20 YEARS OF ACTION! ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 LE FONDS HAROLD GREENBERG, 10 YEARS OF ACTION! WE WERE THE FIRST BROADCASTER TO SET UP A PRIVATE FUND FOR FILM FINANCING THE HAROLD GREENBERG FUND 20 YEARS OF ACTION! INVESTMENTS TO DATE IN SUPPORT WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO CONTINUING OF CANADIAN WRITERS, DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS AND PERFORMERS TOTAL $50.7 MILLION OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR CANADIAN FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS MESSAGE FROM OUR PARTNER One of the most important objectives of The Fund/Le Fonds when This is a special year for Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund/ Since 1986, The Fund/Le Fonds has continued to grow and to diver- it was founded was to assure that the elements necessary to Le Fonds Harold Greenberg. It marks the 20th anniversary of sify. Investments to date in support of Canadian writers, directors, make a successful industry could be found right here in Canada. support for the Canadian film and television industries for its producers and performers total $50.7 million, and this year alone As a funding partner, we are very proud of our long history of English-language Program and ten years of operation for its $5.1 million has been invested in 168 projects. The Fund/Le Fonds support for the industry and we feel strongly that the growth and French-language Program. Astral Media has always been unique in has programs in both official languages, supporting a wide array success of this industry will continue to depend on the essential its approach to the industry. Not only were we the first broadcaster of film and television productions including: feature films, mix of private and public funding. We remain committed to to set up a private fund for film financing in 1986, but today, what documentaries, programs for youth, musical programs, video- continuing our financial support for Canadian film and television continues to make The Fund/Le Fonds unique is that we continue clips and special events. productions, providing critical resources needed to continue to be active in financing projects at the very early stage of develop- IAN GREENBERG to showcase Canadian talent and to celebrate our Canadian President and CEO ment, at what we call the story optioning phase. These funds give cultural identity. Astral Media Inc. producers the resources to develop their project right from the concept phase through to the script development phase. 1 ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PROGRAM ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PROGRAM MESSAGE FROM THE CO-CHAIR & THE PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS / ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PROGRAM COMMITTEE & STAFF SHANE KINNEAR Member of the Board Shane Kinnear is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Shaftesbury Films, a leading producer of feature films, television programming and large format (IMAX) films. Shane has extensive experience in film financing, production, distribution and international sales. BRYN MATTHEWS CAMELIA FRIEBERG Co-chair of the Board Member of the Board SUZETTE COUTURE Bryn Matthews had an Member of the Board Camelia Frieberg has BRYN MATTHEWS JOHN GALWAY impressive career in Suzette Couture played a key role in the Co-chair President Canadian broadcasting, Canadian independent Board of Directors English-language Program won her fourth initially as a television Gemini Award for feature industry for producer and director in best screenwri- over 20 years. She is Toronto, and then as a ting for the CTV the producer of many We take pride in reporting to our stakeholders on the decisions made and the program and production movie After the critically acclaimed results achieved by the English-language Committee of the Board of Directors. executive and later JOHN GALWAY films including Wilby Harvest starring Sam Shepard. She also Member of the Board & President as President of the Wonderful, The Sweet received the prestigious Humanitas Award in John Galway began his career in This year marks the 20th Anniversary of The Fund. Since its inception in 1986, CTV affiliate station in Hereafter and The Five L.A. for her screenplay of the CBS miniseries the Canadian film and television The Fund has supported 2,102 script development, feature film, family television Ottawa, from where Senses. Camelia has series projects and training grants for an investment of over $39.9 million to date Haven. Recently she adapted the novel The industry at the Toronto International he retired. recently completed her in the Canadian film and television industry. These results speak to the vision of Mermaid Chair for an original Lifetime movie Film Festival. John then moved feature film debut as Astral Media in establishing The Fund and to the commitment of the Board, staff starring Kim Basinger. Suzette is a partner into development and production writer and director for and readers, past and present. in Sarrazin Couture Entertainment. Her first with Independent Pictures, A Stone’s Throw. feature, with partner