Montreal: Telefilm Canada is joining forces with 10 national and provincial organizations, including most of the provincial funding agencies, the CFTPA and the federal government, to launch the Canada banner pavilion at MIPCOM. The new Canada stand is now the second largest at the market after Paramount.

A record 35 Canadian companies will be participating at the Canadian pavilion compared to 16 at the TFC stand last year.

Participating with the federal funding agency is Canada West, which brings together British Columbia Film, Alberta Community Development, SaskFilm and the Manitoba Film and Sound Recording Development Corporation; and the Atlantic Canada Film Partners, representing New Brunswick Film, Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation and Technology PEI.

The CFTPA and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (arts and cultural industries promotion division) are also part of the mix.

Ontario and Quebec are not part of the new Canada booth lineup, both having made previous commitments. ‘But they’ll be with us for the next NATPE,’ says Johanne St-Arnauld, Telefilm’s acting executive director.

‘Now is the time for synergy, here as well as abroad. We need to unite our forces to offer the best possible support to the Canadian industry and ensure that our culture receives the recognition it deserves,’ says Francois Macerola, Telefilm’s chairman.

Leo Rice-Barker