directing "Rejeanne Padovani" Michael Parks, Don Shebib and Bonnie Bill Reid, director of NFB documentary Bedelia feature "ComingHome" St. Denis theatre complex . . . Awards festival week was organized in death When? . . . right in the middle of the this year with the full support Canadian film premiere season. . . . With of the Canadian film industry. It is also the move to Montreal, will this year's obvious that the structure and workings of the Film Awards be a Quebecois event? of the have been More so than ever but by no means public knowledge for the past 25 years, exclusively! Marcia Couelle talks of In 1972, a meeting was called by the film awards national television coverage, of reporters Producers Association. This from across , of film critics from meeting was attended by many Quebec­ other countries. A'. Ibrdnvi-Kiss ois directors who manifested their full In 1973, more than ever, the Canadian support of this bi-cultural event which is Film Awards is affirming its position the Canadian Film Awards. It was with CANADIAN FILM AWARDS 1973: vis-a-vis the Canadian film industry. Its this in mind that the Directors of the PARTICIPATION GREATER THAN aim is to project this industry's total Film Awards decided to hold the festi­ EVER image to the public. ... In previous val week in Montreal in 1973. The 1973 CANADIAN FILM years, all films, from features to travel­ We acknowledge that the structure of AWARDS ... is welcoming partici­ ogues, have been seen by the inter­ any festival may be contested, however pation by Canadian filmmakers which national jury. In 1973, the international we feel that the Association des Realisa- far surpassses that of any past year. In jury will judge only those films which teurs de Film du Quebec chose a parti­ 1972 the CFA, which was held in tend to cross Canada's borders and cularly unfortunate moment to lodge , received 144 entries. With the which constitute the more commercial their protest, the opening day of this move to Montreal in 1973 entries have aspect of Canadian film production. festival week. By their action, they have climbed to 212. Noteworthy increases Excerpts from official press releases of deprived all of the other members of the in 12 of the 13 categories /animation the Canadian Film Awards prepared by Canadian film industry of a valuable being the exception . . . ed./ point out Robert Paradis & Associates. promotion designed to stimulate pubhc the growing importance of this annual interest in Canadian films. event. Meanwhile, the Toronto office was equally busy organizing "A Day in Nonetheless, we decided to carry out Montreal" - which included 112 seats the festival week as originally intended. THE AIMS OF THE CANADIAN FILM on a charter plane, luncheons, cocktails, We thank all the members of the media AWARDS presentations, Windsor Hotel rooms who have come from across Canada and . . . the principal aims and objectives of (where the International Jurors were from other countries to attend the 25th the CFA are to stimulate creativity and staying) and a scenic bus tour. PLUS Annual Canadian Film Awards. . . . quality in Canadian film production and tickets to the gala evening to be tele­ to promote widespread interest and vised by network CBC, and the note - distribution for Canadian films. . . No charge for overweight on return flight caused by Etrogs. It is precisely that last statement - PROMOTE! PUBLICIZE! AN ALL- The official tone of the Canadian Film where the blame for the loss of this OUT FIRST FOR THE CANADIAN Awards changed drastically from this 'valuable promotion' is placed on the FILM AWARDS glossy hype by the time Friday, October Quebec directors — that makes this Besides being the 25th anniversary, 12th arrived. This was the last official communique misleading. There were far 1973 is a year of many 'firsts' for the statement made: too many other factors involved than CFA. For the fi.st time, the Secretary the directors' boycott. STATEMENT BY THE ADMINIS­ of State Department made a substantial To backtrack: there have been num­ TRATORS OF THE CFA grant to the organization and thus, for erous recurring complaints about the The aims and objectives of the Directors the first time, the Awards Committee way the CFA operates. True, its struc­ of the 1973 Canadian Film Awards were was able to engage a full-time, pro­ ture has been public knowledge for 25 to efficiently promote the work of fessional Director. They chose Marcia years; but that structure has also been Canadian filmmakers. This same type of Couelle. . . . Her experience in the impervious to criticism. For example, promotional effort is made each year in private sector . . . has convinced her that last year the Experimental Film Cate­ Cannes, Berlin and anywhere else that this industry can grow only with promo­ gory was dropped from the festival. can lead to wide-spread diffusion of tion and pubUcity, and the 1973 Strong protests were lodged at the time Canadian films, both on the cultural and Canadian Film Awards will clearly ref­ by many concerned journalists and film­ commercial levels. lect her behefs. Where will the Film makers. However, this year that cate­ Awards be held? In a very commercial It is obvious that the Canadian Film gory was again missing. Last year's pro-

