John Dunning dies at 84

Producer and independent film exhibitor John Dunning, who had been instrumental to get small-major Lionsgate off the floor, died in Montreal on Monday, Sept. 19, following a lengthy illness. He was 84. Dunning started within the movie business while still a teenager: His father, who possessed several cinemas in Montreal, died when he was 17, and Dunning all of a sudden found themself responsible for the household firm in the mid 1940s. In 1960 Dunning met Andre Link, who had distribution and business expertise. Together, they created Cinepix, which distributed both British- and French-language movies. In 1962, they created their first film, "Valerie," which held the Quebec box office record in Canada until 1995. The happy couple, pioneers of the profession in Canada, created 59 movies. Dunning and Link eventually broadened Cinepix towards the U.S., having a distribution arm located in NY. In 1997 the organization was bought through the recently minted Lions Gate Entertainment, and Cinepix was rechristened Lions Gate Films, with Dunning and Link remaining since it's leaders. Dunning's last creating credit was on Lionsgate's "My Bloody Valentine" last year. Dunning and Link were honored in the 1993 Genie Honours for his or her contributions towards the business of filmmaking in Canada. In 2007, these were awarded with a Canadian Film and tv Hall of Fame additionally they received lifetime achievement nods in the 2011 Fantasia Film Festival. Though he didn't choose it, Dunning increased to like his career, by which he gave ambitious filmmakers an opportunity to work and gain experience he and Link released careers including individuals of Ivan Reitman and David Cronenberg. Though disabled in the this past year, Dunning in some way found the power to create another script. He's made it by his wife, Jean, whom he married in 1957 a boy and 2 grandchildren. Visitation rights is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 29 from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. in the Mount Royal Funeral Complex, 1297 Chemin p la Foret, Outremont, Quebec. The memorial will occur on Friday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m., also in the Mount Royal Funeral Complex, then a funeral along with a reception. Donations might be designed to NOVA West Island, 422 Beaconsfield Blvd., Beaconsfield, Quebec H9W 4B7. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com