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Square takes Medicine
Regina: 4 Square Productions of Regina has linked arms with Australia’s Visionquest Entertainment to make Medicine Woman – a factual 13 x 30 that follows host Dr. Daniele Behn on a tour of the world’s shamans, herbalists and other mystic healers.
Deacon tapped for CBC talker
Toronto: CBC pulled back the curtain, just an inch, on its new daytime talk show recently when it tapped TV and print personality Gillian Deacon as host. Deacon – an arts and environmental reporter seen on CBC, CBC Newsworld and Discovery and in the pages of Green Living magazine – will front the show when it launches sometime this fall, in the weekday 11 a.m. slot.
Bob, Bob, Bobin’ along
Montreal: A long list of famous actors are in Montreal, all to appear in the Bob Dylan sort-of biopic I’m Not There by Todd Haynes (Safe, Far from Heaven). Haynes, true to his oddball form, has cast six different actors as the iconic singer-songwriter, among them Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett. The production is shooting at Mel’s Cité du Cinéma.
Briefly
* Vincent Cassel (Shrek, Irréversible) has joined the cast of David Cronenberg’s forthcoming Eastern Promises, set to begin shooting Nov. 19.
Looking back and facing forward
As the Vancouver International Film Festival hits the quarter-century mark, festival director Alan Franey can’t help but look back to the beginning just as he readies to unspool more than 300 films from over 50 countries, Sept. 28 to Oct. 13.
New direction for Film & Television Forum
After 20 years in operation, VIFF’s venerable professional development events kick off Sept. 27 with a new director, a new name, and a new focus.
Cohen takes guests inside writers’ room
While spotlighting local talent, the Film & Television Forum is also bringing home some of Canada’s finest exports, including Joel H. Cohen, a writer and producer on cartoon phenom The Simpsons.
The challenge of following TIFF
A celluloid helping of Canadiana isn’t any less palatable because it’s been dished up elsewhere, says VIFF’s Terry McEvoy.
Canuck features making world premieres at VIFF
Run Robot Run!
‘Inspirational’ docs tackle headlines, Middle East
VIFF has this year uncovered a goldmine of docs that dig behind the daily headlines of terrorist acts and social injustices to come up with investigative or human stories that inform and inspire.
Going digital and finding audiences
Since the Ottawa International Animation Festival first launched 30 years ago, the North American animation industry has shifted gears from producing for TV and film to creating customizable content for many screens, including broadband, iPods and mobile phones. And the 2006 OIAF looks to guide the delegates through this new media landscape.
In competition
OIAF artistic director Chris Robinson admits it’s difficult to narrow down the films in competition at this year’s fest, but points to a number of possible buzz-makers.
People
* CanWest Global has appointed Derek H. Burney as chairman of the board, taking over for interim chairman David Drybrough. Burney is an advisor to the law firm of Ogilvy Renault and was Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. from 1989-1993.
Noir up north
Of the many Canadian films at this year’s WFF, one of the most noteworthy was That Beautiful Somewhere, a neo-noir thriller starring Quebec bright light Roy Dupuis that made its debut on Aug. 26.
Size matters
Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down) poses with Grace Kosaka, director of the Rebelfest International Film Festival, upon winning the second annual Toronto fest’s Rebel Award on Sept. 10, recognizing his ‘outstanding contribution’ to independent film.
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