Sylvain Gagné of Christal Films contends that Karla is an important film to share with Canadians as – if nothing else – a cautionary tale, adding that he doesn’t fear a public outcry against the film or its partners.
The controversial U.S. feature about the exploits of convicted murderers Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo was scheduled to open across Canada through the distrib on Jan. 20.

Rick Feldman, NATPE’s president and CEO, calls the annual conference and exhibition ‘a mirror of the business,’ and, as such, mobile content issues will factor heavily into this year’s event, Jan. 24-26 in Las Vegas.

Global Television’s primetime soap Falcon Beach premiered to 576,000 viewers on Jan. 5 in its 8 p.m. timeslot, according to BBM, despite stiff competition from hockey coverage on TSN.

Of the three comedy pilots that aired on CBC earlier this month, Rabbittown fared the best, bringing in 251,000 viewers on Jan. 3 at 9:30 p.m.

All drama funding will move to broadcaster envelopes, and the CBC will receive nearly 40% of all available funds, if proposed changes at the Canadian Television Fund become official later this month.

CHUM Ltd. is not about to change hands despite the death last month of its founder and majority shareholder Allan Waters, according to company president and CEO Jay Switzer.

Always a big draw over the holidays, the first four games of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship tournament featuring Team Canada averaged 1.2 million viewers on TSN, a 15% increase over the first four games last year.

Shaw Communications has resigned from the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association, but neither party is willing to discuss the split.

A History of Violence by director David Cronenberg and Muse Entertainment’s Human Trafficking received two nominations each when the contenders for the 63rd Golden Globe Awards were announced on Dec. 12.

Vancouver – Producer/director David Paperny is developing Confessions of an Innocent Man, a feature-length documentary based on the book of the same name by William Sampson, the Canadian businessman who was interrogated, tortured and held in solitary confinement in a Saudi Arabian prison for more than two years. He was released in 2003 and published his book last year.

CTV’s forthcoming Whistler is being touted as the most expensive drama series the network has ever produced, and joins in a revival of indigenous B.C. series work that also includes the likes of Da Vinci’s City Hall, Godiva’s, Robson Arms and newbie Alice, I Think.

Scripts for season two of surprise hit Robson Arms are already being developed and the show’s producers hope it will go to camera in April.