Toronto-based OMNI Television is set to launch its new international distribution arm, Harbourfront Entertainment, at the Banff Television Festival in June.

Toronto’s Gooderham & Worts Distillery, an oft-used Toronto filming location, will officially reopen under the name of The Cooperage Gooderham & Worts Historic District on May 22.

First came Bud Light’s ‘Vikings/Attic Launcher/Figure Skating’ campaign from Palmer Jarvis DDB creative team David Chiavegato and Rich Pryce-Jones, which won the 2001 best in show Bessie. Then came a 2002 best of series writing nod for Chiavegato for the Bud Light spot ‘Sin and Sentimentality.’

The Toronto Film Studios is a step closer to its plan of running a major film campus with the purchase of Toronto production centre Cinevillage from Alliance Atlantis Communications. Although AAC will remain Cinevillage’s anchor tenant, TFS will act as the owner/operator of the facility.

The U.K.’s Pinewood Shepperton Studios has reportedly reaffirmed its commitment to the proposed Toronto Film/Media Complex destined for Toronto’s port lands, in the wake of partner California-based Sequence Development Group dropping out of the project. Pinewood will serve as the studio’s operator when it becomes operational.

Gary Chuntz is one of the guys who made being a colorist cool. For his efforts and overall contribution to the Canadian commercial production industry, Chuntz is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Bob Mann Award for excellence in post-production at the 2003 Bessies.

Operating parallel to the famous Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes International Film Market runs May 14-24. Canadian professionals attending the market call it the number-one film business event in the world.

Monique Kelley’s work on one of the most recent spots in the popular Five Alive TV campaign has earned her the 2003 Bessie for art direction. The winning spot in Kelley’s case is ‘Karate Kan,’ an ad made up of short vignettes targeted at a generation of channel-surfers.

SARS cost the city of Toronto one Jennifer Lopez picture, delayed a cable TV conference and took a bite out of both the Hot Docs and Sprockets film festivals. But now that the worst appears to be over, both the city and its film industry are recovering from the brief plague.

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Toronto’s Eyes Post Group has purchased the assets of the cross-town post-production house formerly known as The Post Group. Eyes and the staff of The Post Group have given the shop the new handle KAOS Digital Post Environment.