Canadian Film Digest (Apr 1973)

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO STIMULATE GROWTH IN THE CANADIAN FILM INDUSTRY: SEE PAGE 5 THECANADIA eCTRA ATT THE DIGEST 105. CARLTGN ST TCRONTL 2 MANAGER ONT 31 Wiss 1465 (. . Serving the Canadian Film Industry since 1915, April, °73 35° Cabaret tops Oscars; Godfather three Major Wins The Forty-fifth Annual Academy Awards were held on March 27, and Cabaret topped the Oscar grab for a total of eight, including Best actress, direction and supporting actor, as well as most of the technical awards. The favorite to clean up, The Godfather, won only three, but they were majors: best picture, actor and screenplay. Marlon Brando declined his Oscar for best actor as he had declined an earlier -Golden Globe .Award. He sent an Indian, Sasheen Littlefeather to explain why (see box this page ~~ Liza gave a press conference in Toronto three days after winning the award for Best Actress. Her comment on the Oscar: ‘‘Great, so fantastic.”’ Government promises industry action on grievances Secretary of State Hugh Faulkner met with representatives of the Canadian Film Industry on April 4 in Ottawa to cope with what is being described as a crisis in English language feature production. The possibility of not one major feature being produced in 1973 was expressed, Representing the industry were Directors’ Guild President Peter Pearson, producers David Perlmutter and John F. Bassett, lawyer Stanley Feldman, and director Robert Shultz. The meeting itself lasted four hours, and a lobbying period of two or three hours also occurred, Industry spokesmen demanded a_ single federal liason to work with in order to deal with the several government departments concerned with film; restrictions on the flow of commercial money to the U.S.; and definite measures on the tax situation. Faulkner agreed to use his department's film division as liason with the industry and the departments of Finance, Revenue, and Immigration. He said the CRTC is presently studying the problem of defining Canadian content in commercials so as to restrict U.S. content. And recent immigration rules would restrict U.S. filmmakers from coming to Canada to make commercials while Canadians could not travel to the U.S. todo the same. No decision was announced on the current question of tax leverage interpretation. The industry spokesmen felt some confidence but declined to say if they felt success had been gained, “We'll wait until the end of April,"’ said one. One of the main problems of the industry - there are so many different interests, trom producers to unions — has been overcome with the recent formation of the Canadian Council of Filmmakers. This body encompasses all aspects of the industry. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Departments: Canadian Box Office Statistics Market Report Domestic Notes International Scenes Editorial Dollars and Sense Letters to the Editor Pre-View ‘Classified Ads Casting Books ‘Visitors Movie Quiz Number 6 Features: Our Recommendations to Stimulate the Industry Gerald Potterton Genevieve Bujold would we want it any other way? for the full text of Brando’s speech). Her speech caused the only real life in the evening, as it was greeted by boos and then, when Brando’s intent was found to be honorable by most, to cheers. A series of hosts and hostesses were employed, the most successful being Carol Burnett and Michael Caine, and the least successful Clint Eastwood. Charlton Heston was to be the first host, but he was delayed by a flat tire. Burt Reynolds commented: ‘‘Now it’s okay that we’re all fallible.” It was the only spontaneous humour in what was, as usual, a long and boring evening. But a . Complete text of This statement was written by Marlon Brando for delivery at the Academy Awards ceremony where Brando refused an Oscar. The speaker, who read only a part of it, was Shasheen Littlefeather. BY MARLON BRANDO For 200 years we have said to the Indian people who are fighting for their land, their life, their, families and their right to be free: ‘‘Lay down your arms, my friends, and then we will remain together. Only if you lay down your arms, my friends, can we talk of peace and come to an agreement which will be good for you.” When they laid down their arms, we murdered them. We lied to them. We cheated them out of -their lands. We starved them into signing fraudulent agreements that we called treaties which we never kept. We turned them into beggars on a continent that gave life for as long .as life can remember. And by any interpretation of history, however twisted, we did not do right. We were not lawful nor were we just in what we did. For them, we do not have to restore these people, we do not have to live up to some agreements, because it is given to us by virtue of our power to attack the rights of others, to take their property, to take their lives when they are trying to defend their land and liberty, and to make their virtues a crime and our own vices virtues. But there is one thing which is beyond the reach of this perversity and that is the tremendous verdict of history. And history will surely judge-us, But do we care? What kind of moral schizophrenia is it that allows us to shout at the top of our national voice for all the world to hear that we live up to our commitment when every page of history and when all the thirsty, starving humiliating days and nights of the last 100 years in the lives of the American Indian contradict that voice? It would seem that the respect for principle and the love of one’s neighbor have become dysfunctional in this country of ours, and that all we have done, all that we have succeeded in accomplishing with our power is simply annihilating the hopes of the newborn countries in this world, as Following is a complete list of the winners, as well as receivers of special awards: Best picture of the Year: The Godfather. An Albert S. Ruddy Production, Paramount. Albert S. Ruddy, Producer. Best performance by an actor: Marlon Brando, The Godfather, An Albert S. Ruddy Production, Paramount. Best Performance by an actress: Liza Minnelli, Cabaret. An ABC Pictures Production, Allied Artists. Best Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Joel Grey, Cabaret. Best Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Eileen Heckart, Butterflies are ner dine. “Frankovitch Productions, Columbia. continued on page 18 Brando's speech well as friends and enemies alike, that we're not humane, and that we do not live up to our dgreements. Perhaps at this moment you are saying to yourself what the hell has all this got to do with the Academy Awards? Why is this woman standing up here, ruining our evening, invading our lives with things that don’t concern us, and that we don’t care about? Wasting our time and money and intruding in our homes. I think the answer to those unspoken questions is that the motion picture community has been as responsible as any for degrading the Indian and making a mockery of his character, describing him as savage, hostile and evil. It’s hard enough for children to grow up 'n this world. When Indian children watch television, and they watch films, and when they see their race depicted as they are in films, their minds become injured in ways we can never know. Recently there have been a few faltering steps to correct this situation, but too faltering and too few, so, Ias a member in this profession, do not feel that I can as a citizen of the United States accept an award here tonight. I think awards in this country at this time are inappropriate to be received or given until the condition of the American Indian is drastically altered. If we are not our brother’s keeper, at least let us not be his executioner. I would have been here tonight to ‘speak to you directly, but I fea iat perhaps I . could be of better use if I went to Wounded Knee to help forestall in whatever way I can the establishment of a peace which would be dishonorable as long as the rivers shall run and the grass shall grow. I would hope that those who are listening would not look upon this as a rude intrusion, but as an earnest effort to focus attention on an issue that might very well determine whether or not this country has the right to say from this point forward we believe in the inalienable rishts of all people to remain free and independent on lands that have supported the'r life beyond living memory. Thank you for your kindness.and your courtesy to Miss Littfefeather, Thank you and good night.