Blame Canada! by MATTHEW HAYS Congratulations are in order for our nation's film biz. There are the obvious ones to local production house Pascal Blais, whose wondrous animated Imax film The Old Man and the Sea took home an Oscar on Sunday. But warm words also go out to those who will be honoured next month at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Film Society in New York . From April 14 to May 4, the group will be running a retrospective titled Blame Canada! Classic and Contemporary Cinema from the North Country. Films include the Oscar-nominated When the Day Breaks, New Waterford Girl, Just Watch Me: Trudeau and the '70s Generation, J.A. Martin, Photographe and the obligatory Mon oncle Antoine. In a statement, Lincoln Centre organizers explained the reasoning behind the retrospective, apparently understanding that some Canadians' negative attitude about their national cinema might just prompt questions: "Because Canada's made so many great movies!" In sort of related news, Wyndham Wise, the editor of the national Canadian magazine Take One, will be expanding his most excellent guide to Canuck cinema. Apparently the University of Toronto took a liking to his magazine-format, dictionary-style booklet, which will be enlarged to include hundreds of new film entries and is slated for a release at next September's Toronto International Film Fest. McGill students will be showing off their very best film and video creations at the end of this week on Thursday, April 6 and Friday, April 7. I've attended McGill's fest in the past, where I've seen some truly inspired fare. The screenings happen both nights at 7 p.m. at Moyse Hall (853 Sherbrooke W.). Students will also be on hand for Proje(c)t Y, a series of student films from Montreal universities. The screenings begin this Friday, March 31 at Ex-Centris. See repertory listings for showtimes. Claude Fortin fans will have a chance to catch L'Autobiographe amateur at the Goethe-Institut this Sunday through Tuesday, April 2-4, with English subtitles. It's the story of a filmmaker who, after receiving a grant, decides to make a movie all about his own life. See rep listings for details. Final Oscar notes: There were indeed Two Solitudes at the Oscar party I attended on Sunday. Those who wanted to actually hear the speeches, and then those stupid people who wouldn't stop yapping. Though it's over now, please make a mental note to yourselves re: approximately 360 days from now: keep yer yaps shut during the Oscar ceremony! Luckily, our gracious hostess had the brains to have a second TV in the kitchen, where those of us who wished to do so could watch the ceremony in relative peace. My own private awards: Best dress: tie for Cher and Jane Fonda; Most touching speech: Michael Caine; Longest senior moment in televised history: Warren Beatty's speech; Least revelatory revelation: that Ricky Martin is gay, as sort of told to Barbara Walters during her pre-Oscar special. Okay, I promise, no more Oscar hype for the next 11 months! COMMENTS: matt_hays@babylon.montreal.qc.ca