Montreal: L’Association des Realisateurs et Realisatrices du Quebec, representing French-language directors in film and TV, has awarded its 2003 Prix Lumiere career contribution award to Fernand Dansereau.

Ghostship Studios, a year-old animation company in Halifax, founded by Frank and Dianna Forrestall in partnership with Halifax’s Eco-Nova Productions, is hard at work on the very ambitious one-hour animated documentary Fairy Folio. Frank Forrestall and John Davis of Eco-Nova are producing, with Phil Sceviour (CFO of both entities) executive producing.
According to Frank Forrestall (who is also directing), the unusual and daunting project for CTV will serve as a fairy field guide, offering instructions on how to handle yourself if you ever encounter one in the wild.

Dire predictions came true on April 14 when the Canadian Television Fund rejected 64% of the drama, kids and variety programs in line for LFP cash – backing only 73 of the 202 applicants and panicking both broadcasters and producers. CTF snubbed many major projects, including CBC’s Friday night comedies and CTV’s MOWs for ’03/04.
Funding from the Licence Fee Program totaled just $75.3 million, down from $111 million given to 154 shows this time last year. The shortfall could nix as many as 300 hours of new Canadian programming this year.

The most distracting thing about the breasts was not that they were naked, or enormous, or even inflatable – but that, from my point of view, they were hanging directly over producer Gabriella Martinelli’s head while she, unaware, explained the finer and more heartfelt points of her latest project, The Lives of Saints.

Toronto’s Alliance Atlantis Communications and CBS have sold the second-window U.S. broadcast rights for CSI: Miami to A&E Television Networks. From October 2004 to October 2006, A&E has acquired the right to air one episode of the highly rated series per week, with standard syndication conditions applying. AAC estimates the full value of the deal could exceed US$230 million, with a reported tag price of approximately US$1.2 million per episode.

With the CRTC hearings just over a month away, CHUM has announced the details for its ambitious move into Alberta – earmarking some $130 million to program two new stations over seven years and committing significant time and money to local, dramatic and multicultural shows.

The plan to erect the one-million-square-foot studio complex in Toronto’s port lands has been put on hold but not dropped, says Jeffrey Steiner, president and CEO of the Toronto Economic Development Corporation. The $150-million Toronto Film/Media Complex (a working name) will go ahead after a new investor/developer is found, following the recent departure of California-based Sequence Development Group from the project.

C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures has been contracted to work on the first fully animated feature by Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams – the much-celebrated Sheridan College grad who introduced Steven Spielberg to the now-famous CG dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.

Montreal: Completion bond guarantor Globex Media Finance is officially open for business. The company incorporated last June, but only recently completed lengthy and necessary negotiations with reinsurer Lloyd’s of London. ‘I had to go at least nine times to London to finalize the deal,’ says Diane Dube, Globex Media’s cofounder, EVP and COO.

ShowCanada 2003 chairperson Adina Lebo expects between 550 to 575 participants at this year’s expanded industry event, which unspools in Ottawa, April 30 to May 4.
The program includes a 42-kiosk trade show, a keynote seminar series, screenings and information on upcoming movies from both the studios and Canadian distributors, gala screenings, myriad receptions and parties as well as closed-door business meetings.

On Hot Docs’ 10th anniversary, the festival’s founder, the Canadian Independent Film Caucus, itself celebrating a 20th birthday, is rebranding itself as the Documentary Organization of Canada.

And the winner – for the fastest, least grueling awards show – is the Writers Guild of Canada and its 7th annual Top Ten Awards. The speeches were short, the presenters were actually funny and, most important of all, the speeches were short.