Content-sharing deal will see broadcaster swap sports stories for financial

Two years later, former staff at Montreal shop get back pay for work on Journey to the Center of the Earth

I’ve always believed that a grasp of history is a useful thing. But the truth is, it can be a burden in the world of business.

Chloe: Atom Egoyan’s latest, which recently unspooled at the Toronto International Film Festival as a gala, garnered much attention (and most of it good) ahead of a Christmas release through E1 Entertainment. The Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson-starring drama is certain to come with commercial success, predicts The Hollywood Reporter, calling it ‘compelling.’ The Toronto Star agrees, labelling Chloe a ‘sleek film’ that should ‘restore Egoyan’s luster at the box office.’ A slightly less enthused review in Screen Daily notes that the characters ‘feel as if they are puppets being manipulated by unseen hands, rather than believable human beings.’

+ Érik Canuel, director of all-time top-grosser Bon Cop, Bad Cop, has lined up his next project, My Oma, with actress Marianne Sägebrecht (Baghdad Café) in the lead. Julia Rosenberg of Toronto-based January Films set up the project as a Canada/Germany coproduction with Germany’s Andro Steinborn, who recently left Berlin-based X Filme International.

MOVES

The industry lost another vet with the passing of Peter Mortimer early in September. He was 72 and died peacefully, after a battle with cancer, surrounded by his wife Maria Topalovich and their two children, Sasha Bridger and Catherine Mortimer.

In mid-1991, I was new to the editor’s desk at Playback, having just moved over from reporting for Strategy. Neither that trial-by-fire beginning, nor several years at CBC Radio News had prepared me for Film-and-TV-Industry 101 – a day in the life of a Playback journalist.

Turning to snow’

Exhibitors aren’t complaining about grey clouds and rainy skies, which along with a strong lineup of films such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Up and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, boosted the summer box office to yet another record-setting take in 2009.

Former Breakthrough exec also looks to extend coproduction opportunities for Canuck indie producers