Seth & the Film Scene

What makes a film Canadian? Is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World a “Canadian” film? It’s shot in Toronto, set in Toronto, stars a Canadian actor as the title character, and is based on a series of graphic novels by a Canadian cartoonist. But the movie is not technically counted amongst the greats of Canadian cinema because the money behind it (and most of its talent) is from beyond our borders. Technically, the movie is an American-Japanese-British co-production, with nary a maple leaf in sight. Does money make a movie Canadian?  The nature of Canada’s national cinema has been largely reliant on American influence and dominance, as can be said for much of our culture. While British Columbia might be the third-largest production hub for film and television in North America (following Los Angeles and New York City), very little of that is dedicated to primarily Canadian filmmaking. Instead, that economy is full of American-based productions, including many a CW show and possibly thousands...