14 Cinema Canada jy

Jacques Godui, slat of "O.K. Laliberte" in "O.K. Laliberte" Denys Arcand with and Luce Guilbeault tests were ignored. quested to donate free ad space al­ Amazingly, it was this delicately- One of the major complaints this though they had actively promoted and worded and understated communique year was that the 15-member pre­ supported the industry all year and were which sparked off a series of unbe­ selection committee included only 2 ac­ far more needy of ad money. So it lievable over-reactions! The most seri­ tive filmmakers. This in itself is ab­ goes . . . There were problems. ous of these was the CBC's refusal to surd; but far more serious was the con­ Meanwhile, the Film Awards were broadcast the awards, supposedly out of sequence that many important, if not roaring ahead oblivious to the unease the fear that political activities may take outstanding, films were excluded from huge campaign was causing. The last few place. (If that is not censorship, we have competition and therefore not shown. weeks before the festival saw numerous to rewrite our dictionaries.) Toronto Most of the selected films were not only ads on television, radio and the papers called emergency meetings to discuss commercially-oriented (and these films in Montreal hyping the coming week as the possibility of moving the Awards will be seen anyway) but as a result, not a great bilingual, bicultural, glossy, slick "back home", and an enormous amount representative of our industry as a and glamorous event. Dust your rhine- of insurance was placed on the theatre whole. stones! Send the tux to the clean­ in Montreal. Many English directors Some of the features excluded in pre­ ers! This is going to be our own Oscars! were legitimately upset over losing the selection were Tendresse Ordinaire by Think gala! free publicity and potential box-office , Montreal Main by Frank That did it. The Quebec Film Direc­ that the prime-time telecast would have Vitale, Tu Brules . . . Tu Brules by Jean- tors' Association held an emergency meant. But who called off the tele­ Guy Noel, Peep by Jack Cunningham, meeting and issued the following state­ cast? Even the boycotting directors Bar Salon by Andre Forcier and The ment on Monday, October 8th: were amazed at the reactions. Consider what happened: Visitor by John H. Wright. However, The Canadian Film Awards is an indus­ The screenings continued and the films like August and July and J'ai Mon try event whose basic structure is direct­ week developed into one of the most Voyage were retained. Richesse des ly plagiarized from the United States' boring and hohum events ever. At least, Autres and Isis au 8 were both deleted Academy Awards. from the non-fiction feature category in Montreal. The only well-attended and Rocco Brothers as well as I Seem to Furthermore, it is attempting to blend showings were for films playing in be a Verb were also left out from the two separate and autonomous cultural downtown theatres. (Obviously it's theatrical short category. Many other entities. nicer to pay $1 than $3 to see the same films of equal importance should have The rejection of certain films, based on films . . .) The free screenings in the ad­ been shown since they represent a major Awards "reasoning" presents a false im­ joining theatre were virtually ignored. part of our film industry and film cul­ pression of our productivity. We find it Most people failed to show up either ture. These are also the films which have ridiculous, in 1973, to collaborate with because they'd thought the week had less of a chance of playing local neigh­ an Awards presentation whose bi­ been called off, or because they borhood theatres - shouldn't the Cana­ cultural organization would imply couldn't care less. dian Film Awards be the place to show homogenity in Canadian cinema. A lovely series of vignettes took such films? Just as it is no longer possible to unite place on Thursday night when CBC- Another problem: entry fees for films CBC and Radio-Canada, or the Enghsh radio sent an interviewer and a sound­ were raised to $50 for a short and $ 100 and French production units of the man on Nagra to find out what theatre­ for a feature. Although refunds were NFB, so is it unthinkable that the goers thought about the boycott. Most given to films which were rejected, the Awards successfully group together two people questioned didn't even know raise in fees was strongly discriminatory such complex and diverse realities as the there was one! As to why they came — because it cost only $1 . . . towards independent filmmakers. In ad­ cinemas of Quebec and of Enghsh Can­ dition, many independents have been ada. Not even the Quebec critics' state­ seriously suggesting placing the National ment caused too much excitement, al­ Film Board in a separate category, since Consequently, the undersigned directors though it was far more outspoken in its not many filmmakers have the means to have decided to abstain from partici­ criticism and approached a paranoia compete with the Board's equipment pating in the Awards presentation, and equal to that of English-Canada. Where­ and resources. refuse, in advance, any prize which may as the English segment of the CFA felt be awarded them. To top off this hst is a personal com­ it had been stabbed in the back by the plaint: at the same time that the CFA , Denys Arcand, Claude French, the critics saw this same group received $40,000 from the Secretary of Jutra, Andre Melangon, Jacques Gagne, as deliberately seducing both the public State and hired a professional promo­ Denis Heroux, Marcel Carriere, Gilles and the film community into accepting tion agency to lodge a major advertising Therien, Rene Avon, Clement Perron, its commerciality while discriminating program, magazines such as Cinema Andre Belanger. Jean Saulnier, Roger against authentic Quebec cinema. Quebec and Cinema Canada were re­ Frappier, Aimee Danis. Finally, the end of the week ap-

