“Heat Rivalry” creator Jacob Tierney turned to Canada to create the show he wanted.
“It was originally supposed to be produced on a U.S. platform, but he didn’t have the freedom he wanted. For example, (they wanted) the first explicit scene to only be in episode five, to tone down the romance,” said Julie Roy, executive director and CEO of Telefilm Canada.
“He decided to come back to Canada, and kudos to Crave for having the courage to welcome the whole project. To me, that’s a great example of being real, not Hollywood. Being real is what really works.”
“Heat Rivalry” became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to its explosive combination of hockey, romance, and explicit scenes.
“This example is also interesting in terms of audience engagement. So many people are watching this series for exactly the fifth time. It’s incredible.”
Apart from Tierney’s hit, Roy cited “Empathy” and “North of North,” which both incorporate Inuit stories, as other recent successes in Canada.
“Canada’s diversity and richness of perspectives and storytellers is a huge asset,” she said. But it’s also an industry. “It’s also important to emphasize that in Canada, the economic impact of the creative industries is on par with the aerospace industry and exceeds the fishing and automotive industries.”
During a panel discussion on the Global Audiovisual Alliance at the Series Mania Forum, Roy acknowledged that many Europeans want to collaborate with Canada. “I would like to know whether this new treaty welcomes Canada’s participation.”
“We have 57 co-production agreements, which is the highest number in the world. I think this is a pretty good indicator that we really want to collaborate, co-produce and find international partnerships.”
CNC Chairman Gaetan Bruel emphasized that many still believe in the future of creation.
“As Julie said earlier, we (need) to keep our values and the idea of creativity, risk-taking and supporting independent producers, those core principles and values, to remain at the heart of what we do.”
He added: “The crisis in Hollywood may be a kind of good news if we think less about who the new ‘chief leader’ of film and creative writing is and more about how we can come together to build a new global governance of cinema, a new multilateralism that does not rely solely on what Hollywood has in mind. There is real diversity in Europe, and perhaps it could become a new superpower.”
Klaus Zimmermann, managing partner of Les Production Dynamics, says there are “50 failures” to success in the United States.
“Given the amount of money we have, I think we’re doing pretty well. With streamers coming and investing in Europe, we have the opportunity to create more shows, but also local shows. I don’t think this is a threat, but it takes courage and storytelling.”
Some Spanish producers, who already have strong ties with Latin America, are not dependent on Hollywood funding, points out Mariela Besievski (Tornasol Media).
“It’s true that the opportunities and windows that open up are so huge, and it also made us look at storytelling in a different way. I like what you said about ‘Heated Rivals.’ You have to find your own way, and you have to really believe that what you’re saying and how you’re saying it will resonate with the audience.”
According to Bruel, the real competition is no longer between domestic industries.
“Across the world, we are seeing audiences, especially young viewers, moving faster than expected to free and low-cost content, and of course content generated by AI. This is an economic challenge for creators, producers and broadcasters. It is also, perhaps above all, a hygiene disaster. This is a hygiene disaster,” he said, pointing at his phone.
“Our children’s relationship with screens has not only become a health-world issue, but also a democratic one. We’ve been talking and building alliances for a long time, but today we face a moment as important and fascinating as the invention of cinema itself. The first revolution was led by creators and entrepreneurs, but today it’s very different. Today, we need policymakers, nonprofits, and people who truly care about the public’s interests.”
South Korea has also been on the rise in recent years, and Hyun Suk Yu, acting president of Kocca, spoke about the recent comeback of BTS and the Hallyu boom that has led to popular K-dramas.
“For the content ecosystem to function effectively, it is more accurate to say that the government has played a supporting role from behind rather than leading success from the front. From planning to production to distribution, we continue to communicate with stakeholders on the ground to alleviate the challenges faced by the industry,” he said.
Besjevsky added that more contracts are also needed to fund new productions, as the rules for streamers are changing. “The Co-Production Act was enacted many years ago and feels like it is moving more slowly than the changes we are facing. It is time to think more flexibly, but we cannot lose the regulatory framework that gives us security.”
Bruel mentioned TF1 and Netflix, which announced their first highly strategic distribution deal.
“It was a way for them to meet halfway,” he said. “I think now more than ever we need to think differently about how we work together. There’s a lot to learn from streamers, and they say there’s a lot to learn from other models as well.”
