Canadian Film Digest (Aug 1971)

EXCITING NEW PROJECTS IN F.P. FUTURE Mr. George P. Destounis, President and Managing Director of Famous Players Theatres has announced plans for two major projects now on the F.P. planning schedule, and scheduled for completion within the next three years. In Toronto, the University theatre on Bloor Street west will be razed as well as its adjoining neighbours to the east, Lothian Mews and the Physicians and Surgeons building, and in their place will rise a 30-storey office tower and a revolutionary 3-storey boutique and movie theatre complex bearing the name LOTHIAN MEWS. Estimated cost of this project is twenty million dollars. TITLE Mel // 1/71. | MMMM /// 1/11 Lothian Mews The office space will total 320,000 square feet, and some of the special facilities are provisions for tenant computer requirements, high-speed computer-controlled elevators, and three levels of underground parking. An exceptional facility catering to the estimated 2,000 people in the building will be the adjoining Mews of 100 specialty boutiques, 4 restaurants, and of course a first-run Famous Players theatre. This is one of the most important sites in midtown Toronto and the entire project has the blessing of the Toronto Planning and Development departments which are doing all in their 14 power to facilitate and speed up its completion. Vancouver Centre The second major project due to begin in 1972 and be ready for occupancy in early 1974 is Vancouver Centre, a joint venture of Scotiabank, Famous Players and Birks. This building will consist of a 36 storey office tower with a gross floor area of over 600,000 square feet, including a multi-level podium at the base of the tower. The Famous Players dual-auditorium Cinema will be located on the third level of the podium, seating 450 and 650. Automated projection will be used exclusively. Vancouver Centre is in the heart of the commercial retail area of downtown Vancouver, in the block bounded by Georgia, Granville and Seymour streets. Estimated cost is upwards of $23,000,000.00. and it is estimated that more than 3,500 people will be employed in the building. These two projects are in line with the Company’s decision to redevelop important downtown core areas in every major city where it owns theatre properties which lend themselves to this type of treatment. CANADIAN FILM AWARDS OCTOBER FIRST Mr. Robert Crone, chairman for the 1971 Canadian Film Awards stated that over 50 features are eligible for this year’s competition as against 15 entered last year. Mr. Crone stated ‘‘This year, in addition to those produced by the National Film Board, we have looked at 24 French-language and 22 Englishlanguage features produced by private filmmakers, the majority supported by the CFDC.” Award presentations will be made in Toronto on Friday, October 1st. NFB CAPTURES TOP INTERNATIONAL AWARDS Nominated for an Academy Award earlier this year, NFB’s ‘BLAKE’ was awarded the grand prize at the Melbourne Film Festival in Australia. At the same time the NFB also won the Silver Trophy for the best film over 30 minutes, its SAD SONG OF YELLOW SKIN. Other honours to National Film Board of Canada productions came from Monte Carlo, Annecy, France and Belgium. At the Monte Carlo Festival of Films, PAS DE DEUX won the prize of the Minister of Youth, Sports and Recreation. EVOLUTION, by Mike Mills, was presented with the Youth Prize in Annecy, and at the 7th Labour and Industrial Film Triennial in Knokke, Belgium, Bernard Devlin’s A MATTER OF SURVIVAL won the prize for ‘’The best Film Concerning Human Problems of Labour.” SOLWAY AND MARGOLIUS IN NEW VENTURE A new theatre company, Granada International Films, has been formed, and announces the acquisition of the Capitol and Palace theatres in Hamilton, formerly operated by Odeon Theatres of Canada. President of the new company is Jerry H. Solway, president of Astral Films, and the Vice-President is Mort J. Margolius, president of Ken Films Ltd.