Variety Canadian producers are riding a surge of industry buzz and critical kudos at the European Film Market with hopes that a slate of pics from seasoned Canuck helmers and newcomers will keep the momentum going in 2012. At the forefront is Telefilm Canada, which brings its sixth edition of Perspective Canada to the mart. The federally operated film funder will showcase a selection of features for the market, including David Cronenberg’s “Cosmopolis” and Sarah Polley’s “Take This Waltz.”
“We’re in a very positive wave of cinema right now with the successes we’ve had internationally,” said Sheila de la Varende, director of industry promotion at Telefilm. “That creates recognition and anticipation in the marketplace for Canadian films.”
Over the past year, Canuck-funded productions, such as “Incendies” and “Monsieur Lazhar,” have been a hit on the festival circuit and with international orgs like the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — both films had been nommed for the foreign-language film Oscar.
Telefilm hopes that will bode well for interest in other pics, and has beefed up this year’s slate at Berlin. Perspective Canada will showcase nearly double the number of titles it has unspooled in recent years — 19 in total — which makes 2012 its biggest lineup yet.
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