Not so fast, says Oda to Alliance MPD sale

The takeover of Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution by U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs will come under review, says Heritage Minister Bev Oda.

She goes on to say that the distribution policy, as it exists currently, will not be changing: only the deal's foreign purchase components will pass under her radar, and only to ensure the existing requirement for Canadian control is met.

If you would like to tell the Honourable Minister that our Canadian content is sacred, and that foreign investment companies should keep their "stinking paws off our culture" (my words, paraphrasing Chuck Heston's - feel free to use your own polite words), please email her at Oda.B@parl.gc.ca

[via the Globe]

Updated: 6AM EST.

The Globe has a follow-up, which includes the responses of several directors and producers:

"If [Heritage] really does it, that will be good. It's easy to say these things, but they can also say they reviewed the MPD-Goldman Sachs deal, and still don't see anything wrong with it. We'll see what happens," David Cronenberg said.

The article notes that the deal "will also be subject to the Investment Canada Act."

Let's hope rational minds will prevail on this one.

Don't forget to send your concerns to the Minister; our thanks to the majors (especially Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg, Robert Lantos, Denise Robert, and Paul Gross) for bringing this matter to the attention of Heritage Canada.

[via the Globe: "Oda's words welcomed by film at TV players"]

New NFB Fearless Leader Will Put Hair On Your Chest

A National Film Board Press Release for a new leader Why summarize? Read the full text on the link below.
NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

Appointment of the 15th Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the National Film Board

Montreal, Wednesday, May 17, 2007 - The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, today announced that Tom Perlmutter will be assuming the position of Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the National Film Board.

Throughout his career as a filmmaker, writer and producer, Tom Perlmutter has been a fervent advocate of groundbreaking and socially engaged independent cinema.

"I am passionate about the National Film Board,” Mr. Perlmutter said. “It is, I think, one of the most vital cultural institutions in the world today—a distinctive and original Canadian creation, loved at home and admired internationally. It has a unique role to play as a kind of cultural conscience and innovator for Canada—a role more urgent than ever before in a rapidly shifting digital media universe. I look forward to taking on the challenge and ensuring that the NFB remains a key cultural force for Canadians today and tomorrow."

Since joining the NFB in 2001 as Director General, English Program, Mr. Perlmutter has been one of the organization's leading ambassadors at the national and international levels. He has notably revitalized documentary and animation programming, forged critical ties with important partners abroad and provided greater accessibility to up-and-coming filmmakers and those from cultural minorities. He also led the NFB through major technological advances in terms of multiplatform production. Under his aegis, the NFB has won many prestigious nominations and awards, including its first Emmy® nomination as well as four Oscar® nominations and two Oscar® wins.

Mr. Perlmutter enjoyed a prestigious career in the Canadian film industry before becoming a member of the NFB team. As the founding head of documentaries at Barna-Alper Productions, today one of Canada's top production houses, he created and produced the award-winning history series, The Turning Points of History, and created the seminal mini-series, The Sexual Century. In addition he supervised and produced The Body: Inside Stories and countless documentary one-offs. He also initiated Barna-Alper's first international co-productions. In 1999 he became a partner in Primitive Entertainment and created and produced a number of distinctive documentaries including the eight-part series, The Team, which he co-directed.

Mr. Perlmutter previously partnered with one of Canada's most noted documentarists, John Walker, on several award-winning documentaries. Prior to this, he was director of creative development for CineNova Productions where he worked with many of the world's leading broadcasters, and executive director of Alliance for Children and Television from 1993 to 1995. He has also worked as a writer and reporter, with a number of articles and publications to his credit, and is the former editor-in-chief of the Toronto bureau of the trade magazine Cinema Canada.

Mr. Perlmutter will officially begin his duties on June 11, 2007.

NFB