Village Gamer

Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds are pleased to announce the English- and French-language theatrical documentary projects selected for funding through the Theatrical Documentary Program in 2011-2012. The filmmakers will receive support for the production or post-production stage of their projects.

The goal of the Theatrical Documentary Program partners is to broaden the range of Canadian feature-length documentaries for theatrical distribution in Canada and to jointly finance an array of projects, in English and in French, likely to appeal to domestic and international audiences.

“Canadian documentaries are making an important cultural impact. The three documentaries selected by Sundance and Martyn Burke’s Under Fire: Journalists in Combat, picked from among 15 finalists to compete for the Best Documentary Oscar, are compelling examples,” said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. “The new projects to be funded are equally promising and diverse, with subjects ranging from rock opera to painting, music, exotic fruits and the heroic mission of Roméo Dallaire to eradicate child soldiers. They offer points of view and depict realities that deserve to be seen and heard.”

Robin Mirsky, Executive Director, Rogers Group of Funds added: “Through this partnership with Telefilm, our hope is to grow audiences for Canadian theatrical documentaries. We are confident that the projects we are supporting will help us meet this goal.”

English-language projects selected

Vincent Goes To Hell: An Alice Cooper Doc Opera (Ontario and Nunavut region)
Production: Devil’s Note Films
Director/Writers: Reginald Harkema, Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn
Distribution: Entertainment One Films Canada

The story of Vincent Furnier, a preacher’s son, who struck fear into the hearts of parents everywhere as Alice Cooper, the ultimate rock star of the bizarre. From the advent of Alice as frontman for a group of freaks from Phoenix in the mid-sixties to the notorious celebrity and hazy decadence in the seventies to the winking comeback as glam metal godfather in the mid-eighties, we will watch in wonder as Alice and Vincent battle for each other’s souls.

The Fruit Hunters (Quebec region)
Production: EyeSteel Productions
Director: Yung Chang
Writers: Mark Slutsky and Yung Chang
Distribution: Kinosmith, National Film Board

Mangoes that taste like Pina Coladas. Berries that turn sour into sweet. International conspiracies. Big businesses, heirloom orchardists and off-beat fruit junkies. The universe of fruit is about as varied and as tantalizing as the myriad plums, pears, cumquats, carambolas and cambucas that comprise it, and, according to some expert fruitarians, we’ve barely scratched the surface.

Fight Like Soldiers, Die Like Children (Ontario and Nunavut region)
Production: White Pine Pictures
Director/Writer: Patrick Reed
Distribution: Kinosmith and Films Transit International

When you’ve been to hell and back, how do you shake the memories? This question has haunted Canadian General Roméo Dallaire since 1994, when he was UN Force Commander during the Rwandan genocide, explored in our award-winning documentary Shake Hands with the Devil. Dallaire has now found a reason to live, embarking on a global mission to eradicate the use of child soldiers. Will Dallaire succeed where others have failed? Or will he once again be forced to look on as the world turns away?

Citizen Marc (Western region)
Production: Relevision Productions
Director/Writer: Roger Larry
Distribution: Film Watch

Citizen Marc is focused on marijuana advocate Marc Emery. He is now serving five years in a US prison after being arrested in 2005 by the RCMP ? acting on behalf of the US DEA ? for selling seeds to the US over the Internet. Emery made clear that his actions and arrests were part of his passionate activism and willingness to sacrifice himself for his cause.

The World Before Her (Ontario and Nunavut region)
Production: 2275460 Ontario (Storyline Entertainment)
Director/Writer: Nisha Pahuja
Distribution: Kinosmith

The World Before Her follows three young women who share one goal ? to win Miss India, the most controversial pageant in the country. Hindu fundamentalists, afraid to lose control of a patriarchal society, and feminists, who find pageants degrading, are archrivals on all issues related to women; yet they share one belief: the pageant must be banned. But millions feel the pageant marks the emancipation of Indian women, ushering in a new era of freedom, modernity and sexual liberation. The pageant becomes a prism through which dramas unfold, dreams converge and past and present, East and West, collide.

French-language projects selected

Tricotées serrées
Production: micro_scope
Director/Writer: Annie St-Pierre
Distribution: Films Christal

Les Cercles de Fermières du Québec (Quebec farm women’s circles) have existed since 1915 and are active in 680 municipalities across the province. Through the lives of five women of different ages and regions, Tricotées serrées paints a picture of what has become the largest and oldest women’s association in Quebec, where the stories embody the universal themes of passing down knowledge, seeking recognition, feminine solidarity and social commitment.

Corno – Corps et âme
Production and distribution: Aetios Distribution
Director: Guy Édoin
Writer: Fabienne Larouche

This exploration of the art and career of Johanne Corno through multiple prisms will recount her artistic path, document her work with the help of art historians and show how New York has been a source of inspiration for the Chicoutimi native for the past 20 years. And to fully grasp the challenges of a painter of her stature, the film will follow her over an entire year. With economic uncertainty creating turmoil in the American art market, Corno will be exhibiting in places like Dubai, Shanghai and Hong Kong, where she hopes to make breakthroughs. Will she succeed?

Musique X
Production: Amazone Film
Director/Writer: Magnus Isacsson
Distribution: Films du 3 mars

The interwoven portraits of four young men (aged 17-22) who live in Montréal-Nord and express themselves through music, each in his own way. Danny, Alex, Mickerson and Michael share serious problems: drugs, dysfunctional families, shelters, abandonment. They want to change their lives and are getting help from community services, inspiring adults, street workers and music teachers.