Telefilm Wants US Stars For Canadian Films

According to reports, Michel Roy, head of Canada's federal film agency Telefilm, is urging the Conservative government to ease restrictions allowing foreign film actors to appear in publicly-funded movies.

Current tax rules require the lead actor or second lead to be Canadian.

Roy said he believes more US movie stars would help Canadian movies at the box office, especially English Canadian features, which accounted for only one per cent of Canadian box office receipts in 2009.

"We need to make changes," Roy said. "In order to make those changes we will have to dare to do new things that at times might shock some people."

Roy says Telefilm, which has invested nearly a billion dollars into the domestic industry since 2000, has been holding discussions with officials at Heritage Canada.

Meanwhile Canadian leading actors, including Ryan Reynolds ("The Green Lantern") and Seth Rogen ("The Green Hornet"), continue to dominate in US films, which leads to speculation that it may not be the 'stars' of films that attract audiences, but rather universal themes and stories.

Expect ACTRA, the Canadian film actors union, that has been lobbying the industry for more 'Canadian' stories, to go ape over Roy's new recommendations...

Shaw Moves On Canwest Global

An Ontario provincial court overseeing restructuring of Canwest Global has confirmed its approval of a takeover bid for the company by Shaw Communications. The investment still requires approval by several groups including Canwest creditors, the CRTC and US investment bank Goldman Sachs, a partner with Canwest on special channel assets.

Shaw plans to own 20 per cent of Canwest's equity and 80 per cent of its voting stock, with Canwest remaining a standalone company. Shaw would acquire 11 local TV stations across Canada, as well as ownership of specialty channels Showcase, MovieTime and HGTV.

Winnipeg-based Canwest owes billions of dollars to creditors, operating under court supervision since 2009...

"The Red Baron" Flys Into Toronto March 12

Monterey Media and Video Service Corp., present "The Red Baron", written/directed by Nikolai Muellerschoen, opening theatrically in Toronto, March 12.

The action adventure, filmed in English, stars Matthias Schweighöfer as WWI German flying ace 'Manfred von Richthofen', aka 'The Red Baron", Til Schweiger as 'Lieutenant Voss', Lena Headey as 'Käte', Joseph Fiennes as Allied Forces’ Canadian pilot 'Captain Roy Brown'.

"The Red Baron" is produced by Dan Maag, Thomas Reisser and Nikolai Muellerschoen.

"...'Baron Manfred von Richthofen' is, at the age of 24, the crack pilot of the German aerial combat forces – a legend in his own time, a hero at home and a man both feared and respected by the enemy. Von Richthofen and his fellow officers see their duels in the sky as tactical, almost sportsmanlike, challenges that, at least at first, obscure their view of the horrors of the battlefields below. For millions of his countrymen, he becomes an idol, a symbol of hope and pride. But the German high command increasingly misuses him for propaganda purposes – until the young pilot falls in love with a beautiful and resolute nurse who opens his eyes and von Richthofen finally becomes aware of his role in a senseless and barbarous war.

"Despite heavy losses in his squadron while torn between his disgust for the war and his responsibility to his fighter wing, von Richthofen cannot stop flying. Even for this living legend, each new combat mission could be his last… "

"The Red Baron" on DVD, through VSC on June 1st.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Red Baron"...

OMDC Says Ontario Filming On The Rise

According to the Ontario Media Development Corp. (OMDC),Ontario film and TV production activity rose 41% from 2008 to 2009, contributing C$946.4 million ($904 million) to the Canadian province's economy.

The Ontario Liberal's 25% tax credit took effect June 2009 and expanded to cover eligible costs beyond labour, contributing to a 114% increase in total foreign spending ($139 million). Foreign feature spending increased from $75.5 million to $154.5 million, with foreign TV series rising from $15.3 million in 2008 to $55.4 million in 2009.

"Despite economic challenges and a strong Canadian dollar, Ontario has consistently demonstrated it has the right mix of government support, financial incentives, world-class infrastructure, superb talent and skills and diverse locations to attract outstanding foreign and domestic productions," said OMDC president/CEO Karen Thorne-Stone said.

"Early indications point to 2010 being another strong year..."

"Family Guy": Going Mobile

Canwest reports that 100 'specialized' video clips of Global’s "Family Guy" have been optimized for mobile phones for the first time in Canada . Available to consumers, courtesy SUBWAY restaurants, the clips feature the 'Griffin' clan and can be accessed by texting “Stewie” to 456225.

