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Alliance selling its theaters
Alliance Atlantis plans to lower the curtain on its small theater chain by the end of September by selling off the five locations it co-owns through its distribution wing.
The movie houses – 24 screens in Ontario and B.C. – have operated under the AA brand since the late ’90s and are owned by Cineplex Galaxy and the Motion Picture Distribution LP, which is half owned by Alliance.
AA originally shared the locations with Famous Players, which Cineplex bought in June.
OUTtv settles with Shaw
Shaw Cable will now offer wider carriage of OUTtv, after a long-standing conflict between the owners of Canada’s gay-themed channel and Shaw Communications was settled last month. Similar negotiations with Bell, however, are ongoing.
T.O. studio boss answers critics
Ken Ferguson fired back at his critics last month – looking to put down rumors that have surrounded his deal to build Toronto’s newest, biggest studio with an open letter to the local film community.
Rainmaker, Green score double Emmy nods
Vancouver post shop Rainmaker and Halifax filmmaker Howard Green scored two nods each when the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced its nominations for the 2005 Emmy Awards on July 14. This year’s Emmys will be presented on Sept. 18 in L.A., with the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony taking place Sept. 11.
Aurore box still soaring
After its third week on the big screen, Aurore, the directorial debut of screenwriter Luc Dionne (Monica la mitraille), has grossed more than $3 million.
NHL draft lottery a ratings winner
Hockey-hungry Canadians were quick to jump at one of the first NHL-related broadcasts since fans were assured that hockey would be back for the 2005/06 season.
Hot Sheet
The Hot Sheet tracks Canadian box-office results for the period July 15-21 and television ratings for the period July 18-24.
‘There was never anyone as big as him’
Don McLean, the epicenter of Toronto’s commercial production industry and head of The Partners’ Film Company for more than two decades, died on July 12 amid complications from heart bypass surgery. He was 72.
Leiterman shot landmark docs
Richard Leiterman, one of Canada’s most definitive and respected cinematographers, died on July 14 of complications from the rare disease amyloidosis. He was 70.
Decode moves Sadie
School is out for Decode Entertainment. The company has backed down from its fight with residents of an east Toronto neighborhood, and now says it will move its series Naturally, Sadie out of nearby St. Aloysius school by the end of August.
Jump Cuts
Lions Gate, ThinkFilm ink deal
Teletoon, Family expand target demo for fall
Astral Media will turn 60 years old during the 2005/06 television season, but it is still thinking young with its Teletoon and Family Channel specialties.
Karla to open at WFF
No stranger to controversy, the Montreal World Film Festival will screen the world premiere of Karla – the hotly debated feature, formerly known as Deadly – about convicted killer Karla Homolka.
Comweb sells White office in L.A.
It’s been a busy summer for The Comweb Group. Not only has the company scrambled to meet a sudden surge in demand for production services, but it has also sold its L.A.-based equipment supplies operation, ended a long-standing partnership with Toronto prodco Protocol Entertainment, and entered a new partnership with Vancouver-based post company Rainmaker.
Remembering The Don
The first job I had out of university was for The Partners’ Film Company in Toronto. It lasted a week.
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