The Madame Tutli-Putli team - director Maciek Szczerbowski, exec producer David Verrall, director Chris Lavis and producer Marcy Page. © 2008 AWN Inc.

Each year Alain Dudoit, the Consul General of Canada, Los Angeles, hosts a star-studded event to celebrate the Oscar nominees from Canada. Check out who the Madame Tutli-Putli and I Met the Walrus filmmakers got to meet.

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Madame Tutli-Putli directors Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski get interviewed for Canadian television. © 2008 AWN Inc.

For half of the Oscar Showcase tour crew, Friday morning was a chance for some free time to roam around Los Angeles. For the Canadian contingent, it was a time for celebration with their fellow Canadians at the Canadian consulate. The annual event celebrates the accomplishments of Oscar nominated Canadians and Canadian productions. Madame Tutli-Putli directors Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, I Met the Walrus director Josh Raskin, producer Jerry Levitan and illustrator James Braithwaite were all treated like royalty with many Canadian media outlets clamoring to get interviews with the filmmakers. The event also gave the nominees a chance to mingle with some stars. Julie Christie, Oscar nominee for the Canadian production Away from Her, was gracious enough to pose for pictures with whoever asked. Chris introduced himself to Oscar-winning director Norman Jewison, who warmly congratulated him on his nomination. Other celebs on hand included Juno director Jason Reitman, producer Ivan Reitman and director Arthur Hiller.

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Torill Kove is the center as she receives a special certificate from the Canadian government. © AWN Inc.

I thought I was going to have Thursday morning to catch up, but I was wrong. Wednesday night Ron invited me to be his guest to the Canadian consulate general’s home for a lunch the next day. I’ve been to two previous Oscar functions at the Canadian consulate general’s beautiful house in Hancock Park and couldn’t pass up the chance to go again. The luncheon took place in the lovely courtyard in back by the pool. They were prepared for the rain and had tents and heaters set up, making it comfortable on the rainy L.A. day.

The consulate general made a brief speech congratulating all the Canadian nominees, which included The Danish Poet’s Torill Kove, Best Foreign Language production Water, Best Actor nominee Ryan Gosling, Best Screenplay nominee Paul Haggis and one of the sound editors from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Both Gosling and Haggis were no shows at the event. But Torill was quite happy to meet her favorite actress Laura Dern. But she was kind of embarrassed because she had one of those “why did I say that” moments when she told Laura Dern that she was her “all time favorite actress” or something like that. She shouldn’t feel bad; I think everyone in the industry has at least one of those moments. The first time I had the pleasure of interviewing Stan Lee, I ridiculously gushed to him at the end that much of my desire to get into creative endeavors was inspired by this work. I felt embarrassed afterward, but I couldn’t help it. But I digress. Then the consulate general introduced a member of the Canadian parliament. The parliament had passed a resolution formally congratulating all the Canadian nominees. Torill was presented with a nice certificate. I wonder if they know that No Time for Nuts co-director Mike Thurmeier is originally from Canada.

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