Montreal: Broadcaster-affiliated production companies may immediately access the English-language selective component of the Canada Feature Film Fund. The new measure, announced July 10 by Telefilm Canada executive director Richard Stursberg, is being introduced on a pilot basis for the period 2002 to 2004.

‘The primary objective of the Canada Feature Film Fund is to reach a 5% box office in Canada. Reaching this objective is a great challenge and will require that all players within the industry work together,’ says Stursberg.

Current guidelines allow broadcaster-affiliated production companies to have access to the performance component of the CFFF in both English and French up to a maximum of one-third of available resources, or about $7 million annually.

In a release, the agency said, ‘Due to the unique and significant challenges of English-language feature films in the marketplace, Telefilm Canada has decided to extend the English-language broadcast-affiliated production companies’ access to the Selective component of the CFFF. Telefilm will monitor the impact of this policy on the industry very carefully.’

Broadcasters have been pushing for the right to access Telefilm and Canadian Television Fund production and distribution funds, but they have not necessarily used those funds when they became available.

Spokespersons from Fireworks Entertainment and CTV declined comment on the Telefilm decision.

CHUM Ltd. and Bravo! station manager Paul Gratton raised the access issue several months ago. Producers in Quebec in the APFTQ strongly opposed broadcaster-affiliate access to the French selective envelope. The CFTPA did not take a formal position.

-www.telefilm.gc.ca