The year 2009 marked the 30th anniversary of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, so to celebrate the occasion ACCT complied The Academy’s 30th Anniversary Top 10 Lists. As it’s a great resource for those looking for the best in Canadian film we’re going to highlight a few of these over the next little while here on the blog. Starting with the first on the list…

If you enjoy horror films but you haven’t yet seen The Changeling do yourself a favour and see it soon. Martin Scorcese included it as one of his Top 11 Scariest Horror Movies Of All Time. 

If you’re still not convinced, here’s the haunting trailer: 

Here’s a small clip from the film featuring a very pissed off wheelchair:

technicolor-yawn:

“‘Les Amours Imaginaires’ tells the story of two friends besotted with the same person. As they go from one meeting to another, unsettled by countless signs – some palpable, some imaginary – the two protagonists become obsessed with their fantasy and this soon begins to threaten their friendship.”

Xavier Dolan writes, directs and performs in the film. The French-Canadian director, at age 21, is the youngest filmmaker of the Cannes Official Selection. 

Out in Canada June 11th!

(via festival-cannes.com)

Two time Genie Award winner and host of the 2008 Genie Awards Sandra Oh has been named one of Canada’s Most Beautiful Canadians by Hello! magazine. In a Q+A with the actor she was asked for her Beautiful Moment: “Winning the Golden Globe Award was one of the best moments of my life. Right up there with my Genie Awards”.

AGE: 38

HOMETOWN: Ottawa
WHY WE LOVE HER: As the surly yet lovable Cristina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy, she never behaves - but is always delicious to watch.
LANGUAGE OF BEAUTY: Sandra speaks four languages - English, Korean, French and Spanish.
FAVOURITE BODY PART: “Everyone says I’m famous for my eyes!”
BODY SECRET: “I’m a vegan!”
BEAUTIFUL MOMENT: “Winning the Golden Globe Award was one of the best moments of my life. Right up there with my Genie Awards”.

An interview with Genie Award winning director Gary Burns who is finishing up his new film called “The Future is Now!” with co-director Jim Brown. Brown and Burns both won Genie Awards for Best Documentary for their film “Radiant City.”

“Petropolis” was nominated for a 2010 Genie Award.

Wonderful tribute to Babz Chula, Genie Award winner and much loved actor, who passed away last week after an eight-year battle with cancer.

Looks like we’re not the only blog getting our Cordell Barker on!

Cordell Barker, a winner at the 2010 Genie Awards, is one of Canadia’s premier animation directors. This year, along with Derek Mazur and Michael Scott, he took him the coveted Best Animated Short Genie for RUNAWAY (Train en folie). His previous two shorts, THE CAT CAME BACK and STRANGE INVADERS, have both been nominated for Oscars.

Here’s an interview with Barker that took place at Sundance in January of this year where he talks about his style, the music of Benoit Charest (THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE) and the challenge of making RUNAWAY:

For me, on RUNAWAY, the metaphor was really the driving factor. I didn’t want to do anything that violated the metaphor, and I just kept on slaving to that. I think that’s why this last film - which is less of a lark and more driven by this metaphor - was the toughest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It was potentially a career-ender. It was so tough and difficult to get through, I was thinking, “If this thing bombs, that’s the end of my animation career.”

Watch the RUNAWAY trailer:

Watch Barker’s STRANGE INVADERS:

If you’ve ever walked around Toronto you’ve probably stopped to ponder a Sorel Etrog sculpture. The designer of our Genie Award, Etrog’s work is scattered across the city. Take a look at the gallery above and spot the ones you recognize. Take a look at more here.

Missed this! TONS of pics!