Hardball was definitely the name of the game during this year’s fierce upfront negotiations. Three months later, some media buyers are still fuming about what went on.

Runaway productions are back on the political agenda in the U.S., following renewed efforts by activists and lawmakers to keep Hollywood movies out of Canada. Washington is, for the third time in two years, again considering a tax credit for low-budget movies while, in L.A., activists are arguing that Canadian film subsidies are illegal under NAFTA.

CBC loses $10M

Rookie filmmakers got a lot of good advice during the Rogers Industry sessions at last month’s Toronto International Film Festival – even if, to be perfectly honest, it was sometimes the sort of advice that makes reporters and editors uncomfortable.

Vancouver: At press time, the 22nd annual Vancouver International Film Festival was several days from wrapping up. However, organizers expect this year’s attendance and box office to surpass last year’s tally of 150,000 movie-goers.

The Calgary International Film Festival, held Sept. 26 to Oct. 5, proved its plan to beef up to a 10-day festival was a good one, reporting 38,000 attendees for its fourth edition. Last year, the festival, held over six days, brought in 25,000 film-goers.

Festival delegates can expect the usual surreal and ironic mix of quaint Eastern Canadian charm and heavy tech-talk that has become the trademark of nextMEDIA, Oct. 22-25 in Charlottetown, PEI. Aside from a diverse assortment of sessions and panels, the new media fest will feature five keynote speakers over the three days.

The 14th annual St. John’s International Women’s Film and Video Festival unspools Oct. 15-19 in St. John’s, NF. The popular fest, which traditionally has had a sizeable Newfoundland & Labrador film presence, is designed to extol the contributions of women in the film and video industry.

Janet Yale surprised her Canadian Cable Television Association colleagues and many industry watchers by her sudden resignation as CCTA president and CEO in late September.

The National Screen Institute in Winnipeg has selected the participants for its Totally Television program, and in its second year, there is a definite lean toward Toronto-based talent.

Film and television veterans were well represented in the annual Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for 2003, announced Sept. 30. Director Norman Jewison, television comedian Dave Broadfoot and writer/actor Micheline Lanctot were among the six award recipients this year.

* CBC has shuffled several execs in its arts and entertainment department in hopes of spurring more work with independent producers and other network branches, including news, radio, and CBC.ca.