Veteran producer Michael Burns has landed a development deal with CTV to produce a series of city-centered documentary features inspired by Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg. And he has courted the veritable cream of Canadian directing talent to bring his vision to the screen.

Atom Egoyan will essay his Victoria, Charles Biname will expose his Montreal, Don McKellar his take on Toronto. And it’s not just the big cities and, one hastens to add, just men: Patricia Rozema will bring Sarnia, ON to the big screen. Other confirmed directors are Julia Kwan (Vancouver), Gary Burns (Calgary) and Thom Fitzgerald (Halifax).

The plan is to premiere the films at Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, followed by a cross-country tour tied to cultural events over the ensuing months.

Central to CTV’s signing on as ‘a founding partner’ in My Canada is a triumvirate of Toronto insiders: Bonnie Hillman, president of Arts and Communications, a marketing and promotion firm that specializes in matching deep-pocketed patrons with visionary but impecunious artists; Nuria Bronfman, the one-time director of communications at the Toronto International Film Festival and now one of the most plugged-in communications specialists in the country; and Mark Sarner of Manifest Communications.

While Burns remains mum on the per-picture budget of the series, the $600,000 budget of My Winnipeg provides a benchmark. ‘And that’s with actors,’ as Burns told Playback Daily.

While the project remains speculative, the bench strength of the artistic team is sure to be a lure for financing. Burns expects each production to be a co-venture with the directors’ respective production shingles. They will take advantage of the various soft money sources in their respective provinces. Egoyan is understood to have begun his film.

‘Atom was the lynchpin,’ said Burns. ‘He bought in early and has kept the faith.’ Enthusiasm seems to be endemic on the project. Bronfman said she was originally approached to handle the PR for the project. ‘But when I heard about the scope, I fell in love with it. I said ‘I’ll do it but there’s no way I’m just going to do the publicity. I want to help get it financed.”

But, with less than 18 months before the Vancouver games, her challenge is estimable. Hillman and Bronfman will be beating the bushes of corporate Canada to fund not just the films but the attendant live events envisioned to roll out after the Winter Games premiere.

Thus far though, it’s win-win all around. Following last year’s acquisition of CHUM, CTV has a CRTC-mandated benefits package to dole out. Further, having shelled out $192 million for the Canadian broadcast rights to Vancouver 2010 Games and the 2012 Summer Games, the network is keen to get as many marketing hooks as it can. My Canada provided an ideal union.

‘CTV is thrilled to support this country’s filmmakers and this unique project that will debut when the eyes of the world will be upon Canada,’ said Susanne Boyce, president of creative, content and channels for CTV in a statement. ‘The My Canada series gives Canadians and the world at large a glimpse into our thriving and diverse country. The high-calibre filmmakers know and love the communities they’re profiling, giving viewers intimate film tours from an insider’s perspective.’

Burns’ brainchild — luring top Canadian directors to create personal vignettes of their hometowns — was hatched during his tenure as commissioning editor at specialty strand The Documentary Channel. He convinced a skeptical Guy Maddin to bring his idiosyncrasies into the documentary realm, yielding a critically acclaimed title that has toured the world. But Burns was let go from the channel last year when it was acquired (and rebranded as Documentary) by the CBC, putting his dream project into stasis.

‘This project is a film producer’s dream come true, being able to work with Canada’s most talented filmmakers in this way’, said Burns. ‘We are thrilled that CTV has recognized the importance and cultural value of this project and joined us as the only founding partner. This is a project which will be a revelation to Canada and the world.’

It will also likely be a revelation for the filmmakers: of the names announced, only Gary Burns is widely known for a documentary — 2006’s Radiant City. Moreover, the concept calls for the filmmakers to present their films in the same manner as Maddin did the world premiere of My Winnipeg: with live narration on-stage.

Maddin is something of a specialist in the rarified world of live auteur performance; he presented My Winnipeg twice in Toronto, opened the Forum at the Berlin Film Festival and made a splash at the Tribeca and Sydney film festivals. It’s expected he will be invited to reprise his performance in Vancouver when — and if — the series comes together.

Maddin, who is out of the country and unavailable for comment, did issue a statement: ”We Canadians can now begin the long-overdue process of thoroughly documenting, mythologizing and honouring our great living cities and the lives lived within them. And what better time to premiere these filmic cenotaphs than in 2010. This is a project that will show us who we are!’

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Playback Daily’s coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival continues through this weekend with special editions on Saturday and Sunday.