The one to two minute video clips are available now through April 28, 2010. Global has presented the best of clips, organized into 11 categories including “Stewie World Domination” and “Everyone Hates Meg”.

"Canadians are loyal 'Family Guy' fans, and this was an opportunity to partner with SUBWAY to deliver exclusive show content right in the palm of their hands,” said Paul Burns, VP, Digital Medial, Canwest Broadcasting.

"With this initiative we are able to engage and entertain in a format that’s easily accessible..."

Targeted to the series fan base, the multiplatform promotional campaign started January 28 on TVTropolis, continuing on Global Television and online @ GlobalTV.com.

"SUBWAY restaurants and all of our franchisees are excited to be teaming up with Canwest Broadcasting to bring this innovative offering to Canada," said Chuck Roy, Chairman, SUBWAY Canadian Operators Marketing Board.

"We are always looking for new and unique ways to engage with our customers..."

"Red" Shoots Up Downtown Toronto

Summit Entertainment's Toronto-lensed comic book adaptation "Red", starring Bruce Willis and John Malkovich, will be shooting interior scenes in the Toronto Parking Authority parking garage, @ 2 Church Street between 5PM and 6AM, February 17, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24.

The nighttime filming, involving 'loud simulated gunfire', will also include a scene February 22, involving emrgency vehicles approaching the garage southbound on Church Street from Front Street.

"Red" is an adaptation of DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by author Warren Ellis.

Cast also includes Mary-Louise Parker, Academy Award-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.

"...Red is the story of 'Frank Moses' (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive..."

Directed by Robert Schwentke ("The Time Traveler's Wife") from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber ("Whiteout"), the film is produced by di Bonaventura Pictures' Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"). Executive producers are Jake Myers ("Hollywoodland"") and Gregory Noveck ("Jonah Hex"). Di Bonaventura Pictures' production exec David Ready is co-producer.

Red reunites Schwentke with DP Florian Ballhaus ("Marley & Me") and Oscar-winning film editor Thom Noble ("Thelma & Louise") .

"Red" will continue shooting in and around the metro Toronto area for nine weeks before moving to New Orleans, late March for the final two weeks of principal photography.

The film is scheduled for worldwide release, October 22, 2010....

Silver Takes A Slice Of "Splice"

The Toronto-lensed horror feature "Splice", directed by Vincenzo Natali, picked up a distribution deal with Joel "Lethal Weapon" Silver and his Warners-based Dark Castle label, after the North American debut of the France-Canadian co-production @ the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, in the 'Park City At Midnight' program.

Filmed in Toronto at Black Creek Pioneer Village, Cinespace Film Studios and York University, "Splice" follows 'Elsa' and 'Clive', two young scientists, who defy legal and ethical boundaries, by splicing together human and animal DNA to create a hybrid organism.

Named 'Dren', the creature develops from a deformed female into a beautiful winged chimera, forging a bond with both creators.

"Splice" will be released theatrically this summer on 3,000 screens with additonal marketing support, budgeted between $25-40 million.

Dark Castle is optimistic that the genetic mutation thriller will be the next box-office busting "Paranormal Activity".

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Splice"...

FreeHD Canada Wins CRTC Approval

FreeHD Canada, a new high def satellite TV service has has won limited approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to offer TV channels in HD for free.

FreeHD says they will be able to provide more than 200 channels of superior picture quality HD into consumer homes via a small inexpensive satellite dish.To get the service, consumers will need to buy a FreeHD Canada receive system (small dish and set-top box), expected to be available from retailers throughout Canada early 2011, as well as available online.

"The Commission clearly supports in principle the offering of a package
of local conventional television signals at no monthly charge to the
viewers and is predisposed to take the necessary steps to permit this
to occur," said the CRTC in their ruling.

Canada will transition from analog to digital TV, August 2011...

Corus Expands With "W Movies"- March 1

On March 1, Canada's Corus Entertainment will expand its portfolio of women's specialty services with the launch of "W Movies", Canada's first movie channel 'dedicated to women'.

"...Programmed exclusively with women in mind, 'W Movies' will be the go-to destination for women looking for entertaining and intelligent films, seven days a week, 24 hours a day..."

"With the phenomenal success of women-oriented films at the box office, coupled with the huge popularity of our film blocks on W Network, we know that women have a real appetite for movies," said Susan Ross, for Corus, Specialty and Pay Television.

