Halifax: Whether attending the gala screening of Marion Bridge, where director Wiebke von Carolsfeld described the film’s Halifax debut as its homecoming, bumping into Michael Moore over breakfast, or spending the night with a group of Newfoundland filmmakers who travel in a pack, taking in strays like family, the 22nd Atlantic Film Festival was a reminder of why bigger is not always better.

Walking into the lobby of the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, it was clear the AFF wasn’t going to be anything like its Toronto counterpart. To the right – the accessible, organized industry and media centres as well as the sites for most of the industry sessions. To the left – the Victory Arms Pub, arguably the heart of the festival. And between the two it’s easy to run into everyone you’re looking for, whether it’s esteemed Canadian actors Gordon Pinsent or Mary Walsh, top regional producer Steven Comeau (Collideascope), or up-and-coming writer/director Michael Melski (Touch and Go, Lift Off).

There would be no photo ID required at gala events or security checking wristbands to see who has been graced with VIP status. Producers, directors, writers and commissioning editors were relaxed, available, and they weren’t looking over your shoulder for someone to whom they’d rather be talking.

Clearly its most successful year yet, AFF 2002 had record-breaking box-office sales, adding second screenings of both the opening film, Bowling for Columbine, and Scott Simpson’s first feature, Touch and Go. From a total of 215 films, more than 120 homegrown projects screened at the festival, with 66 of those coming from Atlantic Canada, 16 more than at AFF 2001.

AFF is a less market-driven festival than the Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal events, but has gone a long way towards meeting its mandate to bring the world to the doorsteps of local filmmakers and enhance the Atlantic film industry. And although it is still too early to judge the volume of business generated by the festival, initial indications suggest it was a big success for local filmmakers.

The festival provided Halifax-based imX communications’ Dana Landry an opportunity to meet face-to-face with representatives from New Zealand’s Slightly Offbeat Productions, with which imX is coproducing Crafty Cow, an animated children’s series (26 x 11) for CBC.

Much of the business conducted and initiated at the festival was born through the fifth annual Strategic Partners Conference (Sept. 14-15), which provides valuable insight into the advantages and challenges of coproduction as well as creating an atmosphere where delegates are readily accessible.

And according to conference producer Jan Miller, this year was the most successful and largest ever, with 101 delegates attending.

‘Everyone I’ve spoken with about the conference has said it was extremely productive and has been pointing to specific projects,’ she says, adding that the feedback from delegates also indicates an interest in keeping Strategic Partners small and intimate.

This year’s Strategic Partners focused on coproduction with Australia and New Zealand as well as the U.K., major coproducing centres for Canadian filmmakers. Considered a world leader in international coproduction, Canada is one of Australia’s biggest coproducing partners and New Zealand’s biggest. Both looked to Canada when modeling their own coproduction treaties.

Although still too early to discuss specific projects, Suzanne Chapman of Halifax’s Collideascope, which produces Olliver’s Adventures, says Strategic Partners helped her form a relationship with Colin South of Australia’s Media World, which coproduces Quads, currently airing on Teletoon, with Toronto’s Nelvana.

AFF 2002 took corpoduction one step further with a two-day spotlight on production partnerships with the U.S., despite that country’s lack of coproduction treaties. The focus on coventures between Canada and the U.S. provided insight into what American broadcasters might be looking for from their neighbors to the north.

At Channeling Your Docs Down South, for example, Andre Picard, National Film Board director-general of French programming, mediated discussions with American commissioning editors. Among the panelists were Elizabeth Cullen, VP acquisitions and coproductions at Oxygen Media; Christine Kuppens, VP programming for National Geographic Channel; Bill Harris, senior VP production and network operations at A&E; Deana Jordan Sullivan, director of development and production for Discovery Networks; and John Lindsay, who recently moved from senior VP of television production at Oregon Public Broadcasting to Carleton Productions.

American guests provided a candid account of opportunities that exist for Canadian productions south of the border, revealing, among other insights, the importance of considering the American audience when pitching stories to U.S. broadcasters.

Festival director Gregor Ash says this year’s focus on the U.S. was a testing ground to determine how best to approach U.S./Canada production in the future. Next year’s festival will likely continue to pursue coventures with the U.S., either through Strategic Partners or another forum, and the subject will also be pursued at the Banff Television Festival 2003.

2002 Atlantic Film Festival Award Winners

Atlantic Canadian Awards

* Best Short Film: Cecil’s Journey – Rohan Fernando

* Outstanding Writer Award: Daniel MacIvor – Marion Bridge

* Rex Tasker Award for Best Documentary: Victoria King – White Thunder

* Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male: Daniel MacIvor – Past Perfect

* Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female: Laura Regan – My Little Eye

* Cinematography Award: Christopher Ball – Quality Viewing

* Best Direction Award: Thom Fitzgerald – The Wild Dogs

* Excellence in Art Direction: Allan MacLeod – Baba’s House (director, Shandi Mitchell)

* Excellence in Editing: Michael Weir – The Wild Dogs

* Excellence in Sound Design: Hayward Parrott – The Wild Dogs

* Excellence in Music Composition: Asif Illyas – Cecil’s Journey

Canadian Awards

* Best Canadian Feature: The Wild Dogs

* Best Canadian Short: Baba’s House

* People’s Choice Award for Best Picture: Bowling for Columbine – Michael Moore