CIKE MA^ beneficial. Citadel distributes 28 titles in 1982 (a giant step Roke product in eastern Cana­ from its humble beginnings of SHOOT AlBERTA da, eliminating the need for 4-5 a year) and anticipates Jewison and Columbia by Linda Kupecek expensive duplication of releasing 25-30 a year in "83 and TORONTO-Columbia Pictures branches. "84. Sniderman watches the re­ has signed a seven-picture Members of the Alberta motion nity honoring its achieve­ deal with Canadian producer- picture industry congregated ments." "Together, Roke and Cita­ sults of his films' openings avidly. A typical recent week­ director Norman Jewison, at the Four Seasons Hotel in The most dramatic moment del are the only Canadian dis­ end had Spring Fever opening Calgary March 5 for the 1983 came, not at the Awards, but at tributors who are represent­ Columbia president Guy AMPIA Awards. The tone of the the Judges' Brunch the follow­ ed in every film exchange in Calgary and Edmonton, One McElwaine announced the affair was contralto rather than ing day, when producer-direc­ centre in Canada/' says Sni­ Dark Night in multi-theatres in deal Mar. 8 in Toronto. coloratura, an echo of the quiet tor John Juliani announced derman. "In combination, we Ontario and They Call Me Three of the seven films will year experienced by most Al­ he would return the Best are the largest independent Bruce in Winnipeg. Titles can be shot in Canada and the berta filmmakers. (For Ust of Entertainment Feature Award Canadian distributor." range from Caligula to The Last three projects are expected to awards, see following page.) presented to Latitude 55. His Roke (senior partners are Unicorn (a Lord Grade produc­ have a combined budget of $30 tion). Traditionally, the AMPIA Latitude 55 was the only en­ Hector Ross and Frank Kettner) million. Jewison will direct Awards alternate between Ed­ try in its category, making the deals with independents, not "Every time I release a new one of the three Canadian films monton and Calgary. Every award, in his opinion, inap­ majors, and "commercially ac­ title, it's a totally new experi­ and two of the four American year, half the Alberta industry propriate, and, also, that the ceptable" exploitation films, ence," says Sniderman. projects. He is currently pro­ pile their finery, tuxes, tails jury excluded Latitude 55 not art films or foreign films. ducing The Iceman with Patrick and velvet into cars or onto the from competition in the craft "We go after the product that Palmer in Vancouver for Uni­ Pacific Western Airbus and categories. in most cases is not handled by versal. migrate to the host city. This Jury chairman David Scor­ the majors, and we try to make TORONTO - VTR Productions The deal is the second signed year, a poor turnout, was anti­ gie commented, in hindsight, a buck out of it," says Snider­ Ltd. of Toronto has announced by Columbia with a Canadian cipated due to economic woes "We might have foreseen that man. His pet peeve is "the num­ that as of Feb. 25, 1983, the producer-director in the last and the resulting slow-down in it might have been better to ber of Canadians who think company will no longer be nine months. Last August, the sponsored film. But an ener­ have given a special jury that, as a Canadian film distri­ transferring video tape to film. studio signed Ivan Reitman to getic blitz by an awards com­ award to the film instead," butor, we don't want to handle VTR general sales manager Bill develop and produce a number mittee headed by Nancy Petur- adding that the jury had sin­ Canadian product." Not so, he Burak said the company de­ of projects in Canada. Colum­ son and Myrle Christiensen, cere admiration for the film says... but the bottom line is cided to drop the service be­ bia has a negative pick-up deal donations by a number of cor­ and wanted to recognize its commercial viability. And cause the demand was too on the 3-D adventure film The porate sponsors, and a stylish worth. salesmanship helps, too. "It small The company referred Space Hunter produced by poster by artist Grant Leier hurts so much when a producer its clients to the video depart­ Reitman last fall in British generated interest and support. or company doesn't back up a ment of the National Film Board Columbia and Utah. Surprisingly, there were over picture with the appropriate of Canada's Montreal office, 75 entries, and more than 250 advertising tools." Syd Sniderman, Canadian whose labs still transfer tape to people attended the event. In sales manager of Roke Distri­ Meanwhile, Roke released film. addition. Mayor Ralph Klein butors (based in Calgary) declared the week before the reports that the company has Awards, Salute to the Alberta expanded since its origins as Motion Picture Industry Week. a small regional distributor. The 1983 Jury were : David "I used to buy rights for Scorgie, Alberta Culture (Chair­ only western Canada, and the man) ; Marie Hoy, distributor, producers would make their TORONTO EFP - ON LOCATION Cori and Orient ; Richard Niel­ own deal in eastern Canada," sen, producer, Primedia Ltd. ; says Sniderman. "But with lolande Rossignol, producer, the advent of more products director, writer and critic. for distribution, we started to Although there were grum­ take on all Canadian rights. bles that the affair lacked ex­ We had to make a decision to citement (no cartwheels, brawls, expand to the east, which punch-ups, or ecstasies of hys­ meant either opening offices terical thanks), others were in eastern Canada, or making grateful that the awards pre­ a distribution arrangement sentation (energeticalh' hosted with an existing distributor in by Fred Keating) were merci­ eastern Canada." fully brief "LeI'.s face it. V\'e Roke teamed with Citadel know these aren't exactly the Films in 1981. And, since then, ,Academ\' Awards," commented a deal which enables the two one participant philosophical­ companies to share offices ly "This is the Alberta commu­ across the country has proven Really Nice! 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