Major Developments This Cabinet Area

nEWS Major Developments this cabinet area. No explanation was mISSIOn, but right now they've got given, but Minister of Industry and something slightly more important to It's sort of like some weird circle Tourism Claude Bennett did visit consider, for on April 10 the Quebec action, if you examine the develop Hollywood recently to promote Ont government introduced its long ment of the film industry over the past ario as a movie-making place. Bennett awaited film law, loi cadre. And the several years. The federal government said he wanted Hollywood money and reaction by the industry was anything sets up the CFDC to aid in establishing Ontario talent, whereupon some MP's but gleeful. Cultural Affairs Minister the industry; the filmmakers become suggested it might be a better idea to Denis Hardy presented a bill that will very active, first in actual movie get some Ontario movies made and to have widespread effects on Quebec making, and then politically as prob institute quotas. As a matter of fact, film making and showing. lems arise in forming a solid industrial Ontario has been the great hold-out in The bill first abolishes the present base. Now it's the provinces' turn, as the quota question; Premier William Cinema Advisory Board and substi the assault on their jurisdictions - Davis has said publicly that he's tutes a Quebec Film Institute and mainly in quotas and financial aid - opposed to it, and without Ontario Cinema Classification Board, directly begins. And of course they'll act with there's no point in pushing a national under the minister; the former body the federal government to co-ordinate quota; most box office income is from was separate from the ministry, any efforts. that province. A delegation from the although the members were appointed But we're not back where we start Council of Canadian Film Makers met by the government. The minister can ed. What is being discussed now are with Davis and some cabinet members step in and run the new body for three specific solutions, especially quotas in mid-April to discuss the subject of months at any time (this clause occurs and levies, as well as re-organising the quotas, but my press deadline was in most Quebec bills). And there will CFDC to accommodate the realities of several days before, so I'll let you be no public hearings, because, the being several years down the road. know what happened next issue. Don't minister says, the industry has been And there's concrete evidence to hold your breath. overconsulted. All of which brought present to any governmental level that A major brief was presented to all cries of possible political censorship, a con census does exist among governments via the CFDC, and it fear that the enlightened censorship Canadian filmmakers and production summarised the desires of the film practised recently in Quebec will rad people. Even public opinion is strong making community in toto. The ically change, and general unhappiness er, as films succeed at the box office CFDC's English-language Advisory with the whole bill. and voices are heard, such as the Group comprises all facets of the Other clauses, in a total of seventy, Toronto Star's on March 11 calling for industry, and this joint effort leaves no include forcing theatres to show a quotas. doubt as to whether there is a con certain number of Quebec films, non Small skirmishes occurred in Man census in the Canadian Film industry, French films are to be dubbed or itoba, Nova Scotia and Ontario, and even if Hugh Faulkner and Jean subtitled unless excused by the min the major action happened in Quebec Boucher have maintained the contrary. istry, and the stated desire to provide on April 10 when the government Among the groups represented were three million dollars annually to finally presented its film law. A report ACTRA, the Canadian branch of the finance films, make grants and sub prepared for the Manitoba cabinet American Federation of Musicians, the sidies and loans, operate and prevent urged the creation of a film board to Canadian Association of Motion takeovers of theatres, distribute and provide assistance and training pro Picture Producers, IATSE, NABET, promote films, set up dubbing and grams. the Directors' Guild, the CCFM, the subtitling, and produce children's In Nova Scotia a court battle Editors' Guild, the Canadian Film films. This sum could be in addition to moved into final stages that will have makers' Distribution Centre, the the present $2.7 million allocated for great influence on censorship in all Society of Cinematographers, the film, or just signify an increase from provinces in the future. Some time ago Motion Picture Theatres Association, $ 2. 