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Jason Reitman: holding the maple leaf high
Following the phenomenal box office and critical success of Juno, Jason Reitman’s career is on fire. It was just three years ago that the filmmaker burst onto the scene with the satirical hit Thank You for Smoking, and now the Canadian ex-pat has a distribution deal with Fox Searchlight for his Hard C prodco. As a producer, he recently wrapped the Vancouver shoot for Jennifer’s Body, a horror comedy penned by Diablo Cody, Juno’s Oscar-winning scribe.
Industry titans feted at Hall of Fame bash
Nine key industry figures past and present were inducted into the Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame June 25 at the Drake Hotel in Toronto, in an event attended by more than 150 Canadian media leaders.
Industry mourns William Vince
William Vince, who produced the Oscar-winning movie Capote, died June 21 at his home in West Vancouver after a long battle with cancer at the age of 44.
Sold!
• Oasis International has closed an 11-picture deal with Hallmark International for territories including the U.K., Poland, Benelux and Russia. Included in the deal are the true crime CTV/Lifetime MOW Murder on Her Mind from Ilana Frank and Semi Chellas, Mail Order Bride from Blueprint Entertainment and the biopics Céline and Shania: A Life in Eight Albums by Barna-Alper Productions. Oasis is also sending Barna’s series Show Me Yours, seen here previously on Showcase, to the newly launched and female-aimed Diva TV in the U.K.
People
• Former Parti Québécois VP and documentary maker Monique Simard has been appointed the National Film Board’s director general of French Program.
The Burning Question
If it’s not one thing it’s another. First the writers walk out, and now, as Playback goes to press, the actors are poised to do the same, a move that threatens to put yet another chill on the screen trade in Canada. And so we look into the near future and ask:
Correction
Craig Stewart works security on the production The Border. Maribeth Daley is the series’ production manager. Incorrect information appeared in the June 23 issue.
The ABCs of coproing Down Under
At the recent Banff World Television Festival, I had the pleasure of conducting an onstage interview with Kim Dalton, director of television at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the leading pubcaster
TIFF programs a ‘bigger show’
The Toronto International Film Festival’s search is over for an opening-night Canadian movie not likely to be eclipsed by cross-town Hollywood premieres, and one that can match all festival-comers in both bulk and range.
Torrens trying late night for CBC
HALIFAX: The CBC, in conjunction with Len MacKeigan’s Mill Reef Productions, is looking at a new live-to-air variety show from the Maritimes following a one-hour pilot for Live! at 25:00 that aired throughout the region in the wee hours on June 28. The late-night show aired from the Seahorse Tavern in Halifax at 1 a.m. and featured local musicians, comedians and entertainers, hosted by Jonathan Torrens (Trailer Park Boys, Jonovision). The title refers to the 24-hour clock of the broadcast day, with 25:00 being 1 a.m. The show is also being streamed at cbc.ca, which the network is using to gauge viewer response.
Stratus, Seaton on Family Biz
Former pro wrestler Trish Stratus and Michael Seater of Life with Derek have signed on for guest spots on Family Biz, the half-hour comedy now shooting in Ottawa for Muse Entertainment. Muse is copro’ing the show with Toronto’s Summit Crescent Productions and France’s Breakout Films and is shooting in the capital region through August. The series stars Doug Murray (Bridal Fever, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) as a formerly high-powered exec who starts working from home after he is downsized, to the dismay of his formerly (and happily) ignored children.
Bloody Immigrants land at CBC
CBC will use the Internet to gauge how humorous viewers find the stereotypes of visible minorities.
Pool, Émond score at SODEC
Quebec’s main feature film funding body SODEC has given the green light to seven projects, including films by noted helmers Léa Pool, Bernard Émond and Ricardo Trogi.
Demers joins generations
As is often the case before he edits a film, producer Rock Demers couldn’t decide what to call his road-trip drama about the friendship between an international aid worker, an abandoned boy and a monkey.
Safe is the buzzword for nets this fall
Global had some holes to fill in its lineup and Rogers went out buying for the Citys for the first time, while CTV and CBC are sticking to what works. The most interesting battle this fall might be between the revamped A and E! Playback breaks down who’s doing what
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