The panel:
Bruce Claassen, CEO, Genesis Media
Betty Alexander, principal, Xposure PR
Kirk Sharpley, president, KCS Marketing Group
Pete McAskile, CEO & CD, Second Dimension International
Major sponsor
Astral Media
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto, Montreal, Halifax
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Opening Night: Ararat, Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s controversial film about genocide in Armenia
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: *
Betty: *****
Kirk: ****
Pete: ****
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘I can’t imagine the original developers of Astral would be very happy with this match.’
Betty: ‘Nice show of support for the Canadian film industry.’
Kirk: ‘Not as chancy as it would be for, say, a bank.’
Major sponsor
National Bank Financial
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Closing Night: Brian De Palma’s film noir, Femme Fatale, starring Antonio Banderas as a voyeuristic photographer
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: *****
Betty: ***
Kirk: ****
Pete: ***
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘Perfect. Banks are not normally risk-takers but NBF can probably afford this one.’
Kirk: ‘Banks deal with la vie noire every day anyway, so this is probably fine.’
Major sponsor
*AGF
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Gala: Antwone Fisher, the directorial debut of actor Denzel Washington, who plays a navy psychiatrist
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: ***
Betty: *****
Kirk: *****
Pete: ****
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘A sailor goes to a shrink. Hmm. The Denzel factor won’t hurt them.’
Betty: ‘Denzel and the story line will appeal to boomers who are dying to retire, perhaps with AGF’s help.’
Major sponsor
*Bell Canada
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto, Vancouver
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Gala: The Other Side of the Bed, sub-titled comedy about friendship from Spanish director Emilio Martinez-Lazaro
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: **
Betty: ***
Kirk: ***
Pete: ****
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘I don’t think Bell wins with this one.’
Pete: ‘Friendship and communication – probably good because Bell’s in the communication business.’
Major sponsor
Rogers
Film festivals sponsored
Vancouver, Toronto
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Gala: White Oleander, drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer as a murderous poet and Renee Zellweger as her victim
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: *****
Betty: *****
Kirk: *****
Pete: ****
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘This one will probably skew well for women, who are the heaviest TV viewers, so Rogers wins.’
Major sponsor
National Post
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Gala: Canadian director David Cronenberg’s Spider, a psychological thriller about a schizophrenic man played by Ralph Fiennes
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: ****
Betty: *****
Kirk: ****
Pete: *****
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘With Cronenberg, it might be a bit off the wall but for the Post, why not?’
Betty: ‘Cronenberg’s movies are always edgy, provocative and controversial – I think that’s a good image for the paper.’
Major sponsor
Really Creative Ideas
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Gala: The Four Feathers, remake of a ’30s epic about courage and honour starring Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: ****
Betty: *****
Kirk: ****
Pete: *****
Comments on the match
Kirk: ‘A stirring drama about a young man’s courage – sponsored by a plucky young company? Yes.’
Pete: ‘Probably a perfect match.’
Major sponsor
Blake Cassells Graydon LLT
Film festivals sponsored
Toronto
Major films sponsored at the Toronto International Film Festival
Gala: director Joel Schumacher’s Phone Booth, a drama starring Kiefer Sutherland as a baddie and Colin Farrell, as – get this – a media consultant
Compatibility rating (out of five)
Bruce: ****
Betty: ****
Kirk: ***
Pete: ***
Comments on the match
Bruce: ‘Bell should have had this one.’
Pete: ‘Mystery, violence, blood? Nothing unusual for a big law firm, but it probably wouldn’t have been their first choice.’
* platinum level sponsor
