Cinema Canada (Feb-Mar 1974)

Frank Vitale, director of Montreal Main which is to be premiered in Winnipeg during the Canadian Film Symposium. Canadian Film Symposium in Winnipeg The University of Manitoba is sponsoring its second annual symposium on the Canadian Film Industry on February 6th, 7th and 8th. The emphasis of the three day event will be the current state of filmmaking in this country, and organizer Len Klady has lined up an impressive list of films and film-people to be on hand for the screenings and discussions. As a complement to the panels held during the day, screenings of current Canadian films will be held each night. Among the many included in the program are ‘“‘The Inbreaker.”’ “Rejeanne Padovanni,” “‘Kamouraska,”’ ‘“‘Taureau,”’ “Les Dernieres Fiancailler,” ‘‘La Mort d’une Bicheron,” “Slipstream,” ‘Between Friends,’ and “La Maudite Galette.” Three new features will have their World Premiers at the symposium: Jack Darcus’ The Wolf Pen Principle, Milad Bessada’s A Quiet Day in Belfast, and Frank Vitale’s Montreal Main. Wherever possible, the filmmakers themselves will be present. An impressive list of panelists will discuss a whole range of topics during the Wednesday to Friday conference. Film Financing is the first topic with producer Chalmers Adams, Ottawa’s Robert Desjardins, Sandra Gathercole of the Toronto Filmmakers Co-op, Penni Jaques of the Canada Council, director Peter Pearson, and the CFDC’s Michael Spencer. Survival is the ominous title of the second panel, with director Denys Arcand, independent distributor Linda Beath, and Committee on Television’s as aint Kirwan Cox, director Donald Shebib, and Vancouver Sun critic Les Wedman. Distribution & Exhibition come under the scrutiny of Adams, Beath, Cox, Spencer, the newly elected president of the Motion Picture Theatre Associations of Canada, Winnipeg exhibitor Paul Morton, and André Paquet, distributor and advocate of alternate cinema. Canadian Content will be defined and debated by director David Acomba and Frank Vitale, Shebib, Pearson, Gathercole, and producer Dick Shouten. Filmmaking in Manitoba will probably have a local group, and the Publicity & Promotion panel will include commentator Gerald Pratley, publicist Marcia Couélle, as well as Beath and Desjardins. An hour of contemporary experimental Canadian shorts will be screened to round out the program, which must have been a gargantuan effort to organize and a minor miracle to wind up successfully. Hopefully the discussions will be recorded, transcribed, and eventually published, in order to enable those who could not attend to participate. We’re anxious to learn what conclusions, if any, are reached by the panelists. Mutual discontinues Toronto operations In the wake of a luncheon to announce their affiliation with Len Herberman’s Ambassador Film Distributors, Mutual Films of Montreal have shut their Toronto office, which was opened less than a year ago. Manager Gordon Lightstone, originally intended to stay on, revealed his plans to resign in February, leaving Ambassador as Mutual’s sole representative in English Canada. Lightstone, who has worked in the film business for 23 years, is going into real estate. Mutual has suffered some losses in English Canada, notably with The Rainbow Boys, and Pierre David, the company’s energetic young director, has decided to confine their direct involvement to the French market, with offices in Montreal and Paris. Along with France Film and Cinepix, Mutual is still a major distributor in Quebec. They’re also involved with production. Pierre Duceppe’s Je t’aime, starring Jeanne Moreau, has just opened in Montreal. In conjunction with Cinepix, they’re helping to produce a skin flic, as well as preparing A Child Under a Leaf for its opening later this year, with Potterton Productions. Dyan Cannon stars in that one. The reverse part of the agreement with Ambassador entails Mutual’s handling of that company’s product in the French speaking market. Alberta’s Film Industry holds elections Following the formation of the Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association, the new organization had its inaugural meeting in November. Cine Audio President Nick Zubko was elected President by representatives of nine film companies that operate in the province. Edmonton’s Century II Motion Pictures Ltd. provided its screening room for the meeting. That company’s President, Ron Brown, was elected vicepresident of the new group. He served for the past year as chairman of the interim board set up by a group of local producers, on an ad hoc basis, to get the association under way. Brown was nominated for the position of President, but he declined to accept the nomination. Other members of the executive are Eric Jensen, Chinook Film Productions Ltd., Calgary; Harold Tichenor from Lethbridge’s Cinetel Nine; and from Cymar Productions Ltd. of Edmonton, Cy Hampson. In addition to the five man board of directors, the other charter members are Bill Marsden (William Marsden & Associates Ltd.), Don Macyk (Agravoice Productions Ltd.), Jim Tustian (J. Tustian Film Productions), Sam Koplowicz (Filmwest Associates Ltd.), and Gerald Wilson (Able Editing & Services Ltd.). While the association is primarily a group of film producers and laboratories, associate and affiliate membership categories for persons in related activities (suppliers, technicians and camerapeople) are being set up. For further information please contact Len Stahl, Executive Secretary, Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association, 347 Birks Building, Edmonton T5J 1A1 Alberta, (424-4692)¢ Cinema Canada 11