Pierre Sarrazin, contract work on several film The Fund is proud of the success of several of its past investments which were La Florida, won the Golden Reel Award for and television projects and realized by releases that occurred this year. Most notably, Deepa Mehta’s Water highest box office for a Canadian film. ultimately into financing with the which has inspired audiences in Canada and around the world and Life with Derek Ontario Film Investment Program, which became the top-rated series launch in the history of the Family Channel. the CTF and Telefilm Canada. MELANIE FRIESEN The English-language Committee members of The Harold Greenberg Fund Member of the Board acknowledge and sincerely thank Astral Media, particularly The Movie Network, Melanie Friesen began her career 25 years DOMENIC VIVOLO Family Channel and Viewers Choice for their continuing commitment to the ago as administrator of The Association of Member of the Board Domenic Vivolo is the Senior Canadian motion picture and television production industries. Independent Producers in London, England. Vice President, Marketing and She was also a literary agent in London Sales for Astral Television We would also like to extend a personal thank you to our dedicated colleagues on and MGM/UA’s head development executive Networks. He has an extensive the Board, who bring their diligence, their passion and their considerable experi- in the U.K. She held similar positions for background in marketing and ence to every adjudication session. We also want to thank our dedicated staff, Cineplex Odeon Films in L.A. and for Martin Scorsese in New York. sales with a career that spans talented readers and our colleagues in the Montreal office for their contributions From 1994-2005, Melanie produced the Vancouver International Film from consumer packaged goods to international entertain- to the increasingly successful results that flow from the work of Astral Media Festival's Trade Forum. She is now the presenter/producer of Cinema ment, including television, film and live event production. The Harold Greenberg Fund/Le Fonds Harold Greenberg. Salon at the Vancouver International Film Centre. BRYN MATTHEWS JOHN GALWAY STAFF Karla Bobadilla Lila Karim Andrea Langford Ellen Valter Director, Manager, Administrative Assistant Acting Director, Business and Legal Affairs Script Development Business and Legal Affairs and Administration (September 2005 – April 2006) 2 20 YEARS OF ACTION! 20 YEARS OF ACTION! 3 FRENCH-LANGUAGE PROGRAM FRENCH-LANGUAGE PROGRAM MESSAGE FROM THE CO-CHAIR & THE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING DIRECTOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS / FRENCH–LANGUAGE PROGRAM COMMITTEE & STAFF JUDITH BROSSEAU Member of the Board Senior Vice-President, Programming and Communications, Canal D, Historia and Séries+, Judith Brosseau is Vice-Chair of the board of the Canadian Television Fund and also serves on the boards of the Banff Television Festival Foundation and Hot Docs. She has worked in the television The French-language Program of Le Fonds Harold Greenberg is proud to celebrate 10 ROCK DEMERS industry for more than 25 years. MICHEL HOULE ROCK DEMERS ODILE MÉTHOT years of activity. We are pleased to have developed during this decade along with the Co-chair of the Board Member of the Board Co-chair President and Managing Director filmmakers who have taken our film and television industry to new heights. Through Founder and President ODILE MÉTHOT Michel Houle, who Board of Directors French-language Program the high quality of their work, they give voice to our culture, our identity and our of Groupe La Fête, Member of the Board regularly advises imagination. They have shown great generosity toward the public, and Le Fonds is Rock Demers has been President and Managing Director various corporate, delighted to work with them. involved in all aspects Odile Méthot has worked in the arts and in the institutional and of film. His films are film and television industries for the past 19 years. government stake- In recent years, our industry has developed at breakneck speed, and Le Fonds has acclaimed around She has applied her entrepreneurship and energy holders, provides the had to keep pace by developing a diverse range of funding programs that have made the world and he is to developing extensive management expertise. Board with the insight it a key player in the industry. regularly invited to She established the French-language Program and expertise he has serve on the juries of for Le Fonds Harold Greenberg and has served acquired through his Ten action-packed years! Le Fonds’ French-language section embarked on its great international festivals. as its President and Managing Director since 2000. unique experience in adventure on September 9, 1996, with two funding programs. Today, through its eight As well, she sits on the board of Femmes du programs, it has invested $10.8 million in 272 projects, including 39 feature film Tales for All [Les a variety of areas, productions and hundreds of hours of television production. Over the years, we have Contes pour Tous] Cinéma, de la Télévision et des Nouveaux Médias.