Montreal: Producer Jean Mercier of Montreal’s Mercier Films has filed a claim in Quebec Superior Court against Groupe tva and affiliate TVA International for damages totaling more $14 million.

In court documents filed by the law firm of Robinson Sheppard Shapiro, Mercier claims compensation for loss of income and damages related to TVA International’s distribution of the 39-episode tv series My Hometown, produced by Mercier. tva signed an exclusive international distribution agreement with Mercier for My Hometown in the fall of 1995.

According to the documents, tva, with Mercier’s assistance, negotiated sales of more than $1.5 million for the series during the period from October 1996 to September 1997. From the revenues recorded during the period, $580,783 in proceeds went to Mercier and $967,168 to tva.

Among the many other claims made against tva, the court documents allege tva made no additional efforts at selling the series after January 1998.

One of the allegations claims tva refused to pursue a third-party offer for u.s. licensing rights to the series at natpe in ’98. The document indicates the third party, identified as Sullivan Films, offered to sell the series for us$100,000 an episode, less 25% in the form of a seller’s commission. A hearing date has not been set.