CFC names Magyar

The Canadian Film Centre has an artistic director for the first time, Hungarian-born l.a. filmmaker (The Agitators, No Secrets) and past director of the American Film Institute’s Centre for Advanced Film Studies, Deszo Magyar. Magyar will be responsible for shaping and supervising the cfc’s programs and scripts, especially those associated with feature film and the resident program.

‘The statement that we’re making with Deszo is that (the cfc) may be developing into a department store rather than a boutique,’ says Wayne Clarkson, executive director of the Centre.

Magyar sees his influence on cfc students as ‘combining European sensibilities with the knowledge of professional execution.’ He also sees ‘every filmmaker’s sacred obligation’ as being able ‘to return investment.’

Clarkson hints at major changes and shifting priorities at the cfc in the ‘not-too-distant future.’

‘Perhaps (marketing and promotion) is an issue the Centre should be dealing with,’ he says. ‘Our emphasis here is creative, but does the industry have enough skilled, knowledgeable sales agents? Should we be organizing conferences and events whereby the industry can learn the new skills of marketing and promotion? And should we start looking to spend less money on production now that so many of those large companies that have public offerings now have access to the marketplace? Perhaps we should be directing our money to other priorities – marketing for instance.’

Clarkson confirms there are ‘talks’ in this area but says changes ‘will not be this year, and probably not next year.’

The 1994/95 residents, Magyar’s first cfc students, are: directors Scott Beveridge, Yan Cui, Michael DeCarlo, Oliver Hockenhull, Sandra Kybartas, Helen Lee, Duncan McIntosh and Colleen Murphy; and screenwriters Chris Bolton, Semi Challas, James Dunnison, Penny Gay, Deborah Jarvis, Jaan Kolk and John McLellan.

cfc residents have made 20 Canadian feature films in the last four years.