Total budgets for Canadian feature film coproduction climb to over $1 billion in the last five years

Outstanding year for Canadian coproduction at the 65th Cannes Film Festival with Cosmopolis, Laurence Anyways and Hors les murs (Beyond the Walls)

Montreal, May 2, 2012 – On the eve of an exceptional year for Canadian coproduction at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (May 16-27, 2012), Telefilm Canada announces that the five-year total (2006 to 2010) for the volume of Canadian feature film treaty coproduction budgets amounts to $1.02 billion. This total includes the domestic and foreign budgets of 111 Canadian feature film international coproductions. Canadian feature film coproductions also earned 165 awards from around the world in the same time period, most notably the Canada-France title Incendies (2011) and the minority Canadian Polish-German feature In Darkness (2012) were Oscar nominees for Best Foreign-Language Film.

Reflecting the importance of Cannes as an epicentre of international activity, Canadian feature film and television coproduction deals struck at Cannes’ market component – the Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market) – alone amount to 198 projects or $292 million in total budgets over the last five years.

“When it comes to the production of screen-based content, Telefilm believes that there’s strength in numbers,” said Carolle Brabant, Telefilm Canada’s Executive Director. “As outlined in our new corporate plan, encouraging the diversification of funding sources, like coproduction, to help maintain a strong industry is a priority for Telefilm. These results show that one cannot simply measure the success of Canadian films based on domestic box office, and confirm the importance of our new Success Index, which not only looks at commercial success, but also has a wider cultural and industrial perspective.”

Canadian coproduction in the spotlight at Cannes 2012
Of the six Canadian productions selected for Cannes this year, three are coproductions:

• Cosmopolis, David Cronenberg, Official Selection – Competition (Canada-France)
• Laurence Anyways, Xavier Dolan, Official Selection – Un Certain Regard (Canada-France)
• Hors les murs (Beyond the Walls), David Lambert, Critics’ Week, Canada-Belgium-France (minority Canadian)

Perspective Canada market screenings
Telefilm is pleased to announce that, once again this year, its Perspective Canada series will be held at the Cannes Film Market. During Perspective Canada, 8 Canadian feature films will be screened for international buyers attending the Market. Of the 8 titles, two are coproductions: Hors les murs (Beyond the Walls) and Claude Gagnon’s Karakara (Canada-Japan).

Canada Pavilion
This year, Telefilm’s Canada Pavilion brings together Canadian companies with a majority of producers looking for coproduction partners. Canada Pavilion industry activities facilitate the development of international partnerships focused on co-production as well as the sales of Canadian products, and also help to promote Canadian talent.

Fostering coproduction at Cannes

Canada Spotlight – Producers Network
Launched in 2004, the Producers Network hosts 600 producers from around the world in a series of meetings and events. Created to stimulate international coproduction and project financing, this event is specially designed for producers who wish to meet potential partners, be it a coproducer, distributor, sales agent or financier.

Telefilm is again sponsoring the Canada Spotlight at Producers Network, an event which presents five Canadian producers to over 200 experienced producers from around the world.

Producers Network Happy Hour
Coordinated by Strategic Partners, one of the world’s foremost international coproduction markets, this networking event closes the Canada Spotlight at Producers Network and is sponsored by Telefilm and its Pavilion partners: the Ontario Media Development Corporation, BC Film+ Media, Manitoba Film & Music, the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, SaskFilm and the Canadian Media Production Association. For the first time this year, the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) is a partner in the event. In 2011, organizers reported a record attendance of 371 participants from 42 countries.

Networking event with India
This is an event for Canadian producers and distributors to develop and expand their contacts and strategic alliances with their Indian counterparts. At the end of 2010 it was reported that in terms of annual film output, India ranks first, followed by Hollywood and China.

What are coproductions?
Coproductions are joint film or television projects produced by companies from two or more countries; they play an important role in the Canadian audiovisual industry. Coproduction agreements are international treaties signed by governments that enable Canadian and foreign producers to pool their creative, artistic, technical and financial resources to coproduce projects that enjoy the status of national productions in the countries involved. Telefilm administers these coproduction agreements, with more than 50 countries, on behalf of the Canadian government.

Telefilm Canada
Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada.

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Media enquiries:
Douglas Chow, Manager, External Communications
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