Northern filmmaking gets a boost

NEWS RELEASE

MINISTRY OF
NORTHERN
DEVELOPMENT
AND MINES

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Ontario supports Northern film festival

SUDBURY – The McGuinty government is strengthening tourism and supporting film production in Northern Ontario by investing in Cinéfest's Northern Connections programming, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci announced today.

"Our government is committed to growing the economy in Northern Ontario, including tourism and our emerging film production sector," said Bartolucci, who chairs the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. (NOHFC). "That's why we're supporting the screening of films and documentaries at Cinéfest that have a link to Northern Ontario."

The NOHFC is providing $12,000 to sponsor Cinéfest's Northern Connections programming, including the presentation of features, documentaries and short films with a link to the North.

In addition, the NOHFC contribution will support workshops, an industry reception, and the Due North panel discussion on filmmaking in Northern Ontario.

Cinéfest 2006 takes place from September 16 to 24 in Sudbury. "Through the NOHFC, our government is developing partnerships with a number of companies and is helping produce films across the North, including the North Bay production That Beautiful Somewhere, which is being screened at this year’s festival," said Bartolucci. "Our investments in northern film, television and animation projects are strengthening the northern economy and helping create new jobs in the North."

Other McGuinty government initiatives in support of the northern film industry’s growth include:

• investing $2.1 million for the production of the Chilly Beach animated television series

• providing $400,000 for the production of That Beautiful Somewhere

• contributing $150,000 to develop a film industry strategy and to encourage production companies to consider Northern Ontario as a potential location for their film and television projects

These initiatives are part of the government's Northern Prosperity Plan for building stronger northern communities.

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