Canadian Film Digest (Dec 1976)

Page scan 00021 from Canadian Film Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Digest
Date:
Dec 1976
Volume:
Canadian Film Digest (Dec 1976)
Leaf #:
00021
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Global Cinema, Canada, and Hollywood Studio System
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Picture Pioneers, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Canadian Film Digest

Editors: Dan Krendel (1971-72), Garth Drabinsky (1972-76)

Canadian Film Digest (1971-76) was owned and published by Nat Taylor’s Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., and initially edited by Dan Krendel, who had edited What’s New? (1942-74) and originated Ballyhoo (1952-61) for nationally-dominant chain, Famous Players Canada, Ltd., also Taylor’s exhibition partner. Despite these ties to a Paramount-controlled theatre chain, the magazine nonetheless aimed to provide news and features about all aspects of the industry across Canada, exhibition, distribution and production. The Digest began when an attempted 1970 renewal of Canadian Film Weekly (1942-70) was short-lived. Taylor decided to relaunch under an entirely new title with a more contemporary, colour layout. Taylor later hired young Garth Drabinsky to edit, impressed by his initiative publishing Impact (1972), a lobby give-away for moviegoers. Drabinksy’s interest turned to film producing in 1977, letting the Digest come to an end, although he and Taylor continued to collaborate in building the original 18-screen Cineplex at Toronto’s Eaton Centre. Canadian Film Digest also published an annual directory Canadian Film Digest Yearbook (1971-86), which similarly continued Canadian Film Weekly Year Book (1951-70), and subsequently became Film Canada Yearbook (1986-2007). Because Canadian Film Digest originated in the Canadian Film Weekly, which had incorporated Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1917-57), which in turn had merged with Canadian Universal Bulletin (1915-18), the magazine dated its roots back to 1915, a single thread of ownership publishing these main periodicals and annuals of English Canada’s film press.

– Paul Moore, March 2024

Date Added:
June 20, 2024
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CANADIAN FILM AWARDS 20 canadian film digest Thousands of people who had never heard of Canadian films or the Canadian Film Awards were made aware of the industry this year with the national telecast of the Award Presentations on October 24. The CTV Network carried the show which was produced and written by Bill Davidson. Director was Michael Steele, with set designer Chris Adeney, music director Russ Little, and executive producer, CTV vice-president Arthur Weinthal. Host and Master of Ceremonies was Lorne Greene. About 450 industry people attended the gala affair, filling the adjacent studio where a buffet-reception followed the TV taping. After dinner, the guests sat back and watched on monitors as the re-broadcast was beamed out over 18 stations across the country. The evening brought to a satisfying climax months of work by the Film Awards Committee, particularly its Chairman N.A. (Nat) Taylor and Executive Director Patricia Thompson. The Awards ran very smoothly this year and although there were a couple of rough edges, the event was better organized than ever before. To promote his policy of spreading the good word about Canadian pictures to the general moviegoing public, Nat Taylor arranged to have 250,000 copies of a low-cost edition of the program booklet printed and distributed to theatres across the country. The promotion was backed up by the production and distribution of a 60-second trailer publicizing Canadian movies and the television show. At the same time a harried Pre-Selection Committee was sifting through all the entries — a total of 171 this year. Some 78 documentaries were entered and there was a substantial showing in the feature category as well with 17 entries. After many hours of viewing the Pre-Selection Committee, composed of representatives of craft unions, guilds, distributors’ and exhibitors’ associations, pared down the competition to 41 nominees. These were viewed by the Jury during a week of public screenings at the Toronto Dominion Centre. The Jury was chaired again this year by Gerald Pratley. Members included filmmaker Christopher Chapman, producer Budge Crawley, actress Luce Guilbeault and film critics Martin Malina of the Montreal Star and Les Wedman of the Vancouver Sun. Joseph Losey was expected to attend, but had to cancel at the last minute for personal reasons. The 1976 Etrog for Film of the Year went to Lies My Father Told Me Marilyn Lightstone earned the Best Actress award for her leading role in Lies. And the film also took the controversial Golden Reel Award (intended to recognize box office popularity, but attacked by some as a “crass commercial sop”’ to the distributors who sponsored it). Andre Melancon won the Best Actor award for his lead in the National Film Board feature Partis Pour La Gloire. Best Director went to Harvey Hart for Goldenrod. In the Special Awards area, Tom Daly was chosen as this year’s Grierson Award winner for his outstanding contribution to cinema in Canada. The Award, first given in 1972, is presented to an individual who continues to work in the same spirit and tradition of John Grierson. Daly’s acceptance speech provided one of the most moving moments of the evening. Caroline Leaf, whose film The Street won the Best Animated Film award, was chosen as winner of the Wendy Michener Award for her contribution to the art of animation. A Special Jury award went to Dennis Zahoruk for his first feature Brethren, and another Jury award recognized The Last Cause for its monumental complication of historical footage.