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TELEFILM CANADA SALUTES THE CANADIAN CONTINGENT AT CANNES
Two Canadian feature films in the running for the prestigious Palme d’Or
Montréal, May 5th, 2008 – Telefilm Canada is proud to highlight the presence of Canadian cinema at Cannes this year. Indeed, four Canadian works will be showcased during this major film event. Two Canadian feature films are in the Cannes Festival’s prestigious Official Selection and are in the running for the Palme d’Or: Atom Egoyan’s Adoration and Fernando Meirelles’ Blindness, a Canada-Brazil-Japan co-production. Blindness has also been selected to open the 61st edition of the Festival.
Atom Egoyan’s latest work, Adoration, tells the story of an adolescent who creates a new personality for himself on the Internet. The film stars Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman, Devon Bostick and Arsinée Khanjian. Blindness, written by Don McKellar and starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover and Gaël Garcia Bernal, looks at what happens to people caught up in a horrific and mysterious epidemic of blindness that suddenly sweeps through their city.
In addition to these two features, Canada is also represented at Cannes by a pair of short films, which will be presented during International Critics’ Week. Next Floor, a film directed by Denis Villeneuve, will be screened in competition. The story unfolds during an opulent banquet at which 11 guests are shaken by a series of events that alternate between the absurd and the grotesque. L’Ondée, directed by David Coquard-Dassault, will for its part be screened out of competition. Conceived as a mini-opera, this poetic film with an urban setting looks at the “shipwrecked” residents of a city deluged by rain.
Following the success of the Perspective Canada initiative over the last two years, Telefilm Canada returns this year with a selection of eight Canadian films that will screened at the Cannes Film Market. The goal is to further the films’ careers and raise their profile on the international market.
Official Selection – Films in competition
Adoration (Canada), written, produced and directed by Atom Egoyan; produced by Jennifer Weiss and Simone Urdl (The Film Farm); executive produced by Robert Lantos
Blindness (Canada/Brazil/Japan), directed by Fernando Meirelles; written by Don McKellar; produced by Niv Fichman (Rhombus Media), Andrea Barata Ribeiro (02 Filmes) and Sonoko Sakai (Bee Vine Pictures).
International Critics’ Week
Next Floor, directed by Denis Villeneuve; written by Jacques Davidts; produced by Phoebe Greenberg (Phi Group inc.) – In competition;
L’Ondée (France/Canada), written and directed by David Coquard-Dassault; co-produced by Pascal Le Nôtre (Folimage), Julie Roy, René Chénier (NFB) – Out of competition.
SHORT FILM CORNER
During the fifth edition of this short-film market, 68 Canadian films will be offered to international buyers.
PERSPECTIVE CANADA
For a third consecutive year, Telefilm Canada is contributing to the development of an original and dynamic film industry by giving Canadian feature films international visibility. This year, international buyers will have the opportunity to consider eight recent works by Canadian filmmakers.
Borderline, directed by Lyne Charlebois; written by Lyne Charlebois and Marie-Sissi Labrèche; produced by Roger Frappier and Luc Vandal (Max Films); international distribution by Max Films International;
Down to the Dirt, directed by Justin Simms; written by Justin Simms and Sherry White; produced by Anna Petras, Justin Simms (Newfound Films); international distribution by Newfound Films;
Everything is Fine (Tout est parfait), directed by Yves-Christian Fournier; written by Guillaume Vigneault; produced by Nicole Robert (Go Films); international distribution by Seville International;
Finn on the Fly, directed by Mark Jean; written by Michael Souther, Teza Lawrence, Kellie Benz and Mark Jean; produced by Suzanne L. Berger, Michael Souther, Teza Lawrence and Stephen Onda (Amaze Film and Stephen Onda Productions); international distribution by Oasis International and Maximum Films;
A No-Hit No-Run Summer (Un Été sans point ni coup sûr), directed by Francis Leclerc; written by Marc Robitaille; produced by Barbara Shrier (Palomar), international distribution by Max Films International
Saving Luna, directed by Suzanne Chisholm and Michael Parfit; written by Michael Parfit; produced by Suzanne Chisholm (Mountainside Films); international distribution by Mountainside Films;
Sheltered Life, directed by Carl Laudan; written by Katherine Schlemmer; produced by Carl Laudan and Lori Lozinski (Violator Films); international distribution by Violator Films;
Surviving My Mother, directed by Émile Gaudreault; written by Steve Gallucio; produced by Denise Robert and Daniel Louis; international distribution by Fun Film Distribution.
CANADA PAVILION
This promises to be an exceptional year for the Canada Pavilion. More than 70 companies have chosen to gather together under the Canada banner this year. As a result, the Pavilion was specially reorganized so as to offer participants a maximum level of space and comfort and to foster a greater number of exchanges and meetings. New services are being offered, which will make it possible to provide relevant information about tax credits, shooting locations, co-production possibilities, etc.
Among the events worth noting at the Canada Pavilion is From Oscar Nominations in Hollywood to Official Competition at the Cannes Festival, a meeting with Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss, who produced, in quick succession, Atom Egoyan’s Adoration and Sarah Polley’s Away From Her. During this unique event, the two producers will talk about the path that led to the success of their production company, The Film Farm.
Telefilm Canada has also scheduled a number of targeted events at the Canada Pavilion. A meeting is planned for buyers and sellers in the aim of promoting international sales of Canadian productions. Another meeting will allow Canadian and European producers who are interested in co-production to jointly explore possibilities of working together. To foster a higher number of agreement opportunities and exchange, Telefilm Canada has engaged the services of experienced “matchmakers” this year. Finally, a private Asia/Pacific meeting focused on co-production is also on the agenda.
An essential networking site, the Canada Pavilion is a Telefilm Canada initiative in partnership with:
Principal partners
BC Film and Media
Ontario Media Development Corporation
Associate partners
Manitoba Film and Sound
Alberta Film
Film Nova Scotia
Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation
SaskFilm and Video Development Corporation
Department of Canadian Heritage – Trade Routes Program
Canadian Film and Television Production Association
Silver sponsor
National Bank of Canada
FUTURE OF CINEMA SALON SERIES
Fest21.com, CFC Media Lab and Telefilm Canada are once again getting together for the follow up to the Future of Cinema Salon Series, a think tank on the future of cinema that promises to be especially lively this year. Wayne Clarkson, Telefilm Canada’s Executive Director, will be on hand to introduce two major events.
The Future of Cinema Blockbuster Panel, to be held in the Jean-Louis Bory auditorium (Palais des Festivals), is a round-table discussion led by visionaries who will no doubt make us reflect on new ways of producing, selling and thinking about cinema; Get Your Hands on the Future of Cinema presents Late Fragment, an interactive film based on a model first developed by Lars von Trier in 2000 that illustrates the mechanics of filmmaking, thereby allowing a viewer to affect the way a film unfolds. Also on the Canada Pavilion agenda is Mingle Talk, wherein producers, distributors and directors can venture into uncharted territory and debate the future of distribution.
ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE PRODUCERS’ NETWORK
For a fifth year, Telefilm is getting together with SODEC for the Marché du film’s Producers’ Network component, which spotlights Canada. The two organizations will officially present 10 Canadian anglophone and francophone producers. Furthermore, a “speed dating” session is planned for all francophone producers who have signed up for the Producers’ Network.
Developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry
Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian productions that appeal to domestic and international audiences. The Corporation also administers the funding programs of the Canadian Television Fund.
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Media inquiries:
Chantal Dufresne
commdufresne@videotron.ca
In Montréal: (514) 844-9554
In Cannes:
Canada Pavilion
Village international, # 124
04 93 99 86 64
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