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IPF spent $1.9M
According to its 2004 annual report, the Independent Production Fund spent a total of $1.9 million last year, and of that, $1.76 million was allocated to series. The remaining $187,500 went to professional development. In 2003, the IPF was able to spend $2.34 million, with $2.16 million going to series and $217,000 to professional development.
Bell Fund doled out $5.5M in ’04
The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund spent more that $5.5 million on 37 projects last year, according to its recent annual report. This is a slight drop from spending in 2003, which totaled roughly $6 million spread over 48 projects. The decline is attributed to the 40% cut to the fund’s budget in ’03 by the crtc.
NFB strikes deals
The National Film Board has inked agreements with Canada’s leading independent producers associations, the CFTPA and APFTQ, in order to encourage closer ties with independent producers and generate coproductions between them and the NFB.
Telefilm in Europe
Telefilm Canada wants to build bridges to Europe and has launched a three-year effort to boost cross-Atlantic cooperation on film, TV and new media projects – starting with animation in France.
L’Enfant to screen in Montreal
The Festival du Nouveau Cinema has confirmed L’Enfant, the 2005 Cannes Palme d’Or winner from Belgium’s Dardenne brothers for its 34th edition, beginning Oct. 13.
Strong growth predicted for Canadian media
There is good news and bad in the most recent study of global entertainment trends by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which predicts Canada’s media market will enjoy ‘the most consistent growth’ over all other regions – at over 6% for 2005 to 2009. However, for key segments within that market such as filmed entertainment, the explosive rates of the last five years are projected to slow.
People
* Bruno Légaré is the new head of Telefilm Canada’s national new media sector. He was previously new media director for French operations and the Quebec region.
Producers turn to Cineplex
Producers are looking for signs that the new Cineplex Galaxy will continue to play Canadian-made movies on its 1,400 screens, and the CFTPA has joined the rapidly growing line of groups looking to take a meeting with Ellis Jacob.
Letters
‘Playing second fiddle to Torontosaurus Rex’
Wading into the creative pool
Playback’s annual 10 to Watch list, featured in this issue, is heartening in how it demonstrates the wealth of young talent in this country, and yet somewhat unnerving when one considers what may lie ahead for these promising artists.
Anagram’s pet project
Vancouver: Production runs June 6 to July 29 in Kelowna and the Okanagan on Vancouver-based Anagram Pictures’ $11-million feature Fido. A zombie film that writer/director and Anagram producer Andrew Currie has had in development for almost a decade, Fido is about a boy with a domesticated pet zombie named Fido (played by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly), who gets them both into trouble after eating a neighbor.
Features
Kent reunites with Streeters in Hamster Cage
Saddest Music team celebrates Rossellini’s dad
Winnipeg: Near the end of shooting on 2003’s The Saddest Music in the World, star Isabella Rossellini began speaking with director Guy Maddin about a potential short marking the 2006 centenary of the birth of her father, the late film director Roberto Rossellini. Now, the 17-minute film, My Dad Is 100 Years Old, is in post and will likely premiere on the festival circuit next year.
Service
X3 marks the spot
$7.5M CBC mini shoots Down Under
Montreal: Answered by Fire, a CBC miniseries from Montreal’s Muse Entertainment about the 1999 referendum in East Timor and its bloody aftermath, started shooting in Australia on June 27, with plans to wrap by the end of August.
Quebec actress Isabelle Blais (Savage Messiah) stars with Australia’s David Wenham (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) in the four-hour mini, about an RCMP officer who volunteers for a peacekeeping mission in East Timor and an Australian policeman who commands the civilian police force there.
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