i wish programmers wouldn't thank audiences for going to see a canadian movie as if they're donating blood
— Chandler Levack (@clevack) January 27, 2024
The contrast between Canada and the United States often land on jingoism. The United States is way too jingoistic and Canada has way too little jingoism.
Like the Goldilocks approach for searches, ideally we would find a pride level that is just right.
Quebec has pride in its film and TV industries. Their films are in theatres in La Belle Province. English-Canadian films? Good luck if they end up on CBC Gem or Crave, especially if you don't live in the Big 3 (Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver). Some Canadian films only play in the major cities in theatres.
Here’s a wildly distressing stat from a yet-to-be-released @Telefilm_Canada study just quoted on stage at Ottawa’s Prime Time conference: 98% of movies watched in Canada last year were watched at home, not theatres. pic.twitter.com/g9ryPB1ojy
— Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) February 1, 2024
This is a terrible statistic for movies in general in Canada yet slightly better for Canadian films. Canadians can access their own films easier at home than in theatres. A single person can generally afford a $3.99-$5.99 rental of a film. A couple or family can justify the cost of a more expensive film that might run $19.99 even for a rental. The snacks are cheaper and you know the people who might take out their phones and shine lights in the middle of a film.
To Chander Levack and Barry Hertz, the idea is to have a shared experience in the movie theatre. That should be with a Canadian film as well as films from around the world.
So why aren't Canadians more enthused about Canadian films. Confusion in the marketplace. People are naturally drawn to films with heavier marketing budgets. The Holdovers may or may not be a good film but you likely know the film exists. The few times we get to see commercials on hockey games and baseball games, the only films being promoted are American films likely never to win an Oscar.
The Canadian films that usually get the most notice are produced by Canadians with little to no visible content. To Kill a Tiger leaps to mind yet is not alone.
We wrote about Who's Yer Father set in Prince Edward Island. Canadians who have never been to PEI could be more curious to see a film set there or run away from the unknown. Your humble narrator is more curious about Canadian places so a PEI film has some appeal. I have been to Prince Edward Island.
"English Canadian cinema has zero international identity. And I don't mean 0.1%. I mean zero. Nobody outside of Canada cares or knows that we have any kind of cinema of distinction at all. And it's a travesty. And for most Canadians, I think the average Canadian, it also doesn't exist in this country." — Matt Johnson, Canadian writer/director/actor (BlackBerry) on Q with Tom Power.
Johnson also said that if you polled Canadians in a major city that they wouldn't be able to name a Canadian film. He likely isn't wrong. (Go to 19:30 of the video to pick up that part of the conversation.)
The irony with Levack's take is her debut film I Like Movies is about a teenage boy who loves watching films … on videocassette. He doesn't even want to be a Canadian filmmaker. It is a marvelous and thoughtful Canadian film that you should see without feeling like you gave blood.
There are wonderful Canadian stories from people other than Margaret Atwood and Dan Levy. A lot of them are unknowns who don't end up following up. The United States is littered with filmmakers known for 5-6 quality films. Canada? Not so much.
We aren't saying there aren't pitfalls to consuming Canadian film. The reality is that finding Canadian film is easier for Canadians than ever before. You don't even have to leave home to find them.
If you do have a chance to see a Canadian film in a theatre with that Canadian director there, listen to them. Have a friendly conversation with that person afterward. Encourage them to make more films such as the one you saw, provided you liked it. Filmmakers make films to entertain people. They want love and feedback like everyone else does.
Quebec filmmakers get this. American filmmakers get this. English-Canadian filmmakers want this too.
Finding good Canadian films not just because they're Canadian
Trying to find the quintessential Canadian film
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
While we don't make recommendations, having CBC Gem and Crave can give you a variety of Canadian film. Canada could use a version of Turner Classic Movies to get older films.
English Canadians don't usually feel connected to other parts of Canada. This makes establishing trust in Canadian content that much more difficult. American films, even if they are terrible, get huge marketing budgets and become more known to them. Break the habit and jump into a Canadian film. We have a few recommendations and ones to stay away from watching. No needles or orange juice are involved.
Twitter captures: @clevack; @HertzBarry
video credit: Q with Tom Power/CBC Radio
photo credit: I Like Movies
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