Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Feb 28, 1948)

LT February 28th, 1948 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Canadian Movie-Goers To Vote On Favorite British Pictures For the first time, the Canadian theatre-going public will have an opportunity to record its views on favorite British films and stars. The outstanding annual poll is Britain’s National Film Award sponsored by the London Daily Mail. The current voting will be extended to Canada this year, as well, the only Dominion or British country outside the British Isles where this is being done. Britain’s National Film Award was founded by the Daily Mail and the British Film Industry in 1946. In February of that year theatre-goers throughout Great Britain enjoyed for the first time the privilege of voting for a National Film Award. The Award is now in its third year and once again this month British filmgoers will vote for the outstanding British film and the best performance by an actor and an actress in British films of the previous year. This year, however, the National Film Award is being extended to the Empire. An additional three Empire Stars are being presented by the Overseas Daily Mail and _ theatre-goers throughout Canada are being invited during the month of March to vote for the Best British Film, best British Actor and Actress. Voting will take place from March 15th to April 3rd, in all Canadian theatres showing British movies during 1947. Organization Plans Samples of the Daiy Mail Film Award Annual are being sent to Canada and a supply will be allocated to Eagle-Lion if they should desire to make this available through the Odeon Circuit. In future years it is planned to produce a special Canadian edition of the Daily Mail British Film Annual which will be based on the British edition, but edited and printed in Canada. In order to simplify the organization and promotion of the National Film Award, Eagle-Lion Films of Canada, the principal distributors of British films throughout the Dominion, have agreed, as representatives of the J. Arthur Rank Organization, to handle the actual detailed operation of the National Film Award scheme. In this capacity they will be acting on behalf of the British Film Industry and it will be their responsibility to see that any British films not distributed by the Organization are treated with absolute fairness. Eagle-Lion Films will be responsible for the addition of a special Canadian commentary, printing and distribution of the special trailer film, negatives of which have been supplied to EagleLion by the Overseas Daily Mail. They will also be responsible for printing of ballot forms and posters and the organization of the actual voting in the Odeon Circuit of Canada. Any independent theatres or theatres outside the Odeon Circuit who show British films will be invited to participate in the Empire Silver Star Award by showing a special trailer film and installing ballot boxes and a supply of ballot forms in the foyer of their theatre during the month of March. The British Film Festival broadcast by the B.B.C. on February Ist was recorded and a special Canadian version of the Festival will be supplied to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation who have agreed to broadcast this throughout Canada to coincide with the inauguration of the voting period. Eagle-Lion will co-operate Wita, tne, Cis-C to ensure thar tne broadcast is at the best possible time. General Policy Line The extension of the National Film Award to the Empire is an indication of the growing appreciation of British film overseas. In 1948, voting for the Empire Silver Star will, be confined to Canada, but it is hoped that next year Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will have the opportunity of participating. Today it can be said that outside: Great Britain the greatest appreciation and the best distribution of British film overseas has been achieved in the Dominion of Canada. It is therefore fitting that the Empire Silver Star should this year be granted in accordance with the votes of Canada’s theatre-goers as a token of our awareness of their appreciation of the best British films of 1947. Page 7 Bongo Color Contest Staged In Vancouver The Capitol Theatre in Vancouver, B.C., staged a highly successful coloring contest on Walt Disney’s “Fun and Fancy Free’, with co-operation of Lloyd Muir, R-K-O Radio exploiteer, under Terry Turner, National E,xploitation Director. After advance teaser notices daily for a week previous, the Vancouver Daily Province reproduced a scene from the picture’s “Bongo” sequence showing the circus bear in a typical pose. This was half page in size and readily lent itself to color treatment= -Ihere were three age groups consisting of 4-8; 9-13 and 1418 years. Over 500 entries were received and judged by J. D. Parker of the DailyProvince; George E. Clark, advertising manager for Famous Players Canadian Corporation and Mr. Muir, R-K-O’s representative. Winners were announced five days before the opening date. Prizes consisted of six, colored..prints!_of the “Bongo, scene autographed by Walt Disney, with two winners from each group. Free admission to the picture was also given. No details were passed up in making this contest a real ticket-selling stunt as reflected in excellent box office receipts. THEATRE MANAGER FINED Continuing its close supervision of theatres, the inspection branch of the Ontario Censor Board, fined the manager of the Roxy Theatre, Harriston, $25.00 and costs, for having emergency exits blocked with snow and ice so that they could not open. In ad dition, the theatre licence was suspended for three days from February 2325 inclusive. The most outstanding lobby display of the month is that seen in Toronto’s Uptown Theatre. Poster features the titles of outstanding books which were filmed by UniversalInternational, and which will be seen on the Uptown screen in the near future.