TELEFILM CANADA SPOTLIGHTS THE CANADIAN PRESENCE AT THE KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Montreal, June 15, 2009 – Telefilm Canada is proud to spotlight the presence of FIVE Canadian films at the 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, to be held July 3 to 11, 2009.
In the Czech Republic on the frontier between Eastern and Western Europe, Karlovy Vary, one of the world’s most important competitive film festivals, is reputed, among other things, for its large, mostly young audience with a veritable passion for the 7th art.
The five films invited to Karlovy Vary were chosen during the selection screenings coordinated by Telefilm Canada for the festival’s programmer during his stay in Montreal last April. Telefilm Canada organizes such private screenings for Canadian films seeking to position themselves on the international scene. The Canadian industry can take advantage of this service for six international festivals.
“It’s a good year for Canadian cinema, which continues to stand out on the international scene thanks to its quality and imagination. With five films selected, including three that had Telefilm support, we have every reason to be thrilled with the vitality of our industry”, said Wayne Clarkson, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada.
The festival’s artistic director, Eva Zaoralova, noted the high quality of the Canadian works submitted, saying, “I am very proud of the five remarkable Canadian films that will premiere at Karlovy Vary this year. Un ange à la mer, by Frédéric Dumont, is an incredible first film, which will have its world premiere in the official competition for a Crystal Globe. New Denmark, by Rafaël Ouellet, with its edgy and original narrative style, will be in the running for the Independent Camera Award in the Forum of Independents competition. And there is no doubt that the jolting subject of Jennifer Baichwal’s documentary, Act of God, will catch the eye of the documentary jury and the general public.” Ms. Zaoralova added, “The other two feature films, also first works – Crackie bySherry White and Nurse.Fighter.Boy by Charles Officer – show just how good young Canadian filmmakers are at observing reality and taking their personal inspiration from it to create very unique films.”
Below is the list of Canadian films selected, by category.
OFFICIAL COMPETITION
Un ange à la mer (world premiere)
(Belgium-Canada) directed by Frédéric Dumont; produced by Palomar (Montreal), Dragons Films (La Louvière)
Twelve-year-old Louis lives with his big brother and parents in a small town in southern Morocco. One day, his manic-depressive father calls him into his office and tells him a very upsetting secret.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Act of God (international premiere)
Directed by Jennifer Baichwal; produced by Mercury Films (Toronto), Foundry Films (Toronto)
Act of God explores the metaphysical effects of being hit by lightning. Seven stories from around the world. With Paul Auster and Fred Frith.
FORUM OF INDEPENDENTS
New Denmark (world premiere)
Directed by Rafaël Ouellet; produced by Estfilmindustri (Montreal)
Carla spends her summer looking for her missing sister. After her body is discovered, she continues to seek her presence.
ANOTHER VIEW
Nurse.Fighter.Boy (European premiere)
Directed by Charles Officer; produced by PUNK Films (Toronto), Canadian Film Centre (Toronto), Cannes Sugar Filmworks (Toronto)
When a Jamaican nurse suffering from sickle cell anemia, her teenage son and a solitary boxer reduced to street fighting cross paths in multicultural Toronto, their lives entwine and are changed forever.
Crackie (world premiere)
Directed by Sherry White; produced by Kickham East Productions (St. John’s)
Misty is a 17-year-old girl who lives with her harsh grandmother, who has raised her since she was four. Misty is looking for love in all the wrong places. When her mother turns up and stirs up trouble, Misty is forced to decide whether the woman who raised her is her enemy or her strongest ally.
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 Canada Feature Film Fund, the Canadian Television Fund and the Canada New Media Fund.
For more information about Telefilm Canada, see the full webcast of our first annual public meeting, held on April 8, 2009, at www.telefilm.ca .
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Media inquiries
Denise Arab
Director of Communications
Telefilm Canada
514-283-0838 #2099