– Behaviour picks up Lulu

Behaviour Distribution has acquired the Canadian rights to Paul Auster’s Lulu On The Bridge, the opening film for Un Certain Regard at this month’s Cannes International Film Festival.

The film, written and directed by Auster, is about the love affair between a famous jazz saxophonist and an aspiring actress and stars Harvey Keitel, Mira Sorvino, Willem Dafoe, Vanessa Redgrave, Kevin Corrigan and Mandy Patinkin.

In addition to Lulu, five other Behaviour films were selected for Cannes: Hal Hartley’s Henry Fool in official competition, Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art and Todd Solondz’s Happiness in the Director’s Fortnight, and Francois Ozon’s Tokyo Eyes and Jean-Pierre Limousin’s Sitcom in Un Certain Regard.

– Nelvana earnings up 34%

In a self-described year of strategic repositioning, Toronto-based toonco Nelvana saw net earnings increase 34% to $4.9 million ($0.86 per share) for fiscal 1997, compared to $3.7 million ($0.71 per share) in 1996.

Nelvana is touting the earnings increase as a strong bottom-line financial performance despite lower revenue resulting from a shift in corporate strategy away from service production. The company’s agm will be held May 20 in Toronto.

– Globetrotting Kermit

The Kermit Channel, a joint venture between The Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment, will launch throughout Asia and Latin America in September.

Each company will have 50% ownership of the 24-hour, global pay-television channel, which will utilize original family entertainment programming from both company libraries as well as create some new productions.

Hallmark Entertainment Network will carry the new channel, with additional worldwide territory launches to follow.

– New CAB board

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters has created a board of directors to represent the interests of the association’s specialty, pay-tv and pay-per-view members. cab president Michael McCabe says the decision reflects ‘the convergence that is occurring in our industry.’

cab currently has 18 specialty, pay and ppv members. Mark Rubenstein, vp and gm of Citytv and chair of the interim specialty committee, was voted in as the board’s chair.

– T.O. locations resource

The Community Alliance for Neighbourhood Development Opportunities launched its film resource guide Lights… Cameras… York! at a celebration May 16 on the set of Stephen King’s Storm of the Century.

The purpose of the directory is to assist film companies in locating shoots in the old City of York, provide information to local businesses, and promote unique locations in the Toronto community.

Bonnie Taylor has been appointed gm of can do.

– NANBA workshop

The North American National Broadcasters Association’s 6th International Broadcast News Workshop will be held May 27-29 at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto.

Workshops will cover the latest trends and developments in broadcasting, including the impact of new media, audience research methods and the media’s role in the political process.

Knowlton Nash and Pamela Wallin will act as conference co-chairs, and confirmed speakers include Neil Postman, media critic, author and chair of nyu’s Department of Culture and Communication; Stewart Purvis, editor-in-chief of Britain’s itn; and Kevin Newman, co-anchor of abc’s Good Morning America.

For more information, call Paul Ferriera, nanba, (416) 598-9877 ext. 14 or pferreira@tvo.org.

– People

Lions Gate Entertainment has named Peter Strauss president of the new u.s. subsidiary that will serve as the parent company of Lions Gate’s u.s. corporations. Strauss will be the senior Lions Gate executive in the States with responsibility for Lions Gate’s u.s.-based motion picture activities, which include Mandalay Pictures.

– Jean Bourgeois, an expert in turning around financially ailing businesses, is the new vp finance and administration at Quebec broadcaster Television Quatre Saisons. Bourgeois acted as a consultant to the tqs business reorganization plan implemented this fall under president and ceo Franklin Delaney. Since 1998, Bourgeois has worked as a senior director at the Montreal and London, Eng. offices of Arthur Andersen.

– Former media exec Raynald Briere (CKAC, Radiomedia) has been named vp specialty channels with Montreal broadcaster TVA Group. Briere will also handle tva’s regulatory duties.

– Jane Harrison has been promoted to director, legal and business affairs at Atlantis Broadcasting.

– Frank Mendicino has been appointed vp advertising-releasing and Susan Smythe has been appointed vp publicity and promotion-releasing at Alliance Communications.

– Terry Markus has been appointed vp business affairs at Toronto’s Catalyst Entertainment. Markus was previously the vp, business and regulatory affairs at Alliance Broadcasting.

– Daniel Harvey has been appointed vp of national television for Montreal-based Productions Pixcom.

– Nelvana has made three appointments in its business affairs division.

Sandy Mackay-Smith is vp, corporate secretary and general counsel, replacing Eleanor Olmstead. Mackay-Smith most recently acted as a Canadian entertainment agent and business consultant for two years, and was vp and general counsel at Dominion Textile for 12 years.

Suzanne Cross, former legal counsel for Telefilm Canada, is vp, business affairs. She replaces Jill Fraser.

Jamie Brown is the new director, business affairs, replacing Dale Hancocks. Brown was formerly director, business and legal affairs at Sullivan Entertainment.

– Royal Bank’s entertainment unit in Montreal has grown to nine with the arrival of former Banque Nationale de Paris account manager Virginie Beck. Beck was one of four account managers at bnp. Royal’s Montreal unit is headed by senior account manager Nancy Wells.

– Mark Pezarro, president of Calgary-based dth provider Star Choice, has resigned. Pezarro is pursuing other business interests.

– Tom O’Neill, former senior director with MuchMusic and most recently production specialist for ChumCity International worldwide franchises, has joined Toronto-based Random Factory as an associate and in-house director.

Random Factory recently completed Ipso Facto, a half-hour sketch comedy pilot with no broadcaster attached.

– ctv reporter Wei Chen has joined current affairs program W Five full-time. Leslie Jones is now the permanent morning news anchor for CTV News 1 and Canada a.m. Chen will continue working in a backup role, in the anchor chair, on CTV News 1, Canada am and the 11 p.m. news.

– Died

Andre Collette, the longtime head of Astral Communications’ technical services division AstralTech, died May 2 in Alexandria, Ont. He was 73.

The former president of Astral’s Bellevue Pathe Quebec division, Collette retired from the company in 1990. Collette was also a director of the Cinematheque Quebecoise from 1981 to 1986, serving as president in 1984/85.