Telefilm Canada funds six Indigenous projects for a total of $3.3 million
Telefilm Canada is announcing its investment of $3.3 million in six Indigenous film projects through the Indigenous funding streams for the Theatrical Documentary Program and the Production Program in both the English and French markets.
An annual commitment of $4 million is earmarked for Indigenous creators from Canada’s Indigenous communities, with the remainder amount reserved for Indigenous projects submitted through the Talent to Watch Program and the Development Program.
INDÍGENA (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Siku Allooloo
Production: Arc-En-Ciel Films Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English, Indigenous (Hiwatahia (Taíno)) and Spanish
Inuguinq (documentary)
Directors and screenwriters: Olivia Ikey and Kim O’Bomsawin
Production: Terre Innue Inc.
Province: Quebec
Language: English and Inuinnaqtun
Land of No Pain (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Émilie Martel
Production: Kannon Films Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English and Spanish
Nika and Madison (drama)
Director: Eva Thomas
Screenwriters: Eva Thomas and Michael McGowan
Production: REDLIGHT FEATURE PRODUCTIONS INC.
Province: Ontario
Language: English and Ojibwa (Anishinaabemowin)
Seventeen (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Justin Ducharme
Production: Your Boy Productions and Experimental Forest Films Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English
Smudge the Blades (comedy)
Director: Cody Lightning
Screenwriters: Samuel Miller and Cody Lightning
Production: Lightning Mill Inc.
Province: Alberta
Language: English and Cree
Telefilm received a high volume of applications under the Indigenous funding stream this year. In this intake, the 18 projects assessed represented close to $12.6 million in funding requests.
More funding decisions, including projects from the Theatrical Documentary Program for both English and French markets, will be announced in the coming weeks. Statistics on all films funded in the year will be released once all funding decisions have been made.
An advisory committee of external and internal Indigenous representatives assessed the projects and made recommendations to Telefilm. The decision-making process considered Telefilm’s goal of fostering a diversity of voices in the industry, ensuring that Telefilm funds a balanced portfolio of productions that reflect a variety of genres, budgets and company sizes, regions of the country and points of view. Names of selection committee members will be published on the Project Financing Advisory Committees webpage once all funding decisions have been made.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Joyce Richards
Advisor, Public Relations
Telefilm Canada
[email protected]