Vancouver: Sextant Entertainment Group is in receivership, Prophecy Entertainment is undergoing serious renovation and, depending on whom you talk to, Peace Arch Entertainment may have a buyer, all of which is strong indication that the depressed international film economy has arrived in Vancouver.
Shrinking Sextant was put into receivership June 20 after failing to come to an agreement with creditors through the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act secured June 4 and since overturned.
The Royal Bank of Canada appointed Deloitte & Touche as interim receiver and Sextant’s remaining senior executives and directors resigned effective June 18.
Troubles began for Sextant earlier in the year when it was forced to restructure by its principal investor, Tony Allard of West Vancouver-based Hearthstone Investments.

Ending media speculation of a quiet battle between Canada’s star directors Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg for the most coveted spot at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Egoyan’s latest film Ararat has been confirmed as the Opening Night Gala feature at the 27th TIFF, unspooling Sept. 5-14.
Ararat, Egoyan’s biggest production to date, stars David Alpay, Charles Aznavour, Eric Bogosian, Brent Carver, Marie-Josee Croze, Bruce Greenwood, Arsinee Khanjian, Elias Koteas and Christopher Plummer. The story concerns how two families in modern Toronto are impacted by the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks (1915-1923). A production of Alliance Atlantis and Serendipity Point Films, the film played out of competition at the recent Cannes Film Festival.

With appeals behind them, there is nothing between the owners of Toronto’s two new over-the-air stations and their launch dates but clear sailing and an endless sea of details.

Montreal: Deluxe Film Laboratories and Technicolor, the two giants of the film processing industry, have deepened their worldwide battle for market share with the strategic opening of new facilities in Toronto and Montreal.

AAC sheds post facilities

It’s time for the feature film industry in Canada, and public sector agencies that serve the industry, to consider the notions of duality and uneven development in the marketplace.

Asked should Telefilm set up individualized funding envelopes for Canadian broadcasters, 48.08% of respondents voted yes, 51.92% voted no.

In Playback’s Canadian Talent Report in the June 24 issue, the feature Tennyson’s Wake was cited as one of writer Tassie Cameron’s career hightlights. She is actually the story editor on that script and Tracey Izatt is the writer. Also, Cameron is one of eight writers on Hottest Night of the Year.

With HIT Entertainment in the process of taking over Gullane Entertainment, the future relationship between the Thomas the Tank Engine owner and Canadian associate Cambium Catalyst International remains in question.

Montreal: Most recent figures from Statistics Canada indicate revenues for specialty television rose to $1.2 billion for the 12-month period ending Aug. 31, 2001, up 13.9% from 2000. Specialty TV’s share represented 26.6% of total television industry revenues of $4.5 billion in the period, compared with only 19% three years earlier.

Montreal: Quebec producers in the APFTQ are voicing strong opposition to broadcaster-affiliate access to the selective component of the Canada Feature Film Fund.

The Ontario Media Development Corporation’s board of directors has appointed managing, marketing and communications veteran Michel Frappier to replace Adam Ostry as the ageny’s new CEO, effective July 2.