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Labor chill felt in Toronto, Montreal
As negotiations between actors and producers entered their final leg amid the looming prospect of a strike, the uncertainty has already taken its toll on production, with Toronto and Montreal suffering the most damage.
Multi-pic deal for Quebec?
Montreal: One of Canada’s biggest labor funds is negotiating with American producer Edward R. Pressman (American Psycho, Wall Street) to make 12 big-budget films in Montreal over the next five years.
Happy wins at Whistler
Whistler, BC: Hit with a record-breaking early snowfall, the sixth annual Whistler Film Festival rolled out the white carpet to host four days of 90-plus flicks, and at its Dec. 3 finale handed its $15,000 Borsos award to first-time screenwriter/director Stéphane Lapointe for La Vie secrète des gens heureux (The Secret Life of Happy People).
Canucks head to Sundance
Canada will be well represented at next year’s Sundance Film Festival, boasting eight official feature film selections at the indie fete. It marks a noticeable shift from the past two years, both of which had only one Canuck feature.
Programmer Layfield on CBC’s fall ratings
There can be little argument that this year has not been a good one for CBC. And a second not-good year in a row, at that.
Radical changes took root in ’06
When the accounting is done years from now about what impact 2006 had on the business of film and television, the year will be looked upon as one of seeding. The changes that will, over the next few years, transform the film, broadcast and digital media sectors are only just taking root as of this writing.
Feore hawks Bon Cop DVD
Days ahead of the Dec. 19 DVD release of Bon Cop, Bad Cop – expected by distributor Alliance Atlantis to eclipse the recent success of kids show phenom Passe-Partout – star Colm Feore talked with Playback about building buzz, making sandwiches and ditching Denzel Washington.
Hot Sheet
The Hot Sheet tracks Canadian box-office results for the period Dec. 1-7, 2006 and DVD sales in Canada for the period Nov. 20-26, 2006.
Slow December for homegrown fare
With only one or two exceptions, Canadian films are, as usual, laying low during the hectic and high-powered holiday season, and the few that are in theaters are struggling.
Festival films get federal boost
Filmmakers looking for attention on the international scene could get help from Telefilm Canada, which this month announced plans to put up to $200,000 annually into the promotion of English- and French-language films screening at festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Pusan, Sundance and Venice.
Larry Henderson 1917-2006
Larry Henderson, the first regular news anchor of CBC TV, died in Toronto on Nov. 26 at age 89.
Producer of the Year: Bon Cop’s Kevin Tierney
Kevin Tierney has certainly received some stellar publicity this year. Bon Cop, Bad Cop, which he cowrote and produced, has taken the crown as the most successful Canadian film ever at the domestic box office. As of Nov. 23, it had grossed $12.2 million, surpassing the long-standing record of 1982’s Porky’s ($11.2 million).
Broadcasters expand platforms
The dominance of conventional standard-definition television is starting to erode, as evident in the year’s biggest developments on the Canuck TV scene.
The year that was at CBC
From turning over its drama series to executive shuffles and its fall ratings wipeout, the CBC has seen interesting times in 2006. A quick recap of its highs and lows:
Minuit le soir tops Gemeaux
Montreal: Radio-Canada’s ground-breaking nightclub drama Minuit le soir was the big winner at the Prix Gémeaux on Dec. 9, taking seven of its 10 nominations at the 21st annual French-language TV awards, including prizes for best drama and direction.
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