What would happen today if an English-Canadian filmmaker made a feature that not only wowed the critics but was also a hit at the box office? Would they declare a national holiday? Throw a ticker-tape parade on Parliament Hill? Rename the Film Centre in his honor?
Well, Ted Kotcheff made just such a film 30 years ago, yet the aftermath was nowhere near as celebratory. In fact, the director had to leave the country just to earn a living.

Much has happened in the Canadian television business in the year leading up to the 18th Annual Gemini Awards. In addition to contending with wide-ranging economic woes, the TV industry was hit with the bombshell that $50 million would be lopped off the Canadian Television Fund over the next two years.

Alliance Atlantis trumpeted the acquisition of HBO’s Six Feet Under, and its enthusiasm was not ill placed.

Despite problems that have plagued the country and the production community this year – from Interior fires to SARS – organizers of the 22nd Vancouver International Film Festival (Sept. 25 to Oct. 10) are calling for a record year.

VIFF 2003’s Canadian Images section boasts a record 32 features, and the reason for that is, simply, there were more strong films submitted, says Diane Burgess, Canadian Images programmer.

Hollywood North is the title of Peter O’Brian’s feature premiering at the 28th Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 4-13). It is also the nickname given T.O. as a popular location for Hollywood productions, which shoot here because they can get Hollywood-caliber results cheaper.

Picture if you will – the sight of Piers Handling strutting around a stadium-size concert stage, hips shaking, tongue extended, belting out the lyrics to Start Me Up, while a craggy Keith Richards coughs up three-chord riffs on an open-G-tuned Telecaster.

For many, TIFF is about partaking in a scintillating offering of international cinema. But to biz insiders, what is really most important at the fest is making new connections and picking up on the latest trends in the art and business of filmmaking. That said, all creative types, producers and distributors should find something of interest among this year’s programs at the Rogers Industry Centre.

It has been a banner year for Quebec cinema, as evidenced by the boffo box office enjoyed by the sleeper comedy La Grande seduction ($6 million), directed by Jean-Francois Pouliot, and Denys Arcand’s Les Invasions barbares ($5.65 million). Both films will be screening at TIFF 2003 in English subtitled versions, as Seducing Dr. Lewis and The Barbarian Invasions, respectively.

It must have seemed like fate to Paris-based director of photography Kevin Jewison that his director father Norman would be coming to France to shoot his 24th feature, The Statement, and would be requesting his services.

Performance Solutions/Set Solutions, a Toronto-based outfit that provides physical F/X services and equipment rentals, has recently expanded its offerings with the acquisition of aerial rigging company Harcourt Rigging and physical F/X house Malivoire Pictures.

Summer has finally arrived, and what does that mean? Well, in addition to the annual Canuck ritual of sun-worshipping on the nearest patio, ale in hand, it means the latest crop of blockbuster movies has arrived.