Cinema Canada 15 the media was very attentive. As far as preached. An announcement was made Alright. I was there. 1 had seen all the the other criticisms stated m the com­ that a press conference (read: low-key) films at least twice. Perhaps, in my over- munique - the only reason English- will take place on Friday evening with zealous devotion to Canadian films I've Canadian directors did not boycott for the results of the competition. Things gone over the edge and have no critical those same reasons is because they're started getting glamorous. Toronto sense left ... It can happen. But then politically disorganized and mdividual- showed up. Surprisingly, key actresses how to explain the following: after istically competitive. showed up — Genevieve Bujold, Michel­ being assured by both Cinema Quebec There is no question that the CFA's ine Lanctot and Luce Guilbeault — all and yours truly that his name won't be entire approach was commercial and three starring in films whose directors used, one of the jury members confided — no, he did not think Slipstream was that it attempted to portray our cinema were boycotting. However, very few the best film. But yes, it was a unani­ as being federalist and fun. However English Canadians seemed to decipher mous decision. Canada is not bicultural, bihngual or that, contrary to popular paranoia, commercially very successful - and Quebec was not in complete assent. It was on this surreal, slightly neither is its cinema. Nevertheless, everyone settled in, and funereal tone amidst cheap red wine and In closing, I have only the following the 'conference' was underway. Marcia slightly inebriated filmfolk that the questions: Couelle, showing amazing grace and 25th Annual Canadian Film Awards • Would we invite Harold Robbins to nerves-of-steel, calmly read the CFA ended. decide which Canadian novel should get directors' statement on behalf of her­ How and why did all this hap­ the Governor General's award? self, Ralph Umbarger, Vi Crone, and pen? Most rational of all were the Que­ Claude Godbout. Then, the internation­ bec directors. First of all, Quebec was • Are we incapable of judging our own work? al jury read its statement. (Roch Carrier, facing a crucial election with the Parti Quebec novelist; Roger Gorman, Ameri­ Quebecois challenging Bourassa's legions • Do we walk through art museums can Grade-B genre director; Alain to become the official opposition party. giving statuettes for the Best Paint­ Jessua, director from France; Ivan Obviously, some form of strong support ing? Best Sculpture? Most Beautiful Passer, Czechoslovakian filmmaker; and for the separatist position had to be Frame? Les Wedman, Vancouver film critic were forthcoming from Quebec's politically Most of us no longer insist that the the jurors. Marc Gervais was the non­ conscious artists. The Film Awards pro­ world is flat, maybe we should stop voting chairman.) They suggested vided a marvelous means for that since insisting that this is one country. follow-up discussions to take place after the Awards and that, ". . . all those who Feature Films like films have the right to discuss our Sound Recording Jean Rival - L'Infonie Inachevee choices". Everything seemed to be Sound Editing Alan Lloyd - Slipstream drawing to a thoughtful and somewhat Sound Re-recording Joe Giimaldi - Paperback Hero sad end. We all sat back in our seats Editing Kirk Jones - Paperback Hero prepared to hear that the awards were Art Direction Fianijoise Baibeau - Kamouraska split between Rejeanne Padovani and Original Music Score , Tristan Hansinger, Chick Peabody, Between Friends with Kamouraska get­ Peter Van Ginkel - La Mort d'un Bucheron ting everything else. But lo and behold Cinematography Don Wilder CSC - Paperback Hero Screenplay Jacques Benoit, Denys Arcand - Rejeanne Padovani — the jurors went mad! With over- Supporting Actor WilUe Lamothe - La Mort d'Un Biicheron reaction? Overcompensation? Para­ Supporting Actress Camilla Bernard - Kamouraska noia? Who can tell? Actor - O.K.Laliberte • Rejeanne Padovani was given only Actress Genevieve Bujold - Kamouraska one Etrog for best screenplay, Direction - Slipstream • Between Friends the film which Non-Fiction Feature Coming Home - Bill Reid should have won best direction and best Fiction Feature Slipstream - David Acomba film (according to both Quebecois and Wendy Michener Award - For his outstanding contribution to this year's Canadian Film English-Canadian filmpeople) — was com­ Awards and to the Canadian Film Industry - Gilles Cade pletely ignored. Did the jury even see Special Jury Prize - For its all-round excellence - Kamouraska, it? • Kamouraska received a Special Jury Grierson Award - to a person whose work carries forward the Grierson tradition - Robert Prize for all-round excellence - which Forget, Director of Videographe. somehow managed to exclude best film, Non-Feature Films best direction, and best cinema­ Sound Recording Richard Besse, Jacques Chevigny - Station 10 (NFB) tography, Sound Editing Aria Saare - The Shield (CTV) • Gilles Carle received the Wendy Sound Re-recording Michel Descombes - Le Vent (NFB) Michener award for, among other things, Editing Claude Lavoie - Faire Hurler les Murs (OFQ) "his contribution to this year's awards". Art Direction Denis Boucher - The Sloane Affair (NFB) Was this black humor since he was boy­ Music Les "Stein" - Faire Hurler les Murs (OFQ) cotting? Cinematography Paul Vezina, Paul Maltais - Faire Hurler les Murs (OFQ) • and Best Direction and Best Film Non-Dramatic Script Andre Melan9on - Des Armes et les Hommes (NFB) Screenplay Alvin Goldman, Doug Jackson - The Sloane Affair (NFB) were given to David Acomba for Slip­ Actor - Des Armes et les Hommes (NFB) stream! Actress ja^kie Burroughs - Vicky (CBC) Hisses from the audience . . . Shock Direction Doug Jackson - Sloane Affair (NFB) . . . Tears of disbelief . . . WAS THIS TV Drama Sloane Affair (NFB) - Doug Jackson FOR REAL? Nothing against Slipstream Animated Film The Family That Dwelt Apart (NFB) - Yvon Mallette - David Acomba should have gotten, Theatrical Short Goodbye Sousa (NFB) - Tony lanzelo and probably deserved, an award for Documentary Grierson, Faire Hurler les Murs best first feature or most promising Roger Blais (NFB) Jean Saulnier (OFQ) newcomer. But best film? Best direc­ ^P^-^^t^o^^^Pil^^o^rd OFQ-Office du Film du Quebec tion? Apologies should go to Denys CBC - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CTV - Canadian Television Arcand and Don Shebib . . .

