U.S.–Canada Film Co-Production Treaty Floated At Cannes Amid Trump Tariff Standoff

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As a movie enthusiast, I wholeheartedly echo the sentiments of Canadian film producer and distributor, Leonardo Fuica. It’s high time that we, filmmakers from both Canada and the United States, collaborate on creating films as official treaty co-productions. This unique blend of talents and perspectives can lead to some truly captivating cinematic experiences!

Americans currently travel to Canada for filming due to cost savings and similar quality of technicians, Fuica said to The Hollywood Reporter at Cannes Film Festival. He questioned why U.S. producers can’t utilize their own government infrastructure for this purpose? If they could invest money here, why wouldn’t the Canadian government assist these companies in setting up shop and creating more jobs?”

This version maintains the original meaning and is easier to read with a more conversational tone.

In contrast to Donald Trump’s sudden suggestion of a 100% tariff on foreign films, which then led to suggestions that Americans could now join official co-production treaty projects for the first time, an effort aimed at stopping the outflow of film production from Hollywood.

Through the establishment of his latest venture, Silence Films, a Canadian distribution offshoot of his established Fuica Films Pictures production label, which made its debut at Cannes, Fuica envisions collaborative film projects between countries creating employment opportunities, opening up new avenues for independent films and broadening existing markets for North American acting talent and production firms.

Fuica emphasized the importance of adapting and comprehending the nature of official co-productions, which involve partnerships between two countries under a formal agreement to collaborate while meeting specific government-funded criteria for talent and technical teams. He pointed out that these are tough times for independent Canadian films because they often depend heavily on government grants and have limited private funding, making it rare for them to turn a profit.

Instead of focusing solely on U.S. production, some filmmakers choose to produce movies in countries like Canada, Europe, or internationally, taking advantage of lower costs through film tax credits and other financial incentives. This approach places Fuica in a unique position, as he produces Canadian films independently from government funding, while also assisting American producers in understanding and utilizing Canada’s tax credits and additional soft money incentives to film their projects in Canada.

Some movie makers make movies outside the U.S., like in Canada or Europe, to save costs using tax breaks and other benefits. Fuica produces Canadian films without government funding and helps American producers take advantage of these savings by shooting their movies in Canada.

As a gamer, hearing about cross-border collaborations between American and Canadian filmmakers in creating treaty films really excites me. I firmly believe that as both a distributor and a producer, it’s crucial to generate employment opportunities within our own countries, and aid partners in doing the same to foster growth in our industry. Co-productions, where two nations with formal agreements work together while adhering to government-funded requirements for talent and technical crews, are a great way to achieve this.

The outcome might be that a movie typically filmed abroad, thus losing domestic production positions and leaving soundstages vacant, could potentially become an international collaboration, eventually being produced again within the United States.

Under the banner of His Silence Films, the debut project is the dramatic courtroom film titled “Neglected“. Written, produced, and directed by Fuica, it features Mélanie Elliott, Félix Legault, and Gabriel Coles in leading roles. “Neglected“, presented by sales agent Monique White at California Pictures during Cannes, is inspired by real-life events and revolves around a young boy who, after years of neglect and violence, finds his life plummeting into tragedy following an incident in a motel room.

In the movie “Neglected”, the screenwriters are Valérie Nadeau and Demian Fuica, with Daniel Sauvé as the director of photography. Fuica believes that the film could find a broad audience internationally due to its relevant theme: “Neglect transcends geographical boundaries. It doesn’t discriminate based on gender or race. Neglect is prevalent everywhere, in various forms.

Fuica boasts a filmography with titles such as “La Corsa, Ti Tiro, Ti Metto in Testa, Viaggio nel Bosco” and “Energia Oscura“.

Fuica’s movie resume spans films like “The Race, He Fires, He Scores, The American Snare, Camping Adventure” and “Dark Energy“.

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2025-05-20 23:54