+ Record-breaking box-office trends, not to mention the 3D epic Avatar, are lighting a fire under Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund. Fourth-quarter earnings to Dec. 31 popped 37% to $9.5 million, against a profit of $6.9 million in 2008, on revenue up 17% to $247.2 million, compared to a year-earlier $211.4 million. Despite the economic downturn, around 17.1 million Canadians went to the local cinema in the last quarter of 2009, up 12.3% from 15.2 million during the same period of 2008.

+ A new multi-year deal between Incendo and Shine International will see the Montreal-based distributor rep sales for Shine content in Canada. Shine’s catalogue includes English- and French-language programs, and titles such as Masterchef, Losing It with Jillian and Secrets of Aspen. Incendo made headlines recently for its pact with Zone3 to produce English-language programs.

+ Less than Kind looks sure to win best episodic half-hour show at this year’s WGC Screenwriting Awards, which nominated the former Citytv sitcom (now on HBO Canada) for four of the five slots in that category. Corner Gas, which usually dominates the half-hour competition, rounds out the category with a nomination for its episode ‘Shirt Disturbers’. The awards, organized by the Writers Guild of Canada, will be presented in Toronto on April 19.