Catering to Women 25 - 54, W Movies will showcase films with genres ranging from relationship, romance and comedy to drama and suspense.

March titles include "Big", "Forrest Gump", "You've Got Mail", "When Harry Met Sally", "Working Girl", "Six Days and Seven Nights", "Dangerous Minds", "What Lies Beneath", "Chasing Amy", "Bounce", "Shakespeare in Love", "A View From the Top", "Sliding Doors", "Dying Young", "Sleeping with the Enemy", "Steel Magnolias", "Runaway Bride" and "The Hoax".

Additional premieres in March include "Once", March 2, "Memory Keeper's Daughter", March 2, "Tristan and Isolde", March 4, "Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith", March 9, "The Engagement Ring", March 11 and "The Hoax", March 27...

Craig, Watts And Weisz Move Into Toronto's "Dream House"

Actors Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz are in Toronto shooting the Morgan Creek 'psychological thriller' "Dream House".

Craig plays a publishing executive who quits his job in New York City to relocate his family and two daughters to a house in a quiet New England town. They soon learn their home was once the scene of a terrible crime.


Watts plays Craig’s new neighbor.

"Dream House" is directed by Jim Sheridan, noted for "My Left Foot" and "In the Name of the Father". producers are Morgan Creek's James G. Robinson, David Robinson, Daniel Bobker & Ehren Krueger. Screenplay is by David Loucka.

Principal photography started January 25, shooting at Pinewood Toronto Studios, the largest indoor film studio facility in North America...

LG Says Life's Good For "Nuit Blanche"

LG Electronics has named "Nuit Blanche", an HD short film created by Arev Manoukian of Ottawa, Ontario, as the $100,000 grand prize winner of the LG Life's Good FilmFest.

The announcement was made as part of a Grand Finale event @ Toronto's Mod Club January 28, featuring on-stage appearances by actress Jaime King, Maple Pictures' Laurie May and singer K-OS, hosted by George "I'm not your Father, I'm not a Cop, I'm your Friend" Stroumboulopoulos.

"The LG Life's Good FilmFest has been an amazing experience," said Tim Barnes, Marketing Team Leader, LG Electronics Canada and Founder of the LG Life's Good FilmFest. "Our $100,000 winning HD short film 'Nuit Blanche' delivers an engaging, memorable story."

Director Manoukian said "Nuit Blanche" was budgeted @ $10,000.

In addition to Nuit Blanche, three HD short films were awarded secondary prizes of $10,000 as winners in their respective categories, including "I Love Rock and Roll" (Animation), "Life's Good" (Sports) and "Til My Voice is Gone (Fashion & Music).

"The goal of the LG Life's Good FilmFest was to create a film festival with no barriers to entry - regardless of experience, location or economic status," said Barnes.

The LG Life's Good FilmFest, started August 2009, inviting filmmakers worldwide to submit 'inspiring' HD short films, no longer than five minutes in length, expressing "...a positive, uplifting message that conveyed the notion that 'Life's Good'..."

Sneak Peek "Nuit Blanche"...

LG Says Life's Good In Toronto

LG Electronics reports that the 'LG Life's Good FilmFest', a high-definition (HD) short film festival, with entries from 21 countries, concludes with a 'Grand Finale' January 28, 2010 in Toronto @ the Mod Club Theatre.

Hosted by CBC's George "The Hour" Stroumboulopoulos, the ceremony will award one filmmaker $100,000, as determined by an attending panel including actress Jaime "Sin City" King, platinum-selling singer/songwriter K-OS, Laurie May, Co-President, Maple Pictures, NBA MVP Steve Nash (video link) and Tim Barnes, LG Electronics Canada.

"The goal of the LG Life's Good FilmFest was to create a film festival with no barriers to entry - regardless of experience, location or economic status," said LG's Barnes.

"This borderless FilmFest is the perfect complement to the borderless LG HDTVs recently showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas..."

The event will also feature $10,000 prizes awarded to winners in each of four FilmFest categories (Animation, Sports, Fashion/Music, Narrative) and a live musical performance.

The LG Life's Good FilmFest, started August 2009, inviting filmmakers worldwide to submit 'inspiring' HD short films, no longer than five minutes in length, expressing "...a positive, uplifting message that conveyed the notion that 'Life's Good'..."

