The most distracting thing about the breasts was not that they were naked, or enormous, or even inflatable – but that, from my point of view, they were hanging directly over producer Gabriella Martinelli’s head while she, unaware, explained the finer and more heartfelt points of her latest project, The Lives of Saints.

Toronto’s Alliance Atlantis Communications and CBS have sold the second-window U.S. broadcast rights for CSI: Miami to A&E Television Networks. From October 2004 to October 2006, A&E has acquired the right to air one episode of the highly rated series per week, with standard syndication conditions applying. AAC estimates the full value of the deal could exceed US$230 million, with a reported tag price of approximately US$1.2 million per episode.

With the CRTC hearings just over a month away, CHUM has announced the details for its ambitious move into Alberta – earmarking some $130 million to program two new stations over seven years and committing significant time and money to local, dramatic and multicultural shows.

The plan to erect the one-million-square-foot studio complex in Toronto’s port lands has been put on hold but not dropped, says Jeffrey Steiner, president and CEO of the Toronto Economic Development Corporation. The $150-million Toronto Film/Media Complex (a working name) will go ahead after a new investor/developer is found, following the recent departure of California-based Sequence Development Group from the project.

C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures has been contracted to work on the first fully animated feature by Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams – the much-celebrated Sheridan College grad who introduced Steven Spielberg to the now-famous CG dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.

Montreal: Completion bond guarantor Globex Media Finance is officially open for business. The company incorporated last June, but only recently completed lengthy and necessary negotiations with reinsurer Lloyd’s of London. ‘I had to go at least nine times to London to finalize the deal,’ says Diane Dube, Globex Media’s cofounder, EVP and COO.

ShowCanada 2003 chairperson Adina Lebo expects between 550 to 575 participants at this year’s expanded industry event, which unspools in Ottawa, April 30 to May 4.
The program includes a 42-kiosk trade show, a keynote seminar series, screenings and information on upcoming movies from both the studios and Canadian distributors, gala screenings, myriad receptions and parties as well as closed-door business meetings.

On Hot Docs’ 10th anniversary, the festival’s founder, the Canadian Independent Film Caucus, itself celebrating a 20th birthday, is rebranding itself as the Documentary Organization of Canada.

And the winner – for the fastest, least grueling awards show – is the Writers Guild of Canada and its 7th annual Top Ten Awards. The speeches were short, the presenters were actually funny and, most important of all, the speeches were short.

Seventeen countries will be represented among 14 categories for the 24th Banff Rockie Awards, to be presented June 9 at Banff2003.

Thirty-three programs including 18 live-action productions in four age categories and 15 animation series in three age categories are among the nominees for the 2003 edition of the Alliance for Children and Television Awards of Excellence. Prizes will be handed out at a June 2 gala at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, with ubiquitous children’s TV host Joe Motiki as MC.

Vancouver: Television series Da Vinci’s Inquest and feature Flower & Garnet dominated the 2003 Leo Awards nominations announced April 16.

Vancouver: While the fate of Omni Film’s teen soap Edgemont is in limbo following the recent Licence Fee Program announcements from the Canadian Television Fund, the production company’s new half-hour anthology series Keys Cut Here successfully ran the gauntlet. In fact, B.C. overall fared not too badly relative to the rest of the country reeling from funding, and now production, cuts.

Of the big three networks, CTV is hardest hit by the CTF LFP returns – failing to secure funding for The Eleventh Hour and seven of its planned MOWs for ’03/04. All but two of those come from Ontario production houses.

Montreal: Quebec’s three leading private broadcasters, Reseau TVA, Television Quatre Saisons and Astral Media, are calling on the Canadian Television Fund’s board of directors to immediately establish a special allocation of at least $8 million for French-language, private broadcasters’ programs rejected in this spring’s LFP round.