SPONSORSHIP SIGNIFICANT IN THE FESTIVAL'S ONGOING SUCCESS
21st Montreal World Film Festival, August 22 - September 2, 1997

Montreal, August 5, 1997 - Co-directors Dani�le Cauchard and Serge Losique reasserted today the essential role played by sponsors in the ongoing success of the Montreal World Film Festival.

"It would be impossible to organize such a great event as the World Film Festival without support from corporate sponsors," Serge Losique declared at a press conference today.

Losique underlined the Festival's long standing relationship with AIR CANADA, partner of the Festival and a loyal sponsor for 21 years. This year, the Festival's official airline and partner will once again present the Air Canada Award to the most popular movie at the Festival as voted by the public. AIR CANADA is also sponsoring the "Transporte-moi" (Fly me Away to the Montreal World Film Festival) Contest, open to all participating Festival goers. A lucky winner will receive two round-trip tickets to Hong Kong.

ROTHMANS FILM DU MONDE returns for a fourth year as a collaborator of the Festival.

Following last year's success, the YELLOW PAGES GUIDE TO THE WORLD FILM FESTIVAL, which contains the Festival's screening schedule, is back, new and improved, with even more information on the Festival and its films.

This year, the Festival will showcase 12 free outdoor screenings, two more than last year. The movies will be presented August 22 to September 2, on the esplanade of Place des Arts. The free screenings are sponsored by GAZ M�TROPOLITAIN and EVIAN, in collaboration with LA PRESSE, MUSIQUEPLUS, MIX 96, CJAD, CKAC, CKMF, CIT� ROCK D�TENTE and T�L�CIT�.

BELL CANADA sponsors the INFO-FILM BELL line, (514) 848-3883, and the Festival internet site (www.ffm-montreal.org). Moreover, Bell will provide Festival goers with interactive information booths at various Festival venues. Bell Canada will also sponsor the presentation of certain films identified as the Cin�max Bell International Selection.

The Montreal CASINO CABARET will host two prestigious gala evenings: August 23 will be in honour of Market participants and members of the Festival jury. On August 24, the WFF will co-host a tribute to a well-known personality of the film world, and the evening will include a gourmet supper.

For a second year, the World Film Festival press conference, held at Place des Arts on August 5, was sponsored by PIPER-HEIDSIECK. On August 27, VIACOM CANADA will sponsor the 28th Canadian Student Film and Video Festival Awards presentation. The Viacom Canada Ltd Award will be given to the best student director, while the NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA will once again present the Norman McLaren Award to the best Canadian student film. Furthermore, Viacom Canada is the official presentor of films screened at the Imperial Cinema. VIACOM CANADA and FAMOUS PLAYERS donated the Imperial Cinema to the WFF in 1995.

Several gala evenings, organized in collaboration with AGF MUTUAL FUNDS, CANTEL, CHUBB INSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA, FEDEX, VISA DESJARDINS, will add a festive note to the event. SUPER �CRAN and ASTRAL COMMUNICATIONS INC. will host the Festival's opening night ceremony with a gala reception at the Chalet de la Montagne.

This year, the Festival's official credit card is the GOLD VISA DESJARDINS. The Festival's official courier is FEDEX, who also sponsors the Fedex Prize, presented to the best Canadian film at the WFF as voted by the film-going public. The prize includes the laser method sub-titling of a film offered by LABORATOIRES TITRA BRUXELLES. The Telefilm Canada Award, presented by TELEFILM CANADA to the director of the best Canadian film, is worth $5, 000, to be earmarked for the development of a film or video, of the winner's choice.

As in the past, the Festival's daily press conferences will be held in the center of the COMPLEXE DESJARDINS mall, and presented by AVID TECHNOLOGY INC. T�L�-QU�BEC television network will collaborate again this year with the production of T�L�-FESTIVAL, a daily show entirely devoted to the Festival. Hosted by Pierre Therrien and broadcast August 23 to September 2 on T�l�-Qu�bec and TV5, T�l�-Festival will recap events of the day, feature exclusive interviews with film personalities and show numerous excerpts of films presented at the Montreal World Film Festival.

Once again Festival headquarters are located at the HOTEL COMPLEXE DESJARDINS (former Meridian Hotel), the Festival's official hotel. The MCAUSLAN BREWERY returns with Salon Saint-Ambroise Hospitality Suite, open to all accredited journalists and Festival guests. The Salon will offer, among other things, Saint-Ambroise beer and EVIAN water.

The Montreal World Film Festival thanks: the Ministry of Canadian Heritage; Telefilm Canada; Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada; Federal Office of Regional Development Qu�bec; Human Resources Development Canada; le minist�re de la Culture et des Communications; la Soci�t� de d�veloppement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC); the Ministry of Tourism; the Greater Montreal Convention and Tourism Bureau (OCTGM); the City of Montreal, Department of Culture; Montreal Urban Community Arts Council; The Montreal Film and Television Commission and Concordia University.

The WFF also thanks Air Canada (exclusive partner); Rothmans Film du Monde (collaborator); AGF Mutual Funds; Astral Communications Inc.; Avid Technology Inc.; Bell Canada; McAuslan Brewery; the Montreal Casino Cabaret; Cantel, sponsor of the 1997 Cantel Symposium held during the Montreal International Film, TV and Video Market; Chanel; Chubb Canadian Insurance Company; CIT�, CJAD; CKAC; CKMF; Complexe Desjardins; Domtar; Evian-Source de France; FedEx; les Fonds ind�pendants de production; Gaz M�tropolitain; l'H�tel Complexe Desjardins; Kodak; MIX 96; MusiquePlus; the National Film Board of Canada; La Presse; Radio-Canada; Savin Canada Inc.; Super �cran; T�l�direct; T�l�-Qu�bec; TV5; Vernon; Viacom; Visa Desjardins; and Vision Globale.

The official suppliers of the WFF are: Aerolineas Argentinas; Alitalia; Agence Festival et �v�nement; Azur Promotional Articles; le Bateau-Mouche; La Bo�te Noire; Chez L�v�que; Cin�-affiches; Cin�plex Od�on; Comweb; Cosmair; Domtar; Dutal Inc.; Environment Canada; Famous Players; FM LeSieur; Folle Avoine; Fuji; Globe, bar restaurant; Gray Line; Hollywood Reporter; Kilom�tre Voyages; Laboratoire Titra Bruxelles; Luminefex; La Moulerie; Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art; Oblik Communication-Design Inc.; Le Paris, restaurant; Piper Hiedsieck; Place des Arts; Playback; Publicit� Sauvage; Raymond, Chabot, Martin, Par�; Restaurant Julien; Restaurant La Rotonde; Restaurant Milos; Roots Canada; Robert Films; S�quences; Softitler; T�l�cit� Inc.; Total Audio; 24 Images; and Voyages CAA.

The Festival would also like to thank the following supporters for their generous contributions:

Gold Patrons - Mr. Bernard Lamarre; Hennan Blaikie; Vid�otron Ltd;

Bronze Patrons - Mr. Pierre Des Groseillers, C.A.; Mr. Normand Reid; Caisse de d�p�t et de placement du Qu�bec;

Donors - Mrs. Carole Laberge; Mr. and Mrs. R.F. Steers; Mrs. Lise St-Vincent Blain; CINAR Films Inc.; Provigo; and Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc.

Information: Marc Trudeau, Director of Sponsorship

(514) 848-9933