Shut Up and Roll Camera

Mark Steyn has jumped into the ring on the C-10 issue, but he missed the best lines. He's right in pointing out the foolishness of David Cronenberg's statement that cutting off funding for certain films is akin to "something they would do in Beijing."

What other somethings, Dave? Perhaps, say, holding the Olympic Opening Ceremonies?

Yet Cronenberg's real laugher of a line is this one: "You have a panel of people working behind closed doors who are not monitored and they form their own layer of censorship." He then added that Canadian filmmakers make films about dark, edgy places where most people don't want to go. If he's referring to Canadian art cinemas, he's spot on the money.

Let's be straight up about this: by the rules of the CanCon dysfunctional, David Cronenberg is not a Canadian filmmaker. He is a filmmaker that was born in Canada. He hasn't had a need for grant money in decades, and he no longer has a clue what it is like to be a low budget, artsy cameraman. His films have non-Canadian stars, and they do not concentrate on Canadian society. They are not remotely "Canadian." He may be a hero to the small-time Canadian film grads (who are trying to become rich and famous and live in LA), but he is certainly not a bona fide "Canadian filmmaker."

Now, before you start feverishly hitting the keys and telling me that A History of Violence was shot entirely in Ontario, Canada, hang on a minute. You're half right: Cronenberg shot the film in Millbrook, Ontario. Being a proud Canadian, I am sure he wanted to give the union guys some work. He is such a proud Canadian, the town is renamed Millbrook, Indiana, and the end of the film takes place in "Philadelphia."

Cronenberg's "behind closed doors" line is not only asinine, it's ignorant. He is not talking about the CHRC, which will be having a secret meeting at the end of the month in order to decide a Canadian citizen's fate. He is talking about lazy film students that can't draw an audience (which Cronenberg can, by using Toronto as a Philly-backdrop).

Listening to filmmakers whine about a lack of funding and then comparing it to the acts of a totalitarian regime is disgusting. For them to place themselves in the same shoes as people that are shot for political crimes is obscene.

In our own backyard we have a star chamber ruining the lives of Canadian citizens merely for speaking their minds. For years, these same citizens have been subsidizing film school summer projects. What thanks do they get? Not a word from the film grads, and not a peep from Cronenberg.

One last time: you want to make a movie? Then make the damn movie. No one's stopping you. That would be...censorship.