Michael Moore, Judaism and Toronto-haters inspired filmmakers to create some of the Canadian highlights at this year’s Hot Docs. Now, these docmakers can only wait and see how the public and industry respond at North America’s most important documentary festival.

Playback asks six decision-makers in doc broadcast, distribution and production what kinds of projects they are looking for. Half mentioned films with environmental themes.

At a time when film festivals are becoming more glamorous and glitzy, and star power and red carpets rival the films themselves as the main attraction, a small-town prairie festival that prides itself on its diminutive size, casual atmosphere and artistic focus is quite an anomaly. But, as far as the organizers and attendees of the Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival are concerned, that’s a good thing.

Iconic Canadian filmmaker Allan King will be the guest of honor at the 60th annual Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival, May 24-27. The fest is holding a special reception and screening of King’s dramatic feature Who Has Seen the Wind, which earned a 1978 Golden Reel Award as the previous year’s highest-grossing Canadian film.

Having failed in 2004 to build a megastudio on Toronto’s waterfront, Britain’s Pinewood Studios Group and local partner Castlepoint Development Group will now go ahead with the construction of a new five-soundstage complex in midtown Toronto, according to a weekend story in the Toronto Star.

Despite no Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens or Edmonton Oilers, CBC and TSN are still drawing good numbers to their NHL playoff broadcasts featuring the other Canadian teams and American-only match-ups.

Film distribution veteran remembered as an ‘invaluable ally of Canadian filmmakers’

Little Mosque, Rick Mercer, Sophie Paquin make the shortlist for the 28th annual Banff World Television Awards

The Quebec distrib hits the streets with home-video releases of the popular feature Romeo et Juliette and the Patrick Huard series Au nom de la loi

AQTIS and IATSE are back at the bargaining table, working on a more permanent solution to their ongoing turf war over Quebec’s film technicians

Agreement, also ratified by CFTPA and APFTQ, formally closes the books on the actors’ union’s first strike