Last year’s National Association of Broadcasters conference was marred by the concurrent War on Iraq and fears about SARS, which kept many foreign delegates from making the trip. But those events are no longer at the forefront, and organizers of NAB2004, April 17-22 in Las Vegas, are optimistic about surpassing last year’s attendance of 88,200, down from the event’s 113,000-plus heyday of pre-9/11 2001.

There are many subplots to the 24th Annual Genie Awards, May 1 in Toronto, and they may add up to the most interesting Canadian film awards show in years, not least of all because of the eclectic list of nominees.

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There are many theories as to why English-Canadian movies languish at the box office: cash-strapped or indifferent marketing, greedy exhibitors, and/or the insurmountable competition of Hollywood product. Some say you can’t compare the situation to that in Quebec, where the French language gives films a built-in audience.
But Gerald Pratley, Canada’s longest-serving film critic, lays the blame elsewhere. ‘Clearly, it’s in the films themselves,’ he says.

The third time proved a charm for Montreal filmmaker Denys Arcand, as his internationally acclaimed drama The Barbarian Invasions won the Academy Award for best foreign-language film at the annual Oscar ceremony at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, Feb. 29.

Queer as Folk, Slings and Arrows and Made in Canada led the way as the Writers Guild of Canada announced this year’s nominees for the Canadian Screenwriting Awards.

Canada could be proud of its crews at last year’s Academy Awards, when Toronto-shot Chicago took moviedom’s top prize. Now, who would have thought that, 12 months later, an indigenous Canadian movie would take home a best film trophy from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre? Denys Arcand’s The Barbarian Invasions did just that, winning the Oscar for best foreign-language film.

Everything and the Kitchen Sync

No Canadian audio teams came out winners at the 51st Golden Reel Awards, despite several nominations. The Motion Picture Sound Editors organization made the prize announcements Feb. 28 in Los Angeles.

Finance Minister Ralph Goodale has called his long-awaited federal budget for March 23, and there remains no indication that the feds’ contribution to the Canadian Television Fund will be restored to its former amount.

Denys Arcand and Denise Robert are racking up the frequent flyer miles, trotting off from one awards gala to the next.

Toronto-headquartered 3D graphics systems and services provider Alias recently announced that it is in talks with a private equity firm for the financing to allow it to continue separate from California parent Silicon Graphics.