Man Dies From Watching "Avatar"

20th Century Fox, the studio behind director James Cameron's "Avatar" may have to provide a disclaimer or get signed releases from audiences, as now, according to a doctor's report, a 42-year-old Taiwanese man with high blood pressure has died of a stroke likely triggered by 'over-excitement', from watching "Avatar" in 3D.

The man started to feel unwell during the screening earlier this month in the northern city of Hsinchu and was unconscious when he arrived at the Nan Men General Hospital. A scan showed his brain was haemorrhaging, according to emergency room doctor Peng Chin-chih.

"It's likely that the over-excitement from watching the movie triggered his symptoms," Chin-chih said.

Kuo died 11 days later and the China Times newspaper said it was the first death linked to watching "Avatar".

Other reports have audience complaints of headaches, dizziness, nausea and blurry eyesight during and after the 3D experience.

Sneak Peek "Avatar" ...

Shut Up. "Kick-Ass": April 16

Director Matthew "Layer Cake" Vaughn's upcoming action feature "Kick-Ass", was lensed September to November 2008, on Charles Street in Hamilton Ontario, and @ Cinespace Film Studios in Toronto, besides London, UK and New York.

The film is based on the 8-issue "Kick-Ass" mini-series created by Mark "Wanted" Millar and John Romita Jr. following a comic book fan who decides to become a costumed crime-fighting vigilante. Along the way, he meets up with other vigilantes including 'Red Mist' and father-daughter team 'Big Daddy' and 'Hit Girl' .

Visually, Vaughn wanted to make a bright and glossy film', "...so what happens in the film is shocking, not the style...", he said.

"I just let the characters do the dark stuff and let the lighting be... I just thought it would be interesting to juxtapose the look and the action... "

Lionsgate will release the film in North America April 16, 2010 with Focus Features Intl. distributing throughout the UK, Australia, Germany, Latin America, Austria, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Vaughn acquired film rights to "Kick-Ass" for his Marv Films, when the "Kick-Ass" comic book was first released February 2008, then financed the film independently after "every studio turned it down". "Kick-Ass" is co-produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B.

Premise of "Kick-Ass" follows 'Dave Lizewski', a New York City high school student, who takes an interest in comic books as inspiration to become a vigilante hero, assembling a suit and mask, worn under his normal clothing.

His first attempt at fighting crime results in Dave being beaten and stabbed, then wandering dazed through the streets before being hit by a car. But determined to retain his secret identity, he hides his costume before paramedics arrive.

Dave tells his father he was 'mugged', before undergoing four operations followed by intense physical rehabilitation. Weeks later, bruised but undaunted, Dave tosses his crutches, dons his costume and takes off again for 'patrol'.

After saving a man in need of assistance, an onlooker films the scene on a cellphone camera and uploads it to YouTube, turning Dave Lizewski into an instant media sensation called 'Kick-Ass'.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Kick-Ass"...

Summit Plans A TV "Push"

Toronto-based Summit Entertainment and E1 Entertainment plan to develop/produce a TV series, based on Summit’s 2009 feature film "Push".

Directed by Paul McGuigan, "Push" stars Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Djimon Hounsou, and Camilla Belle, following a group of people born with super powers who band together to attempt to take down a government agency using a dangerous drug to create an army of super soldiers.

Screenwriter David "Watchmen" Hayter, will script the TV series pilot.

E1 and Dark Hero Studios, co-owned by Hayter and producing partner Benedict Carver, will jointly produce the series based on the screenplay created by David Bourla for Summit Entertainment. Hayter and Carver will be executive producers, along with E1’s Noreen Halpern and John Morayniss.

"The concept behind the Push feature film offers a broad and rich canvas on which to extend the storyline and characters introduced in the feature film," said Summit Co-Chairmen Rob Friedman. "The project is also the perfect vehicle to initiate Summit’s plans of producing programming for the global television marketplace.'

"I’m looking forward to translating the fantastic concept behind 'Push' to the small screen," said Hayter. "I’m also thrilled for Dark Hero to be in business with two independent powerhouses like Summit and E1."

Summit and E1 will jointly arrange for the US television license to the [i]Push[/i] series, with E1 handling TV sales in Canada as well as home entertainment/broadcasting rights in Canada, UK, and The Benelux. Summit will distribute home entertainment in the US. Both Summit and E1 will split foreign sales by each handling separate territories as part of their stated multi-territory content distribution strategy.