NFB Signs Collaboration Deal with Brazil

MONTREAL/OTTAWA: The National Film Board of Canada and the Audiovisual Secretariat of Brazil’s Ministry of Culture (SAv/MinC) have entered into a three-year partnership to collaborate on documentary and animated projects.

The alliance will focus on new forms of doc and animation production in the multiplatform world, as well as on the development of new models of international co-production. A key element of the agreement will be the creation of a Brazil-Canada Summit in 2010 on international co-production in the digital age.

"Brazil is a dynamic economic and cultural force in Latin America with increasingly important ties to Canada," noted Tom Perlmutter, the Government Film Commissioner and chairperson of the NFB. "The many challenges of the digital age have made it even more imperative to develop international partnerships for testing new ways of doing things. Its rich cinematic culture, the depth of talent and the readiness to take risks make Brazil an ideal partner for the NFB on the groundbreaking creative lab initiatives that are the hallmark of the NFB. Importantly, we also share a commitment to public-service values such as cultural diversity, support for aboriginal creativity and democratic engagement."