All articles by Louise Leger
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News
Canada pursues commerce over culture
Ararat and Crash producer Robert Lantos is readying a series of big-budget films with international casts - in line with Canadian funding body Telefilm's aim to support films with box office potential.It has been almost a year since federal funding body Telefilm spelled out its aim of focusing on supporting ...
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Toronto to mark 9/11anniversary
The Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 5-14), that was massively disrupted by last year's terrorist attacks, is to mark the anniversary of the tragic events by remaining dark.The festival will suspend all conferences, lectures and screenings until 11am on Sept 11 this year and will offer counseling services to staff ...
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Toronto unveils world and North American premieres
The Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 5-14) will feature the world premiere of director Shekhar Kapur's The Four Feathers, along with the North American premieres of writer/director Brian de Palma's Femme Fatale and Julie Taymor's Frida.Filmed in Morocco, Four Feathers is Kapur's (Elizabeth) epic tale of man's indomitable spirit and ...
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Festival unveils more world and North American premieres
The Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 5-14) will feature the world premiere of director Shekhar Kapur's The Four Feathers, along with the North American premieres of writer/director Brian de Palma's Femme Fatale and Julie Taymor's Frida.Filmed in Morocco, Four Feathers is Kapur's (Elizabeth) epic tale of man's indomitable spirit and ...
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Montreal world film festival reveals full competition line-up
With a total of five films, France is especially well represented in the official competition of the 26th Montreal World Film Festival, which runs from Aug 22 to Sept 2. Competing against the five French films - four of which are international co-productions - are four films from Spain and ...
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Motown, Migration among Toronto's 32 documentary features
A special presentation of Paul Justman's passionate account Standing In The Shadows Of Motown (pictured) and the highly cinematic Winged Migration (Le Peuple Migrateur) from Jacques Perrin are among the 32 documentary feature films announced for the Toronto International Film Festival, which runs September 5-14.The international premiere of the ...
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Denzel Washington's Antwone Fisher to premiere at Toronto
Antwone Fisher, Denzel Washington's directorial debut, makes its world premiere as a gala presentation at the 27th Toronto International Film Festival. In addition to newcomer Derek Luke in the title role, Antwone Fisher stars Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson and the Academy Award-winning Washington.Antwone Fisher is based on the true story ...
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Daredevil relocates in fear of Canadian strike
20th Century Fox has pulled Daredevil, a multi-million dollar feature produced by Bernie Williams (The Score) and directed by Mark Steven Johnson (Simon Birch), out of Montreal for fear of a strike by 18,000 Canadian actors union (ACTRA) members.At the same time, other Hollywood studios have sounded the alarm for ...
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Canada's Equinox reveals $59.1m slate
Montreal-based Equinox Entertainment's new production and development slate will have a total budget of $59.1m (C$80m), including approximately $23.3m (C$36m) for a series of Italian/Canadian 'movies of the week' and feature film co-productions.Equinox, the filmed entertainment division of La Compagnie France Film Inc., which previously focused on distribution, will team ...
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Tube and Talisman announce co-production deal
Tube Studios of Montreal and Talisman, a U.K.-based entertainment company, announced Aug. 8 that they are about to finalise an international co-production agreement to co-develop, finance and produce a slate of film and television properties valued at an estimated US$200 million."Both Tube and Talisman share a common vision and commitment ...
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Canadian provinces offer film shooting incentives
With confusion still surrounding the status of Australia's tax laws for film investors, Canada could profit from international productions seeking an alternative tax-friendly location - especially now that its provinces are offering special incentives.The weakness of the Canadian dollar, skilled crews and good locations have long drawn foreign and local ...
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Life As A House to premiere at Toronto Festival
Irwin Winkler's Life as a House will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival it was announced August 7. One of the festival's gala presentations, the film stars Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas. Life as a House is billed as a poignant, multi-layered and often humourous ...
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Quebec's Falardeau takes director award
Quebec director Philippe Falardeau has won this year's Claude Jutra Award for The Left Half Of The Fridge (La Motie Gauche Du Frigo), a mockumentary that uses humour to tackle the issue of unemployment.The award will be presented to Falardeau on January 29 at the 21st Annual Genie Awards, Canada's ...
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Canada boosts funding for domestic films
The Canadian government has unveiled its new Feature Film Policy under which it will double its investment in feature films to $67m (C$100m) a year.The policy also includes promises to support production from "script to screen" and to boost lacklustre box office receipts for indigenous films."This policy will offer us ...
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Canada's Corus to buy Nelvana for $374m
Corus Entertainment, one of Canada's leading media concerns, is to buy Canadian children's entertainment house Nelvana for $374m, the two companies announced on Monday.Boards at both companies have approved the acquisition, which was expected. Nelvana shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange climbed to record levels this week."Nelvana's focus - children's ...
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Nelvana takeover, merger on cards
Animation house Nelvana hasconfirmed it is in talks "to investigate the possibility of a businesscombination".The company's shares hit a record high on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday, climbing to $41.25, up $3.45. Trading volume reached approximately 350,000 shares.While Nelvana did not name the other party in the negotiations, rumours ...
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Cinar founders to stay on as directors
Cinar Corp CEO Barrie Usher has said that the company will keep founders Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg on the board of directors, despite having asked them to step down on August 17.The news comes after the two said through a lawyer that they would not resign as company directors ...
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Cinar founders Charest and Weinberg fight back
Cinar co-founders Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg have rejected the company's decision to fire them from their managerial posts and also its request that they relinquish their seats on the board of directors.The husband-and-wife team, who have kept a low profile since March when allegations of tax fraud and unauthorised ...
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Cinar fires founders Charest and Weinberg
Cinar Corp has fired its co-founders Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg as employees of the company and asked them to step down as directors.The move is seen as a way for the embattled company to distance itself from the tarnished image of its founders, who have been on leave since ...
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Canada's Nelvana eyes Cinar acquisition
Canadian animation company Nelvana is considering buying the assets of troubled family entertainment producer Cinar Corp, estimated to be worth anywhere between $235m and $765m.Toronto-based Nelvana, known for such animated hits as Bob & Margaret and Dumb Bunnies, said it has been holding discussions with Montreal-based Cinar's investment banker, Merrill ...