News ... January 2001

Film Circuit Wins Drucker Award for Innovation

The Film Circuit, a division of the Toronto International Film Festival Group, is the 2000 recipient of the Peter F. Drucker Award for Canadian Nonprofit Innovation presented by the Peter F. Drucker Canadian Foundation. The Film Circuit was chosen from more than 65 national entries as "the nonprofit organization that has most proven its ability to implement an outstanding innovative program or project that makes a difference in the lives of the people it serves." The Film Circuit was formally congratulated on October 13, 2000 by the Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Hilary M. Weston at Queen's Park and received a $15,000 cash award prize. The cash prize was presented by David R. Beatty, O.B.E. and the Bank of Montreal, the award's major sponsor. The award was accepted on behalf of all by Festival Group Executive Director Piers Handling.

"The Drucker Foundation is highly respected by the Canadian business community and we are doubly honoured that Toronto International Film Festival Group and its Film Circuit is the first arts organization to ever win this award," enthused Allison Bain, Associate Managing Director of the Toronto International Film Festival Group.

The Film Circuit is a grassroots initiative which promotes and distributes Canadian and independent film programmes to more than 60 local communities across Canada. These activities ensure cultural access to residents, promote national artists and product, and generate significant economic benefits for both the Canadian film industry and local community. Annually, the Film Circuit works with cultural organizations that present Canadian film programmes to over 140,000 residents and generates new revenues to be re-invested in local communities

Since 1995, the Film Circuit, under the direction of Cam Haynes, has screened over 600 films; Canadian productions have consistently ranked among the highest grossing films. In fact, while Canadian productions account for only 2% of the national average of films shown on domestic screens, they account for nearly 30% of Circuit screenings. Francois Girard's Oscar-winning film, THE RED VIOLIN leads the Circuit's box office to-date and has generated more Circuit box office sales than Oscar winners LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and ELIZABETH.

In addition to current films, the Film Circuit also re-releases classic Canadian films. In 1998, the Circuit re-released Claude Jutra's MON ONCLE ANTOINE, which screened in 22 cities across Canada. Don Shebib's acclaimed GOIN' DOWN THE ROAD was re-released the following year. More recently, in an effort to promote emerging Canadian filmmakers the Film Circuit introduced the CANADIAN SHORT FILM SHOWCASE, which includes 23 of the best short films produced in the past two years.

Film Circuit Manager Blair Haynes expressed "Congratulations to all Circuit Groups out there who have had a hand in building the success of this organization."

The Preludes

by Richard Lummiss

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. Ten of Canada's finest film-makers celebrated this fact by making short films that preceded many of the festival's screenings. I had the opportunity to see four of them:

1. Camera (David Cronenberg) A middle-aged man sits in a kitchen and reminisces about his life while a crew of children make a movie around him using discarded film equipment from the 1940s. The man's story is frequently touching, yet the film has a humourous texture. There is a very funny visual gag in the film with an unmistakable Cronenberg signature.

2. A Word From The Management (Don McKellar) Don provides a voiceover while the camera rapidly pans over an expectant audience eagerly awaiting the start of a film. McKellar's high-strung delivery and sharp sense of humour neatly capture the excitement, buzz, and frustrated frenzy of the festival, but as Don succinctly phrases it, "It's only a movie".

3. 24 FPS (Jeremy Podeswa) "FPS" is frames per second. This is a simple, moving film of Jeremy's father sitting alone in a theatre, engrossed in a movie from the 1940s. We learn from Jeremy's narrative that his dad survived World War II in Poland. He used the movies to cope with the horrors he had to live through, and to give him hope that there still was beauty and humanity in the world. We had the pleasure of having the film introduced to us by Jeremy at Roy Thomson Hall, with his father in attendance. It gave this heartfelt film an even greater emotional impact.

4. The Heart of the World (Guy Maddin) Guy Maddin is a film-maker from Winnipeg who moonlights as a driving instructor. He is heavily influenced by early European cinema; directors such as Eisenstein, Land, and Murnau. Heart of the World is a frenetic silent film with an industrial/techno soundtrack. Imagine watching a collage of the best scenes from Metropolis, A Trip To The Moon, The Battleship Potemkin, and Nosferatu at twice the normal speed. Maddin has called this film a "subliminal melodrama". I would call it a miniature masterpiece, although I'm sure some would find the barrage of original yet evocative images infuriating or just plain weird.

Since the festival has ended, I have heard at least two critics claim that the highlight of this year's festival was the ten shorts, or Preludes, which is their official title. I wholeheartedly agree. I only regret that I was only able to see 40% of them. The best film I saw at this year's festival was "The Heart Of The World", and that includes the six features I attended.

It's worth noting that the Preludes were made by Canadian film-makers who are pursuing their careers in Canada. On that note, we can include Belleville's Susan Shipton. Susan's new short film, Hindsight, played at the Toronto International Film Festival, as well as the Montreal World Film Festival.

Proud, eh?

WHAT'S PLAYING AROUND TOWN?

Reciprocal arrangements with Cinefest Picton and the Great Napanee Film Society mean that QFA members now enjoy an added perk with their annual memberships. The Picton and Napanee film groups will honour your QFA membership for the members' price at films, and Cinefest and Napanee members are invited to pay the members' price at QFA films.

Cinefest Picton
Cinefest movies are screened at the Regent Theatre on Main Street in Picton every second Monday evening at 8 pm. Coming soon ...
     January 15  Dancer in the Dark
     January 29  Waydowntown
     February 12  Two Family House
     February 26  Maelstrom

Great Napanee Film Society
The Great Napanee Film Society screens movies at 6 pm on the last Sunday of each month. For more information, please call 613-386-7777.
     Sunday January 28  The Color of Paradise
     Sunday February 25  Billy Elliot
     Sunday March 25  La Veuve de Saint-Pierre
     Sunday April 29  State and Main
     Sunday May 27  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

PAST NEWSLETTERS ON-LINE

November 2000 -- QFA Goes to the Festivals
August 2000 -- QFA Supports Canadian Filmmakers
April 2000 -- Small is Beautiful
March 2000 -- Film Festival Get-Away: Cinéfest Sudbury Tour
February 2000 -- Cinéfest Bus Trip
January 2000 -- The Malkovich Effect
November 1999 -- Coming to Earth: Director Deepa Mehta Survives an Indian Fire-Storm
September 1999 -- Welcome to our Fifth Season
May 1999 -- It's Your Turn, Laura / C'est à ton tour, Laura Cadieux
March 1999 -- The Cinematic Tourist: Lessons of Foreign Films