Hockey-hungry Canadians were quick to jump at one of the first NHL-related broadcasts since fans were assured that hockey would be back for the 2005/06 season.

The Hot Sheet tracks Canadian box-office results for the period July 15-21 and television ratings for the period July 18-24.

Don McLean, the epicenter of Toronto’s commercial production industry and head of The Partners’ Film Company for more than two decades, died on July 12 amid complications from heart bypass surgery. He was 72.

Richard Leiterman, one of Canada’s most definitive and respected cinematographers, died on July 14 of complications from the rare disease amyloidosis. He was 70.

School is out for Decode Entertainment. The company has backed down from its fight with residents of an east Toronto neighborhood, and now says it will move its series Naturally, Sadie out of nearby St. Aloysius school by the end of August.

Lions Gate, ThinkFilm ink deal

Astral Media will turn 60 years old during the 2005/06 television season, but it is still thinking young with its Teletoon and Family Channel specialties.

No stranger to controversy, the Montreal World Film Festival will screen the world premiere of Karla – the hotly debated feature, formerly known as Deadly – about convicted killer Karla Homolka.

It’s been a busy summer for The Comweb Group. Not only has the company scrambled to meet a sudden surge in demand for production services, but it has also sold its L.A.-based equipment supplies operation, ended a long-standing partnership with Toronto prodco Protocol Entertainment, and entered a new partnership with Vancouver-based post company Rainmaker.

The first job I had out of university was for The Partners’ Film Company in Toronto. It lasted a week.

Louis Bélanger and Bruce McDonald were among the 11 filmmakers who drew cheques from Telefilm Canada late last month through the low-budget end of its Canada Feature Film Fund.

It is not hard to find friends after handing out more than $1.6 million, and after the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund released its annual round of grants, Leigh Badgley was quick to sing its praises.