Evidence of meeting #43 for Canadian Heritage in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was production.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Terence Young Conservative Oakville, ON
Could I ask him to comment briefly on how those might affect the industry?
Owner, Serendipity Point Films
I don't know about the animation reductions. I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with them.
The production services reduction doesn't apply to Canadian film and television. It applies strictly to American productions that are shot in Canada. It will have a negative impact on employment, but not on Canadian films.
Conservative
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank both of you for having come to share your viewpoints with us. It is clear that you are very different actors, but both extremely competent.
I thank the TIFF people for the work they do that brilliantly showcases Canadian cinema on a yearly basis.
You have been expanding all the time. It became a huge event for Torontonians to embrace their love of that art, and it's a very important one.
My comments are for Mr. Lantos.
It's clear to me that you've been there for a while. You've been there for all these crusades. That explanation of the 1977 screen space was very eloquent.
I feel that I need to ask you one thing first. Clearly, Canadian cinema is much more involved in the creation of a cinéma d'auteur. If I look at your production list, I think you're really into this. Clearly, this is defining Canadian culture.
When I hear people say that Canadian movies aren't good, it's because they compare them to blockbusters like Transformers and stuff, but independent movies do happen in the States too. I remember when Dallas Buyers Club was a big thing. Right after that, I saw Mud, with the same actor, Matthew McConaughey, which an independent film from the States. They do exist.
What has made you so passionate about supporting and producing such movies all the times, movies for grownups, as you've said?
Owner, Serendipity Point Films
As you correctly mentioned, I've been around for a very long time, and my career has had several stages. For a big chunk of it, I was a jack of all trades. Yes, I produced the auteur films, but we also distributed films, and not just Canadian films, but a lot of American movies. We produced hundreds of hours of television shows and sold them globally. We had offices all over the world. At that point in my life, the cinéma d'auteur was really a sideline, a personal passion. It wasn't the basis on which Alliance—which, when I sold it, had a market cap of close to a billion dollars—was built. I'd be fooling you if I said it was.
Afterwards, however, I gave myself permission to make only films that I personally wanted to see, which was not the determining factor up until then because I was building a company. For the last 15 or 16 years, I've made films that I wanted to see.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
I thank you for that, because last month we looked at The Captive, the latest one—
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
It wasn't you? I'm sorry about that. But still, the film is truly showing Canadian life on an everyday basis, which to me is totally important as far as defining our culture goes.
When you were speaking in the first eight minutes, you were talking about why we should support Canadian films. You were evoking pride and being part of the cultural mosaic of the world. You won those awards and you were referring to those directors. What is the benefit for us as Canadians? Is it that these producers such as Denis Villeneuve are going to come back to potentially produce big blockbusters here in Canada? Isn't that part of the advantage?
Owner, Serendipity Point Films
Let me try to understand the question. Do you mean the advantage of them going away?
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Yes. Of course, as you said, they were like Olympic champions. We're proud of knowing that Atom Egoyan won something or that Xavier Dolan won something, but what are the other advantages of that pride, that sense of revelation, that it may give to other young Canadians? What are the other benefits?
Owner, Serendipity Point Films
Some time back, some years ago, a film that Atom Egoyan directed, which I did produce and was called The Sweet Hereafter, won the Cannes Grand Prix award. We were surrounded by the whole world of cinema, which in turn was covered by the entire international press, and they were totally focused on a film telling a story clearly set in this country and unique and specific not necessarily to our culture but to an outgrowth of our culture and our way of life. There was a very specific perspective, a point of view that is unique to that filmmaker but is reflective of something that could only come from here. The whole world was focused on it.
There's an Olympic program. I forget what it's called, but it's about the podium. It's “Own the Podium”, isn't it? Isn't that the point of owning the podium? To fly our flag before the world?
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
That's a good answer. Thank you.
I have a few questions for you, Mr. Handling of TIFF.
Tell me more about these workshops and the talent development you do surrounding the Lightbox.
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto International Film Festival Inc.
