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Court knocks down Ontario board
Film distribution and exhibition are set to change in Ontario following a court ruling that has stripped the province of its power to ban movies. On April 30, the Ontario Superior Court struck down the provincial Theatres Act, ruling that the censorial powers it granted to the Ontario Film Review Board and to the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services violated freedom of expression under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Despite setbacks, new Gospel slated
Struggling to meet sales targets for The Gospel of John and dealing with the resignation of all but one director, Toronto-based Visual Bible International’s grand plans to produce word-for-word retellings of all 66 books of the Bible by 2015 may have hit something significantly stronger than the walls of Jericho.
Reel success for mock doc
The Delicate Art of Parking, a Vancouver-produced feature-length mockumentary, has grossed more than $100,000 from only eight theaters since its limited national release by Cinema Libre May 13.The comedy began an exclusive run in its hometown April 2, where it grossed $59,461 from two theaters over three weeks.
Finales win the day for Global
While the final episodes of American hit sitcoms Friends and Frasier, as well as America’s Tribal Council, the postscript special to Survivor All-Stars, drew huge audiences to Global in early May, the broadcaster has lost two of its most valuable primetime shows and it will be a few months before yet another Survivor sets up shop on whatever remote island comes next.
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Craig shaves 37 jobs
Innoversity brings diversity awareness to ‘casters
In 2003, Shernold Edwards was nervous about pitching her MOW Deportees at the annual Innoversity Creative Summit’s Open Door Pitch contest. She pitched unsuccessfully at the same event in 2002, but after going through boot camp at the Canadian Film Centre returned to win best overall pitch, a victory she says has been invaluable to her career.
IPF contribution down in 2003
The Independent Production Fund’s investment in Canadian drama in 2003 totaled $2.2 million, down 12% from $2.5 million the year before, according to the IPF’s recently released annual report. The fund also contributed $217,000 to professional development, down 27% from $296,350 in 2002.
Canadians favor strong public ‘casters
CBC and TVO are alive and well, at least to the Canadian public, if not necessarily the politicians. Such are the findings of a pair of new polls commissioned by media watchdog Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, as the federal government hatches an election call and Ontario releases a new budget.
CBC puts out call for new daytime drama
CBC wants a new half-hour daytime drama, and has put out an open call for bright ideas from would-be creators.
15/Love overcomes tragedy
Montreal: Overcoming the kind of tragedy that would paralyze some production companies, Galafilm is prepping 14 new episodes of 15/Love, its edgy teen drama about tennis prodigies living at a cutthroat sports academy. The new season comes just five months after two of the lead actors, Jaclyn Linetsky and Vadim Schneider, were killed in a car accident.
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Mrs. Ritchie wows Emmys
Ontario budget a non-starter
It’s just like last year all over again.
Corrections
Aaron Martin, exec producer of Degrassi: The Next Generation, won this year’s Canadian Screenwriting Award for youth programming, not Aaron Wilson, as reported in the April 26 issue.
Levitan makes big Bang
Toronto’s Protocol Entertainment and Toronto channels OMNI 1 and OMNI 2 are aiming to make some noise in the fall with Bang, an ambitious 78 x 30 soapy drama from the makers of Paradise Falls and Train 48, set to begin shooting later this month at Sullivan Studios.
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