16 Cinema Canada / The Canadian Connection.

In the film industry in Canada, that can only mean Bellevue-Pathe. It also means top quality skills. And results. Because we're professionals. On everything from overnight dailies to release printing in all formats.

Canadian and foreign film makers have the greatest respect for our film lab and sound studio work, and the good news is really getting around about the Canadian Connection — Bellevue-Pathe.

Just a few of our clients and friends are: Paramount - 20th Century-Fox - Columbia - Warner Bros. - United Artists - MCA Universal - Cinepix - Potterton - Agincourt - Quadrant. . Now, isn't that saying a lot?

RECENT ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS: Neptune Factor • • • Journey • Fan's Notes • Guns Of The West • Oroundstar Conspiracy • Alien Thunder • Cool Million • Cannibal Girls • Eliza's Horoscope

CANADA'S LARGEST FILM LABORATORY AND SOUND STUDIO ORGANIZATION

VANCOUVER TORONTO MONTREAL 916 Davie St. 9 Brockhouse Road 2000 Northcliffe Ave. <^ Vancouver 1, B.C. Toronto 14, Ont. Montreal 260, Que, Tel. (604) 682-4646 Tel. (416) 259-7811 Tel. (514) 484-1186 TEL-AVIV 65 Weizman St. Tel. 722-111