It's very focused. Every year at the festival we actually put very young filmmakers—Canadian and international—together in a very intense five-day seminar to work with some of the key talent in the world. Mike Leigh, one of England's great directors, whose films have many times been in competition in Cannes and who has also been nominated for Oscar awards, was one of the keynote speakers this year.
It's a creative lab. It's not designed for any kind of practical application, in the sense that you're not editing or shooting or learning how to work with items. You're actually sitting and listening to the most prominent actors, producers, directors, and scriptwriters in the world talk about their art.
We also have a program for young Canadian directors. We take two young male actors and two young female actors and try to give them prominence. Canada lacks a star system, as we know. Sarah Gadon was one of the rising stars a couple of years ago. We're trying to give that group of actors increased prominence.
Away from the festival, we also do specific workshops for producers. We're very keen to use our international connections—of course, we have immense international connections to some of the key talent in the world—and to try to use that talent and put them in touch with young and emerging Canadian talent.
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto International Film Festival Inc.
Could I add something to the debate around international talent? Canadian talent has fled south of the border, as Robert has talked about so eloquently. It's about some of the Canadian names that have gone south of the border and why we can't reclaim them. I think it's a question for all of us around this table, as well as the culture as a whole.
The British and Australian actors and directors—people such as Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Eddie Redmayne—flow easily between Hollywood and their home countries. Right now, Russell Crowe has a new film about Gallipoli in the marketplace. He's a proud Australian. I think we need to reach out to the Canadian talent like Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, who are in Los Angeles, and ask them if there are stories they want to tell. I think we have to be very proactive on our part to try to reclaim that talent.
There are people such as Jason Reitman, who is the son of Ivan Reitman, was basically born in the States, and is perceived as an American filmmaker, is also a very proud Canadian. I'm sure that Jason, who has made films like Juno, which grossed $250 million and that much more internationally, would be very interested in the approach of Canadian producers and, I guess, a willingness on the part of government in terms of investment to come here and tell Canadian stories.
I think it's up to us to actually reach out to the James Camerons and the Paul Haggises of this world and bring them back to Canada.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
Thank you.
We will now go to Monsieur Dion.
Mr. Dion, you have the floor for seven minutes.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to both of you. It's very interesting to hear you.
Mr. Handling, you mentioned two goals, I think: acting globally and talent development.
On acting globally, you suggest the creation of a new program, as I understand it, a federal government program to promote international markets. Can you elaborate more about what you have in mind?
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto International Film Festival Inc.
Telefilm is already investing in some of the key festivals around the world. They have stands and they do a lot of marketing at festivals such as Cannes, Sundance, Berlin's, and also here in Toronto. I think that's obviously a very good step, so I'm not sure that a new program actually needs to be devised.
Liberal
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto International Film Festival Inc.
I think it's really about reinforcing Telefilm's mandate and giving them more resources to do more in key centres as well as to explore emerging markets. I know that Telefilm is very interested in the Chinese market, as is every other country in the world. We should be very aggressive. We have wonderful connections with the Chinese. There are historic connections going back to Norman Bethune. They're very open to Canadians.
I think that if more resources are to be given to a program, we should invest in Telefilm's program of supporting Canadian films in the key marketplaces around the world, as opposed to creating a separate program.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Okay. That's clear. I thought you were speaking about a new program, but you are saying to give more support to the programs that exist in Telefilm today.
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto International Film Festival Inc.
As well, Mr. Dion, I think the private sector—and I guess I include myself in that to a certain extent—non-government organizations are beginning to aggressively get out into the world. As I said, we ourselves are focusing on four cities: London, New York, Los Angeles, and Beijing. We're bringing resources to the table from the fundraising efforts on our own part, so those should be supported. There are other organizations such as Hot Docs, etc., which are doing similar things and looking to increase their global footprint.
It could just be a simple matter of seeding those projects and giving us slightly more money to do more of those types of things. I don't think it necessarily has to be entirely the federal government. We're happy to work in partnership with organizations like Telefilm, obviously.