Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
- Bittman
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History
Roman Bittman was born on June 5, 1941, in Fort Vermilion, Alberta. He grew up in a hunter-farming community with his German father and Metis mother. He later moved to Hay River, Northwest Territories. He entered the world of media when he started the first northern radio station at 17. As he grew, he became a film producer, businessman and writer. His contributions to Canadian media and Indigenous cultural organizations are many, as he was involved in more than 100 films and was well-known for having designed and implemented the Film Industry Labour Tax Credit, which was an essential financial instrument that fueled the growth of the English Canadian film industry. Roman Bittman worked at CBC News and was the producer for the series he is most well-known for, The Nature of Things, CBC’s flagship natural history and science series. His involvement in various Indigenous productions includes his position as an early advisor to the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). He served as President of the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation and produced the awards show the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF), now known as Indspire today; he was the organization’s interim CEO. He died in 2017 and received special awards after his death, such as the Canadian Screen Awards in 2019.
Marilyn Belec Bittman is an award-winning film industry veteran for 32 years. She worked for the National Film Board and owned her company, Mobius Media. She worked alongside her husband, in Mobius Media. During her time as president of Mobius Media, she made and distributed films and acquired films produced outside her production company only if they had won awards. She was also a producer at the National Film Board’s Atlantic office. She helped found the first Canadian chapter of Women in Film and TV – Toronto.
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Toronto, Ontario
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Internal structures/genealogy
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Created by Khadija Alexander, September 21, 2023
Language(s)
- English
- French
Script(s)
Sources
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. “Roman Bittman.” https://www.academy.ca/2019/roman-bittman/
Arthritis Society of Canada. “First-time fundraiser proves it’s never too late to get walking – or to make a difference.” https://arthritis.ca/living-well/2018/first-time-fundraiser-proves-it-s-never-too-late-to-get-walking-or-to-make-a-difference
The Globe and Mail. “Roman Bittman Obituary.” https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/theglobeandmail/name/roman-bittman-obituary?id=41410973
The Globe and Mail. “Growing little company both makes and distributes films Mobius is on a reel roll.” July 15, 1983. https://www.proquest.com/docview/386615544?pq-origsite=primo
The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University. “Thomas Merton’s Life and Work.” http://merton.org/chrono.aspx
Indspire. “About” https://indspire.ca/about/president-ceo/
Indspire. “Roman Bittman.” https://indspire.ca/laureate/roman-bittman-2/
Playback. “Production in Atlantic Canada: Atlantic Scene: Nova Scotia abuzz with film action”. https://playbackonline.ca/1995/11/06/4831-19951106/