Top 10 Telefilm Funded Films Bring In Over 140M Dollars
Telefilm Canada announces the Top 10 Canadian films, funded through the Canada Feature Film Fund (CFFF), with the highest foreign and US gross sales since the creation of the Fund 10 years ago. The Top 10 brought home a combined total of $140.2 million. What’s more, gross sales made between 2006 and 2010 ($126.5 million) represent an increase of more than 200% over the five years previous ($41.9 million), from 2001 to 2005.
“These results show that Canadian films perform remarkably well outside Canada, and confirm the importance of our new Success Index and its cultural, industrial and commercial approach, which takes into account not just domestic box office but also gross international sales,” said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. “Encouraging the diversification of revenue sources, including coproduction, is a priority for Telefilm, aimed at helping maintain a strong industry.”
Top 10 CFFF-funded Canadian films with highest foreign and US gross (in descending order)
- Eastern Promises directed by David Cronenberg (UK, Canada coproduction)
- Blindness by Fernando Meirelles (Canada, Brazil, Japan coproduction)
- The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus by Terry Gilliam (UK, Canada coproduction)
- L’Âge des ténèbres by Denys Arcand (Canada, France coproduction)
- Splice by Vincenzo Natali (Canada, France coproduction)
- Ararat by Atom Egoyan
- Silk (Soie) by François Girard (Canada, Italy, Japan coproduction)
- Spider by David Cronenberg (Canada, UK coproduction)
- Les Invasions barbares by Denys Arcand (Canada, France coproduction)
- The Statement by Norman Jewison (Canada, France, UK coproduction)
Foreign and US gross sales generated since 2001 for all films funded through the CFFF amount to $209.9 million.
In addition to earnings, the international success of Canadian films is measured by the number of countries in which they are sold. In terms of reach, Canadian films are in demand with distributors worldwide and several had sold in more than a 100 countries. Among the top performers, Cairo Time by Ruba Nadda has sold in 182 countries, Incendies by Denis Villeneuve in 170 countries, The Bang Bang Club by Steven Silver in 160 countries and Starbuck by Ken Scott in 101 countries.
The sixth edition of Telefilm Canada’s Perspective Canada at Berlin will take place at the European Film Market (EFM), which runs concurrent with the Berlinale this February 9th through 19th. This showcase is designed to increase the international exploitation of Canadian feature films and spotlight Canadian companies, films and talent for the more than 6,900 potential buyers, sellers and producers from over 90 countries accredited by the EFM. The same initiative is held annually at the Cannes Film Market. This year, 19 Canadian films will screen at Berlin, the largest selection ever presented at a Perspective Canada event.
Some of the films in the lineup have already posted impressive sales. Award-winning Café de Flore, by Jean-Marc Vallée, has so far sold in over 15 countries, including China and Israel, and Goon, by Michael Dowse, already theatrically released in the UK, has topped 15 as well, including Australia and Japan.
Sales for films still in production are also encouraging. To date, Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children is presold in over 40 countries and counting, and David Cronenberg’s eagerly awaited Cosmopolis is presold in over 25 countries, including Italy and Portugal, and will travel the world.
The world will be watching as Canadian talent bows at the Festival. Among the 11 entries from Canada: highly anticipated world premieres for Kim Nguyen’s War Witch (Rebelle), in the Official Competition, and for Melanie Shatzky and Brian M. Cassidy’s Francine, as well as Guy Maddin’s screening of Keyhole in the Berlinale Special.
