directed by Franck Dion, among the winners. The project, which is produced by Julie Roy, Richard Van Den Boom and Dion won the best short film prize. As well, Theodore Ushev-directed Canadian production Vaysha, l’aveugle won the Junior Jury Award for a Short Film and the Jury Award. The third Canadian project to receive a prize was Moïa Jobin-Paré’s short film 4min15 au révélateur, which won the “Off-Limits” Award.

Telefilm’s Jean-Claude Mahé awarded 
Jean-Claude Mahé, director of public and governmental affairs at Telefilm, was one of 52 people to receive the Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) from the Governor General of Canada on June 21. Mahé and other parents took a case to the Supreme Court of Canada to secure access to education for minority Francophone communities across the country. In 1990, the Court ruled in the parents favour. “Today, as a result of the decision, there are 28 francophone and Acadian school boards across the country as well as 650 schools attended by 150 000 francophone and Acadian students,” said Telefilm Canada Executive Director Carolle Brabant in a statement.

Nielsen acquires Repucom
Nielsen has added to its sports portfolio by finalizing its acquisition of Connecticut-based sports intel and management platform, Repucom. Under the terms of the deal, Nielsen has bought the entire company and will also pick up all concurrent client business. With the acquisition, the measurement co is looking to build up its sports-based assets in keeping with growth in the sports industry. Globally the company says spend on sports sponsorships has doubled in six years from $35 billion in 2010 to $60 billion today. Howard Appelbaum, president, Nielsen Entertainment stated in a press release that the combination of Repucom’s data and measurement capabilities will significantly strengthen its clients’ position in the market by increasing “campaign effectiveness and connect[ing] their brands with passionate sports fans.” (From Val Maloney, Media in Canada)

Transatlantic Partners copro training program reveals 2016 lineup
The participants for this year’s Trans Atlantic Partners (TAP), a coproduction training program, have been named, with Barbara Willis Sweete and Kyle Bornais being named among 25 producers. The other Canadian named to the program are Nish Media’s Jason Brennan, Ruby Tree Films president Donna Davies, Motel Pictures’ Nicole Hilliard-Forde, Monkeys & Parrots’ Jane Loughman, Violator Films’ Lori Lozinski and Bandwidth Digital Releasing Jeremy Torrie. The two-part course includes networking with potential coproduction partners and feedback from mentors. Dentons’ lawyer Ken Dhaliwal and Buffalo Gal Pictures’ producer Phyllis Laing are among this year’s group of mentors. TAP will take place from June 24 in 29 and later in Canada from September 12 to 18, where producers will participate as full delegates at the Atlantic Film Festival copro market Strategic Partners.

Bell Mobility appeal dismissed
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Bell Mobility Inc. to overturn a January 2015 CRTC ruling. The 2015 CRTC ruling barred Bell from exempting its mobile TV service from mobile subscribers’ monthly data cap. The ruling stated that Bell Mobility and Videotron gave subscribers of their mobile TV services an undue preference.