o_1997ofqor1r1t4up1q001q301bgea.pdf

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—
World Film Festival
Planned Aug. 19-20
\Ki\IKI \l Serge 1 osique, organizer
of the firsl World Film Festival ol ( anada,
ki be staged here Vugusl 19-20, has de
scribed the planned evenl as one to "fill the
void" k'li In the demise ol the Venice Film
Festival. 11k- Venice happening was held
werj Uigusl to attract the big films thai
weren't read) for the Cannes Film I estival
in Ma)
[Tie Montreal festival, according to I osique.
will be noncompetitive, featuring rel
respective of individual film actors and
directors, surveys ol various national cinemas
and genres, plus some of the si. us
themselves. 1 he main attraction hopefully
will be the presentation of 20 new international
features, some of them world premieres.
"We are aiming to get the besl films first,"
l.osique said. "There are man) good, big
production films that won't he read) tor the
Cannes festival hut will he ready for us."
The World film Festival of Canada will
be the first to have a seel ion devoted strictly
to independent filmmakers. Other attractions
will include "Canada '77." a review of
ten of last sear's best Canadian films, and
a review of recent Japanese cinema. There
also will he a retrospective of films by Canadian
directors and actors in Hollywood. An
international film market will run concurrent!)
during the ten-day event.
Maurice Bessy, a general delegate at Cannes,
will serve as an adviser for the Montreal
festival, which Losique says he hopes
to keep "apolitical."
Reuben Bolstad Is Dead;
Past President of FP
TORONTO—Reuben Bolstad, 76. former
president of Famous Players Canadian
Corp.. died in Toronto
Tuesday, May 17,
following a brief illness.
A native of Minnesota.
^^B *^" Bolstad was
chief accountant of
IHYt^ ^
I
I L^Ml ^
in
Minnesota A m u s e-
c i
in
I B # I I and moved to Toronto
in
U[ £ 1930 to become
|
controller of the Faro-
Reuben Bolstad
ous |)|aN , [s |ra||t
He was elected vice-president of the company
in 1941 and was elevated to the
presidency in 1963. He retired in 1968.
Since that time, Bolstad divided his time
between his farm in King Township and
visits to Florida.
Bolstad received the Variety Club Heart
Award in 1957 for his efforts as president
of Variety Village, home for crippled children.
He was a former president of United
Amusement Co. of Montreal, past chairman
of the Motion Picture Industry Council
ol Canada and past president of the
Canadian Motion Picture
BOXOFFICE :: June 6, 1977
Pioneers.
BC Showmen Cite Industry's Role;
Bid for
inn- 1
Government Fiscal Aid
VANt OUVER A brie! from the fea
committee ol the British < olumbia
Film lndtistiv Ass'n addressed to Secretary
ot State lohn Roberta declared thai
i
n.idian film indusiiv "inav he the single
most unliving force we have." according to
a recent feature article by VanCOUVd Sun
columnist 1 es YVcdman.
Wedman's item continued: "Pointing out
that the present disparity between regions
is vast, it asks lot the re-estahlishment ol ..
Vancouver Office of the Canadian I ilm
Development Corp. to help achieve national
understanding. Such an oil ice would tend to
become the hub of filmmaking, as it has in
Toronto.
Budget Cut I .infill
"Getting a Canadian film indusiiv going
here has been an uphill struggle because
British Columbia filmmakers 'have always
depended on foreign film for our annual
income.' This is folly, the report states; it
asks that the Canadian Film Development
Corp. he funded on a regular and increased
basis. 'Its budget has been held at the same
level since 1973. while those of the CBC
and NFB have had annual increases.'
"The CFDC budget has been $3,000,000
per year and the $4,000,000 requested this
year again was cut back. 'Surely,' continued
the brief, 'the principal arm of the government's
assistance to the feature film industry
merits better support from the government.'
"While West Coast filmmakers approve
of co-productions, they stress: 'There must
be no lessening of energies and dollars expended
to build an indigenous industry.'
They also ask the minister to establish an
'internship program' by which Canadian
filmmakers could be trained in the realities
and business of filmmaking with the help
oi 'internationally established talent."
I >t ii-Ii.i in. Rowc Join 'F.I.S.T.'
"Two Canadians. Pen Densham and Peter
Rowe, both of Toronto, will be with internationally
recognized Canadian Norman
Jewison when he makes his next feature
'F.I.S.T.'—which will star Sylvester Stallone.
"The BCFIA committee reiterates its
stand on quotas for Canadian films and
calls for Roberts to initiate talks with the
provinces to get a 'legislated quota' to re-
;
place the voluntary quota, which is not
working properly.
"The brief also asks for boxoffiee levies
whose monies would be channeled back into
Canadian feature film production. But t
asks that the lew returns also be used as in
Sweden— to reward films already in distribution
for artistic and boxoffiee merit.
This would allow films a better chance o\
breaking even.
The committee also supports
the low-budget feature-film program of the
CFDC because these lilms are ot particular
importance to the British Columbia region.'
"Paltic Robertson, acting president ol the
lit I I \. said since the secretary ol slate has
announced he wants a film policy by June,
her group rushed preparation "I a hrief in
one week she recognizes it is incomplete
bui is hoping the minister will want to talk
i.i lit i I \ representatives before finalizing a
policy."
Out-of-Court Settlement
On Rolling Stones Film
IIM.IFAX—A settlement has been
reached out ot court between the Rolling
Stones, rock group, and cinematographer
Robert Frank in a dispute involving ownership
oi a film. The Rolling Slones had
started a civil action against Frank of Ma
bou Mines. VS.. lor an interim injunction
to prevent him from showing a film or
prints taken of the Rolling Stones during
a 1972 U.S.-Canad.i tour.
The musical group sought the injunction.
charging that the film, shot by Frank, potentially
was damaging to its career: footage
showed on-stage performance as well as
scenes of the troupe's private lives.
An application for the injunction had
been scheduled for hearing in Nova Scotia
Supreme Court.
Rights to Warners' 'Alive'
Are Acquired by Dabara
TORONTO—Warner Bros.* "It's Alive."
distributed in Canada hv Dabara Films, has
just hit the No. 1 spot on a U.S. tradepaper
"Best Films of the Week" (gross) list.
This marks the first time an independent
Canadian film distribution company has
bough) a motion picture from Warner Bros.
tor Canada and it probably is the first time
any U.S. major has sold a picture to an
independent for a foreign territory, when
it has its own branch office there.
Ibis unusual circumstance, combined
with the enormous success of "It's Alive"
at the boxoffiee in the U.S.. bodes extremely
well for the Canadian opening of the film.
which is slated to bow this month in Toronto.
'The Van' Grosses $51,250
In Week, 8 Toronto Units
TORONTO—George M. Josephs. Crown
International Pictures general sales manager,
based in Beverly Hills. Calif., reports
that the company's "The Van" grossed
ns|.:s(> during the first seven days in an
eight-theatre mutiple here. "The \ 'art" was
held over for a second week in all eight
situations.
Stuart Oct/. Deborah White. Harry
\loscs and Marcie Barkin star in "The
Van," which Sam Grossman directed. Mai
lyn J Tenser was executive producer and
Paul I ewis produced the feature film.
K-l