7 to three. journalist Gerald McNeil protested to the Society of Film Makers, and the Over the following weekend forty the provincial censor board that he Association of Independent Canadian or fifty producers and observers as wanted to see the banned Last Tango Film Distributors. sembled at a resort to discuss strategy in Paris. He wanted to appeal the Nineteen recommendations were and meet with Hardy. Those present board's ruling to cabinet but was told put forward, among them instituting were from the Association des pro he couldn't because he was a private levies, increased incentives at Provin ducteurs de film du Quebec, and in citizen. Taking his case to the provin cial and Federal levels to attract cluded president Oaude Fournier, v-p cial court of appeal, he won. But the private investment, major refunding Aimee Danis, and sec-treas Mel province is challenging the ruling in and re-organisation of the CFDC, pro Oppenheim, plus Pierre David, Pierre the Supreme Court. And Ontario and vincial quotas, development of training Lamy, Andre Link, Michele Moreau, Alberta and Saskatchewan are backing methods for industry, advocating a full Jean-Pierre Lefebvre, Claude Godbout, Nova Scotia. Further reports to come. survey of the Canadian feature indus Jean-Claude Labrecque, and Arthur Ontario recently created a ministry try. Lamothe. Also on hand were Michael expressly for culture and recreation, The French filmmakers are Spencer, CBC film buyer Rene but won't move the Censor Board to studying the Advisory Group's sub- Poissay, and Bob Monteith from the 6 Cinema Canada Stephen Chesley "cultural sovereignty is a political dians pack their suitcases and, led by fact." Certainly the law is a political Jean Lefebvre and the Festival Bureau fact, and a problem. And it's not the contingent, seek their annual pilgrim first: in 1973 a draft was circulated age to sell Canadian film and take the that met with favourable response, but blue Mediterranean waters at Cannes. was never acted upon. And this time, They'll spend about $120,000 again says Gagne, there were consultations this year and show our work at the with some individuals, but no groups. Vox Cinema, meet international Furthermore, before the law was buyers, and get tans. Official entry for . ! tabled, a paper was presented to four Canada this year is Michel Brault's Les teen people that summarised the law - Ordres, with Jean-Claude Labrecque's inaccurately. It said that quotas were Les Vautours in the Directors' Fort planned, for example, but not that night. No Canadian effort will partici they would be instituted only at the pate in Critics' Week, although Andre discretion of the minister. Forcier's Bar Salon was a close con It's mainly the role of the minister tender among the three hundred films that the filmmakers object to. N ow an considered. (See feature article.) institute is responsible for film; under This year the pre-selection com the new law the institute would be mittee in Canada offered Festival head responsible only for disposing of Maurice Bessy six films, four of which funds, and all its other activities would he took to Paris, instead of one, thus Cartoon from the Occupation come under the minister directly. avoiding the embarrassment of last That's too political. The minister will year when Bessy turned down the NFB Ottawa office. The discussion determine who is 'representative' from Canadian choice, Duddy Kravitz, and was really stalemated: Hardy has a the film industry to appoint to this took II Etait une fois dans l'est in parliamentary majority and can pass body. It will be funded from subsidy, stead. The selection committee, made the bill as he pleases. The filmmakers not from the box office. up of Franr;:ine Laurandeau, Martin expressed dislike but it is questionable The next reading of the document Knelman, Julius Kohimyi, Henri whether they can get together to fight will be in mid-May. Tentative plans to Michaud, Jacques Leduc, Andre the bill clause by clause, as they must. fight the bill include a paper stating Melanr;:on, Connie Tadros, Lucille It could go through very quickly. the ARFQ's position due at the end of Bishop, Chalmers Adams and Penni On Thursday, April 17, Director the month, and tentative march on Jacques, chose from thirty submis Jacques Gagne of the ARFQ travelled Quebec city by the 3S00-strong sions, up from twenty-two a year ago. to Toronto to meet with the Council Quebec federation. About half were English-language ef of Canadian Filmmakers executive, Support for the filmmakers' forts. and explained more fully what the position is growing. The press in Showing at the Vox this year will Quebec Federation objects to in the Quebec are almost unanimously be Les Ordres, Bingo with subtitles, law, and some tentative steps to fight against the law.

Load more