Montreal: Phase one in the year 2000 mega-round of specialty channel digital licensing, and bets are the crtc is heartily cursing Category 2….

Montreal: Equinox Entertainment, the film division of La Compagne France Film, has announced a major expansion program. The company says it will announce a theatrical distribution slate of up to 15 films following the Cannes Film Festival, May 10-21, and a…

Montreal: In an unprecedented acquisition, Toronto-based children’s producer Nelvana (ntv) has announced an agreement to buy Palo Alto, Calif.-based branded instructional book publisher Klutz for $107 million (us$74 million)….

Cannes: In early news from mip-tv, Alliance Atlantis Communications has signed an exclusive merchandising deal with Toronto-based Custom Casuals Group to produce a funky, fashion-forward line of apparel for its new series Drop the Beat….

Vancouver: Mainframe Entertainment will bring back its cgi series ReBoot for two mows. The productions are set to air on ytv in the spring and fall of 2001….

At first glance, memories of the Friendly Giant are inevitable, what with the enchanting Tom Jackson interacting with his puppet friends in a mysterious setting filled with obscure tools and trinkets, but looking beyond, it becomes clear that Tales From the…

Vancouver: As Playback went to press, strike-weary members of the B.C. Projectionists Union were poised to vote on a deal with Famous Players and Cineplex theatre owners that gives the employers what they have asked for since the labor disruption began…

Nelvana has acquired worldwide development, production, distribution and merchandise licensing rights to Little Critter, based on the characters from the best-selling children’s book series by Mercer Mayer….

Nine nominations did Canada proud when the Banff Television Festival announced its slate of nominees for the 21st Banff Rockie Awards last week (April 12) during the mip-tv program market in Cannes….

Montreal: Astral Media has sold its AstralTech video duplication and distribution unit to visual packaged media company Technicolor for $26.5 million. The sale does not include the Astral Home Entertainment video wholesaling and marketing operation….

Montreal: Telescene Film Group has announced a record $148.7 million (us$102 million) production slate as well as a new output deal with German media company Tele-Munchen Group….

For the first time, attendees to this year’s Hot Docs documentary film festival in Toronto can use the event to turn their ideas into product – with the help of the Toronto Documentary Forum, a pitching forum modeled on and partnered…