All articles by Louise Leger – Page 2

  • News

    Production report: Canadian films jostle for space

    2000-07-27T16:04:00Z

    Overbooked sound stages and streets blocked with production vehicles are a common sight during the summer in Canada, as US productions take advantage of the favourable exchange rate. Films currently supplying overtime for Canadian crews include Warner Bros' See Spot Run, starring David Arquette, the Warner Bros/Universal Pictures' joint venture ...

  • News

    Alliance Atlantis takes control of Great North

    2000-07-14T18:23:00Z

    Alliance Atlantis Communications (AAC) has agreed to acquire the 61% of Edmonton-based factual programming producer, Great North Communications, it does not already own. The deal, expected to close at the end of July, follows AAC's previously announced plans for growth in the factual and documentary genres.Great North reported revenues of ...

  • News

    New Waterford Girl beats MI:2 on screen average

    2000-06-08T15:57:00Z

    For one of the first times in Canadian box office history, a small indigenous film beat out the Hollywood heavyweights on a per screen average basis last weekend (June 2-4).New Waterford Girl, a C$4m title produced by Sienna Films and Imagex and distributed by Odeon Films, opened on June 2 ...

  • News

    Toronto to premiere Egoyan, Cronenberg shorts

    2000-05-03T16:29:00Z

    As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will feature the premieres of 10 short films by leading Canadian directors including Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg and Jeremy Podeswa.Also participating in the initiative are Mike Jones, Jean Pierre Lefebvre, Guy Maddin, Don McKellar, Patricia Rozema, Michael ...

  • News

    Production report: Canada tightens public funding

    2000-04-27T16:22:00Z

    Film production is starting to buzz for some Canadian producers, with the impending warm weather. But for those hoping to make films in 2001 it is becoming increasingly complicated to secure public financing. Since 1999 federal funder Telefilm Canada's regulations have required producers to supply projected audience ratings and rate ...

  • News

    Cinar reaches settlement with Bahamas companies

    2000-03-30T13:36:00Z

    Cinar Corp has halted its suit against three Bahamas companies after a deal was reached allowing the Canadian animation company to examine the assets of Globe-X Canadiana.Cinar filed a suit against Globe-X Canadiana and affiliates Globe-X Management and Norshield International for the recovery of the remaining $86m of a $122m ...

  • News

    Cinar sues Bahamas companies for missing funds

    2000-03-22T15:41:00Z

    Troubled Canadian producer-distributor Cinar Corp has filed lawsuits against several Bahamas-based investment companies in an attempt to recoup $76m in missing funds.Cinar's co-founders, Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg resigned from their roles as co-CEOs earlier this month over an alleged $122m in unauthorised corporate bond purchases made by executive vice-president ...

  • News

    Telefilm Canada suspends Cinar's federal funding

    2000-03-20T15:45:00Z

    Cinar''s current production activities could be at risk as financing from federal funding body Telefilm Canada has been suspended pending the results of investigations into the company''s activities. Canadian Television has also cut off its funding to Cinar.Once a stock market darling with a wholesome family image, Cinar has been ...

  • News

    Cinar woes continue with fresh revelations

    2000-03-14T12:59:00Z

    The beleaguered Cinar Corp issued a warning late Friday that its financial statements for fiscal 1997, 1998 and the three reported quarters of 1999 "should not be relied upon".The company said in a news release that it "appears likely" that its audited financial statements will need to be restated for ...

  • News

    Post Mortem scoops top Quebec awards

    2000-03-08T18:27:00Z

    Post Mortem, a drama directed by Louis Belanger and produced by Lorraine Dufour of La Coop Video de Montreal, walked away with five prizes at Quebec's second annual Prix Jutra.Fresh from victory for best first film, best original screenplay and best actress at Canada's 1999 Genie Awards, Post Mortem, distributed ...

  • News

    Cinar co-founders quit company over funds scandal

    2000-03-08T17:31:00Z

    The once squeaky-clean image of family programming provider Cinar Corp has been further tarnished as husband-and-wife co-founders Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg resigned yesterday following revelations that about $122m of its funds were invested without the knowledge or authorisation of its board of directors.The sum, which exceeds Cinar's own annual ...

  • News

    Cinar shares slide following review admissions

    2000-02-23T12:03:00Z

    Montreal-based Cinar Corp, a producer of family films and children's television, watched its shares plummet this week after the company admitted that an internal review, prompted by tax fraud charges, could adversely affect its financial results."The financial and accounting impacts of the outcome of those reviews, although not yet determined, ...

  • News

    Canada's Lux, Jet team up for production venture

    2000-02-22T12:40:00Z

    Montreal's Lux Films has joined forces with commercials house Jet Films to form a new feature film company Go Films.The new company, headed by Lux president Nicole Robert, director Gabriel Pelletier and Jet's Jacques Langlois and Richard Speer, will focus on producing features for the domestic and international marketplace."We decided ...

  • News

    Quebec gears up for co-production conference

    2000-02-21T11:15:00Z

    Quebec-based international financing and co-production conference CONTACT has selected 20 feature film projects for this year's event (March 3-6).The initiative, organized by the Societe de Development des Enterprises Culturelles du Quebec (SODEC) with the involvement of Brussels-based Linking Market Forces (LMF), is open to French and English-language projects with co-production ...

  • News

    Canada's Behaviour sells studio to Tube

    2000-02-18T12:33:00Z

    Montreal-based producer-distributor Behaviour Communications is selling its new media subsidiary, which operates its Digital Studio, to Tube Studios for about $586,000 (C$850,000). The deal, to close March 6, will transform Tube into Montreal's largest studio specialising in 3D animation and visual effects."The acquisition of the studio allows Tube's growth to ...

  • News

    Canada to get uncut American Psycho

    2000-02-11T10:39:00Z

    Canadian audiences will be able to see the original 'NC-17' version of American Psycho when Vancouver-based distributor Lions Gate Films releases it across the country on April 14.After the US' Motion Picture Association issued an 'NC-17' rating, director Mary Harron re-edited the controversial film in order to receive a more ...

  • News

    Genies grant Sunshine box office boost

    2000-02-09T16:52:00Z

    Genie awards publicity translated into a box office boom for Istvan Szabo's Sunshine last weekend, as the film notched up its strongest sales to date since its release in Canada on December 16.Earning an impressive C$85,000 ($59,000) on 42 screens across Canada for the weekend Feb 4-6, the film now ...

  • News

    Canadian exports break C$100m barrier

    2000-02-07T19:14:00Z

    Canadian film and video exports surpassed the C$100 million mark for the first time in 1997-1998, according to a report from Statistics Canada.Sales agents' foreign sales of Canadian film and video productions reached a record C$101.2m ($70m). The figures excluded productions distributed directly by film and video producers.Meanwhile, the strong ...