With multiculturalism such a big part of Canadian culture, even written into laws and deliberately recognized and practiced, it seems a short jump to actually include multiple races, multiple ethnicities, women and transgender people, etc., within that larger framework of diversity. Canada tends to think of itself as a mosaic, with each part (read: each community) doing its part to create Canadian culture, rather than the American version of a “melting pot,” where people are expected to become American, assimilate, and somehow, perhaps, give up a part of who they were as immigrants to become American.
by SHAWN WHITNEY
It’s funny: Just last night I was engaging in that favourite past time of Canadian filmmakers – complaining about the Canadian film industry. Complaining about the lack of government financing and the difficulty of breaking into a distribution market that is locked down by the studios and mini-majors and, here in Canada, where there is now “1.5 distributors” to choose from (as my co-conversationalist described it).
We didn’t even get on to the lack of women and minorities in the Canadian film and TV industry. But it’s true also. For an industry that is widely reputed to be liberal and progressive it is one of the most segregated and exclusionary industries in the country. Just check out this report in Playback Online.
“…out of the 130 Telefilm-funded films made in 2011, only 17% were directed by women, with only two directors being minority women.
Women were…
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