Twenty-Five Years of the Canadian Journal of Film Studies/Revue canadienne d'études cinématographiques

ZUZANA PICK

Among the many challenges I took on during my academic career, by far the most exciting and rewarding was contributing to the launch of the Canadian Journal of Film Studies/Revue canadienne d'études cinématographiques. Between 1988 and 1992, I served as a member of the editorial board alongside a group of scholars and writers affiliated to the Film Studies Association of Canada/Association canadienne d'études cinématographiques.

Notwithstanding the informal context in which the early meetings of the editorial board took place, the work we did under the gentle leadership of Peter Morris (York University)—the first president of FSAC/ACÉC, 1976-1977—was eminently professional. If my memory serves me right, we met for the first time in the summer of 1988 in the Ottawa home of Peter Harcourt (Carleton University.) Over a lunch supplemented with generous servings of wine, we agreed on the goals of the journal, the double-referee protocols and the responsibilities of the editor and editorial board members, including soliciting articles. In August 15, Peter Morris mailed out an announcement to FSAC members. On January 4, 1989 Bart Testa (Innis College, University of Toronto) sent us copies of submitted articles. In his letter, regarding the selection of articles, he stated that he was "inclined to agree that a wide range of topics would help in broadcasting to potential contributors that we are looking for international material as well."

During the June of 1989 meeting, with twelve pieces in hand, Peter Morris proposed names of readers and designated individual members to follow up. At the October 27 meeting, consensus was reached on style, cover design and masthead, subscription prices, guidelines for contributors and presentation of the journal (both written by Peter Morris.) The editor's report on the content of the first issue (accepted and outstanding articles, book reviews) was followed by distributing additional tasks: letters of acceptance and call for papers for the second issue to be published in the FSAC/ACEC newsletter edited by Peter Rist (Concordia University). By December, financial issues were resolved. In a Christmas cheer letter Peter Morris wrote that the application to the York University Fund supporting new journals was approved. So with $4000 in hand ($3000 from FSAC and $1000 from York), and commitments for typesetting (Pages Plus, North York) and printing (Imprimerie Gagné Lteé., Ottawa), we were in the position of getting the first issue printed.

Why have I chosen to detail the early days for this 25^th anniversary issue? With this account, I want to underline the commitment of a group who put their skills at the service of turning into reality the intention expressed in the 1977 by-laws of FSAC/ACÉC. This goal would not have been achieved without Michael Dorland's (Concordia University) and Peter Morris' experience as editors of Cinema Canada and the Canadian Film Institute and initiators of collaborative publishing ventures with FSAC. Equally important were Peter Harcourt's drive to develop and to nurture the small community of English-Canadian and Quebec film scholars and directors, and Bart Testa's sharp intellect and dedication to avant-garde cinema. Although I had briefly sat on the editorial board of the French journal Positif, my contribution was primarily based on the willingness to help out and learn about the publication of an academic journal.

Looking back, I still marvel at the sense of purpose and urgency that propelled us to produce the first issue of the Journal. I still appreciate the principles of teamwork and collegiality, respect for each other's opinions that guided us through this process, In time, the experiences and the lessons learned gave me the confidence to take on the job of editor from 1993 to 1997.

As stated in the text written by Peter Morris in the first issue published in February of 1990, the Journal "gives concrete form to the intention expressed in the 1977 By-Laws to publish a journal and thereby contribute to the advancement of the theory...