Cinema Canada (Apr 1976)

ORGANIZATIONS °° CCFM Council of Canadian Filmmakers Box 1003, Station A, Toronto, Ontario, M5W 1G5 (416) 869-0716 On February 4th an application for a Combines Investigation into the market practices of the major foreign distributors and exhibitors was filed by Pierre Berton; Michel Brault; Kirwan Cox; Budge Crawley; Robert Fulford; Sandra Gathercole; Allan King; Peter Pearson and Gordon Pinsent. On March 12 ACTRA demonstrated outside the CBC offices at 790 Bay Street in Toronto to protest the hiring of an American actress to play Nellie McClung in a CBC drama. Al Waxman; Peter Gzowski; Larry Dane; Linda Goranson; Toby Tarnow and Marilyn Lightstone were among those on the picket line. Two examples of people in the film community saying enough’s enough and challenging the systems which they, in many cases, depend on for a living. These people have put it on the line because they think the future of the industry is at stake. CCFM also believes there is a lot at stake for the industry in decisions which will be made by government in the next few months. We think it is important to indicate to government the extent of support in the industry for the conditions which will allow us to have a working Canadian film industry. The document on the opposite page is a formal Petition to Parliament which is sponsored by CCFM. It is being circulated in the industry in order to collect as many signatures as possible by April 25. It will then be presented to Parliament. If you support the principles set out in the Petition, stand up and be counted. Join in’ sending Parliament the message that you want to work in Canada in a Canadian film industry. Sign below and, if you can, get others you work with to sign as well. If additional space is required for signatures attach extra sheets. Please return by April 25 to: CCFM, Box 1003, Station A, Toronto. And don’t forget the Annual General Meeting of CCFM on Thursday, May 14/ Cinema Canada 6, 7:30 p.m. at 35 Yorkville, Toronto, thanks to Cinequip. New Executive Committee members will be elected from nominations from the floor. The Second Annual CCFM Special Spoof Awards will be presented. Coffee and donuts on the house, but bring your $10 membership dues to begin or renew your membership. PETITION TO THE HONOURABLE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED the PETITION of the undersigned, filmworkers in the English Canadian film industry, humbly sheweth. THAT the system of theatrical film distribution and exhibition in Canada is foreign controlled, and that Canada is the only film producing country in the world, with the exception of the United States, which has no form of protection for its own films in their own market. THAT 96% of the films shown in Canadian theatres are non-Canadian. THAT Canada is now the largest foreign market in the world for American films. THAT Canadians spend over $200 million annually at the Canadian box office. THAT between 80-90% of theatrical film rentals paid in Canada are paid to nine major American distribution companies. THAT two foreign owned exhibition chains, Famous Players Ltd. and Odeon Theatres (Canada) Ltd. take between them 60-70% of the total Canadian box office annual gross. THAT revenues earned in Canada by the nine major American distribution companies belonging to the Motion Picture Export Association of America increased 98.9% between 1970 and 1974. THAT the majority of feature films supported by the Canadian Film Development Corporation which have received theatrical distribution have been shown only in major centres. THAT the production of major English Canadian feature films supported by the Canadian Film Development Corporation declined steadily from 1972 to mid 1975. THAT Canadian filmmakers are continuing to leave Canada in order to make films. THAT the Canadian film industry has the necessary creative and technical ability to build a significant indigenous feature film industry. THAT the Canadian Film Development Corporation has been, and remains, important to the development of a Canadian feature film industry. THAT the experience of other countries, and reports produced by both Government and the film industry in Canada, have indicated that a quota for Canadian films in Canadian theatres and a box office levy are the two most effective means of connecting Canadian film production to the system of film distribution and exhibition. THAT most of the recommendations on film policy prepared by the Secretary of State’s Film Advisory Committee; the Canadian Film Development Corporation’s Film Advisory Group; the Parikh Report; the Porteous Report; the 1972 Cabinet Memorandum on film policy; as well as the recommendations of the Council of Canadian Filmmakers and other industry organizations, have not been implemented. THAT the policies of the National Film Board and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have not fully filled their potential to assist the private sector. THAT feature films are an essential part of any nation’s identity and a Government film policy, with the goal of creating an indigenous Canadian cinema, is indispensable to the Canadian cultural fabric. WHEREFORE the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon Parliament TO ask the Secretary of State to present to Parliament an official Film Policy which enunciates Government objectives for the film industry over a ten year period. TO re-organize and continue the Canadian Film Development Corporation under a new mandate which has been developed with the full consultation of the industry. TO reconsider the definition of a Canadian film, as established for the purposes of the Capital Cost Allowance, with a view to excluding essentially non-Canadian films. TO encourage distribution and exhibition companies operating in Canada to be majority Canadian owned and controlled. TO encourage the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to show a minimum number of Canadian theatrical feature films and shorts annually. TO encourage both the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the National Film Board to increase the amount of co-production with, and the number of films commissioned from, the private sector. TO encourage Air Canada to show a reasonable number of Canadian feature films on their movie flights. TO take the appropriate steps to initiate a Federal/Provincial conference with the objective of putting in place mechanisms for legislated quota and levy which fall within Provincial jurisdiction. AND as in duty bound your petitioner will ever pray Dee a a pee ake aha acess [iit 2: Scop aM inna sine er Comasbeiie ceo Gece thyaga Pa toa SRREHER SoS Sea neha eee rpm gael DTN0 ava