Paul Bronfman, the founder of film and television production supplier and financier Comweb, and founding shareholder of Pinewood Toronto Studios, has passed away.
Bronfman, who was 67, had been battling multiple sclerosis since the mid-1990s.
The son of Canadian business giant Edward Bronfman, Paul got his start in the entertainment industry working with rock acts like Supertramp and April Wine in the 1970s. He transitioned into film and television by the end of the decade, joining Astral Media’s Astral Bellevue Pathe in Toronto.
Bronfman went on to launch the Comweb Corporation in 1988, providing production services, studio facilities, and equipment to film and television productions worldwide. The company’s first major venture was building and managing Vancouver’s North Shore Studios, in partnership with Hollywood producer and writer Stephen J. Cannell. The company simultaneously formed production subsidiary Comweb Productions.
In 1989, Comweb acquired production equipment supplier William F. White International Inc. The company further expanded with a 50% stake in Bulloch Entertainment Services (now EP Canada), offering production-related financial services, in addition to launching financier Protocol Entertainment, whose credits included the popular kids’ series Goosebumps and Australian-Canadian co-production, The Saddle Club.
Comweb went on to become a founding partner and principal investor in Filmport Studios, which opened in 2007 and was later rebranded as Pinewood Toronto Studios.
The company’s other holdings spanned aviation and real estate. Comweb sold North Shore Studios to Lionsgate in 1997, its interest in Protocol in 2005, and divested William F. White to Sunbelt Rentals in 2019.
Bronfman stepped down as Senior Advisor and Co-Chairman of William F. White International in September 2023 after 34 years, but remained CEO of Comweb and senior advisor to Pinewood Toronto Studios.
Over the years, he served on the boards of The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the Banff Television Foundation Board, Canadian Film Centre (CFC), Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), FilmOntario and Ontario Creates. The Comweb Foundation also funded many not-for-profit organizations and industry initiatives, including the Atlantic International Film Festival, Banff World Media Festival, Hot Docs, and CFC.
ACTRA Toronto mourns the passing of Paul Bronfman. Paul was a pioneer in the Canadian film industry, heading Willam F. White International for over 30 years and holding many other leadership roles that positively benefitted the film community, including Pinewood Toronto Studios… pic.twitter.com/wBsBP9TlZx
— ACTRA Toronto (@ACTRAToronto) February 27, 2025
Among other industry accolades, Bronfman received the Honourable Life Member Award from the Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC) in 2011, along with the Academy Board of Directors’ Tribute for Outstanding and Enduring Contributions to Canadian Television at the Gemini Awards. He was also honoured with the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) President’s Award, the Friend of the Industry award at the Alberta Film and Television Rosie Awards (AMPIA), and was bestowed the inaugural Screen Nova Scotia Industry Champion Award.
It is with deep sorrow that the CFC acknowledges the passing of Paul Bronfman, a valued member of the community and a long-time supporter of Canadian cinema and television.
Read our full statement here: https://t.co/OYpdvoqYw9 pic.twitter.com/CsP7hua1b3
— Canadian Film Centre (@cfccreates) February 27, 2025
FilmOntario is saddened by the passing of Paul Bronfman. Paul was a true champion of the Canadian film & TV industry, a board member of FilmOntario and a passionate voice and dedicated supporter of our industry. We send our condolences to Paul’s family, friends and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/y3FX8tmxbd
— FilmOntario (@Film_Ontario) February 27, 2025
“Today we mourn the passing of Paul Bronfman, a former CMPA board member and a passionate advocate for Canada’s domestic production sector. Those who served on the CMPA board with Paul will fondly recall his ardent belief in the potential for Canada’s sector to be a world-class… pic.twitter.com/PypJydUKLr
— The CMPA (@The_CMPA) February 27, 2025
