Maybe the Telefilm Canada Made in Canada Spotlight campaign aka Canadian Movie of the Week was only a pandemic feature. Telefilm Canada had chances for Canadians to rent a Canadian film for 99¢ in each of the last 2 years. We haven't seen anything from Telefilm Canada on this for 2023. Canadians want to spend loonies on Canadian film.
There was joy in drawing attention to Canadian film in a way to engage Canadians to appreciate great content in their own country. You didn't have to love every film on the list (even I don't love everything) but getting 3-4 films for less than a fancy coffee drink was a great value.
Let's look back at some of those Canadian films in the spotlight:
Telefilm Canada brings back more Canadian films for rent
The 2022 list included C.R.A.Z.Y., ranked #8 on the all-time Top 10 Canadian films list from 2015. A wonderful film from any country. Take This Waltz is one of our favourites. If you are just learning about Sarah Polley as a filmmaker, this is a must watch.
Water made the Top 5 cut for the Academy Awards in the international film category. Drunken Birds | Les oiseaux ivres was that year's Oscars submission.
Giant Little Ones is a great coming of age film that still blows my mind. Night Raiders was a wonderful film from that year.
The other titles available from the 2022 list were Alone Across the Arctic; The Marijuana Conspiracy; A Dangerous Method; Akilla's Escape; Jean of the Joneses; and Long Time Running.
The 4 featured Quebec films were Laurence Anyways; Maria Chapdelaine; Kuessipan; and Souterrain | Underground.
We caught up on some of the titles. We have now seen The Marijuana Conspiracy, Drunken Birds, and Akilla's Escape. Still haven't seen Alone Across the Arctic, A Dangerous Method, and Underground.
Press Release - Telefilm Canada’s Made in Canada Spotlight campaign returns to the Apple TV app (@AppleTV)
— Telefilm Canada (@Telefilm_Canada) April 5, 2022
→ https://t.co/7MNQnd1sTd pic.twitter.com/LDtcSfntqb
Telefilm Canada presents the Canadian Movie of the Week
The 2021 list was an introduction to the idea with a cavalcade of Canadian film possibilities.
Wander, Target Number One, The Rest of Us, The Kid Detective, and Crash would have been comfortable titles south of the border. Sophie Nélisse was in The Rest of Us and The Kid Detective.
The 2021 list had its own marijuana film around 4/20 (like 2022), the very funny and poignant Canadian Strain.
Quebec almost had as many films as on the 2022 list but did have the classic hockey film Les Boys, the classic Starbuck, Gabrielle, Nadia, Butterfly, and 1991.
The other films on the 2021 list were Maudie, The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw, and Porcupine Lake.
We caught up on some of the titles. We have now seen Target Number One; Crash; Nadia, Butterfly; and The Kid Detective.
Still haven't seen Wander and The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw.
Jay Baruchel MADE road trip takes us through Canada for Canadian content
The road trip with Jay Baruchel and Made | Nous was helpful in the spring of 2020 when people were staying home and chilling with Canadian content. This was more of a mix for Canadian film and Canadian television with some titles made in Canada but not considered to be Canadian product.
CanadianCrossing.com film reviews
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
Canadian films don't show up in too many theatres in Canada, well, English Canada. Drawing attention to Canadian films could be a 24/7 practice and still struggle to penetrate the Canadian market.
Telefilm Canada helps Canadians (sorry, Americans) with See It All to keep track of Canadian films available on streaming services in Canada. We are curious to see how Bill C-11 will make an impact on Canadians to find actual Canadian content.
Knowing some of these films can also help Americans find Canadian content in their own country.
photo credits: Take This Waltz; Drunken Birds | Les oiseaux ivres; Canadian Strain
Twitter capture: @Telefilm_Canada
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