A panel assembled by the Toronto International Film Festival has voted on the 10 best Canadian films of 2002, and the results were announced at a recent Toronto soiree hosted by actors Arsinee Khanjian and Fabrizio Filippo.

Vancouver: An old-fashioned groundbreaking Jan. 22 kicked off construction on what will become the new-age nerve centre for domestic film and television producers in Vancouver.

Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps is travelling to Paris in the first week of February for a series of meetings aimed at advancing the international agenda for cultural diversity.

Telefilm Canada has announced support for 26 of 168 Canada New Media Fund applications. The applications were submitted for the Sept. 23 deadline and include multiple-phase applications, resulting in support for a total of 21 new products. Of the total, 13 are for products in pre-development/development and eight are for products in the production and marketing phases.

Filmmaker Atom Egoyan will be the first Canadian to preside over the international jury at the Berlin International Film Festival, Telefilm Canada has announced. Egoyan’s Genie-nominated film Ararat will also be presented in the Special Screenings section of the festival. Two other Canadian films, Moussa Sene Absa’s Madame Brouette and the Spanish copro My Life Without Me are in competition in Berlin. In addition, seven other Canadian films will be shown in the Panorama and Kinderfilmfest sections. BIFF runs Feb. 6-16.

Park City, UT: While word on the streets of Park City, UT was that this year’s Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 16-26) fare lacked the punch of past festivals, the 2003 fest was remarkable for Canadian filmmakers. Twelve Canadian films screened here, including six dramatic features (compared to two last year) as well as a host of short films and documentaries.

* Steve Wyatt has been named editor-in-chief at Global Television Network. Based in Vancouver, Wyatt will be responsible for the ‘overall news brand’ for Global Television News and drive the Global National newscast. Previously, Wyatt was GM, B.C. operations, for Global Television and news director for BCTV.

Duncan Hood is editor of Stategy Media. The following is a mid-season review of how Canada’s broadcasters have faired in the highly competitive national broadcast market.

Screenwriters and producers reach tentative deal

Minds Eye Entertainment president and CEO Kevin DeWalt says the acquisition of Winnipeg’s Buffalo Gal Pictures in May ‘solidifies the company on the Prairies, and as we continue to grow and raise capital, who knows where we will be.

During some of the slower weeks of the year I find myself looking up and down Playback’s news lineup for something – anything – compelling to put on the front page, and wondering whether I’ll finally have to resort to running a picture of myself in a Speedo after a cold dip just to fill the space.

Diana Cafazzo and Simon Chester are members of the KNOWlaw Group of Toronto law firm McMillan Binch.