Telefilm Canada has tapped Michael Jenkinson, a former VP at 20th Century Fox and graduate of the Canadian Film Center, as its new feature film executive for the English-language market - handing the Jamaica-born, Toronto-raised MBA the green-light switch for its $80-million Canada Feature Film Fund.

The hiring puts Jenkinson front and center in Telefilm's ongoing struggle to lure audiences to English-Canadian movies.

"He is the right man, with the right job at the right time," said Telefilm boss Wayne Clarkson at an April 24 breakfast to introduce Jenkinson to select industry members.

Jenkinson will be responsible for all fund investments over $1 million, replacing the previous decision-by-committee process, and will work with Telefilm's regional offices to bring forward films with the best chance of commercial success. He starts on May 15.

Meanwhile, Telefilm has done away with its national deadlines for English projects, again hoping to streamline the decision-making process.

Jenkinson attended the CFC's producer program in 1993 before moving to the U.S., where he held VP spots for acquisitions and production at Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures. He later founded L.A.-based Urban Entertainment, which produced the 2002 comedy Undercover Brother and a number of video titles.

It is also hoped that he will help put Telefilm more in touch with the day-to-day challenges faced by most producers, of which the federal agency is often thought to be unaware.

"I come from that reality, I came from the trenches," he told reporters. "I hope my reality coincides with that of other producers here, and I don't see why it wouldn't."

Jenkinson also spoke of the need to support different genres and to mix commercial and art house material.

"It's not art versus commercial," he said, citing the recent two-way successes of Capote, Crash and Brokeback Mountain. "Done right, it isn't a trade-off."

He appeared to dodge deeper questions about Telefilm and Cancon policy, however, noting that he is new on the job.

www.telefilm.gc.ca