Talent to Watch Program

The Talent Fund-supported Talent to Watch Program aims to support a diverse array of emerging filmmakers. The intended outcome of this Program is to discover and develop the next generation of Canadian filmmakers, and to allow them to establish their voice and sensibility through a first feature.  

Overview of the Program

The main eligibility criteria under all three streams is: 

• Key members of the creative teams of all submitted projects must be emerging talent. 

Additional eligibility criteria apply to each separate stream. Please consult the guidelines for the complete description of the eligibility criteria under this Program. 

The maximum contribution amount through this program is $250,000 for fiction feature films and $150,000 for feature length documentaries. 

Support under this Program is provided through three separate streams: the Industry Partner Stream, the Festival Selection Stream and the Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream.  

Industry Partner Stream: 

Financing will be given to projects chosen among those recommended by designated industry partners for each component of the Program (see full list of partners in documents below). The different components are: 

• Main component 
• Indigenous component 
• Official-Language Minority Communities (OLMC) component 

Festival Selection Stream: 

Financing will be given to projects chosen among submitted films directed by an emerging director having previously directed a short film that was selected at a recognized film festival (see the list of recognized film festivals in documents below). Funding under this stream is not automatic. 

Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream:

Financing will be given to projects chosen among those submitted to this Stream by emerging filmmakers who are: Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Women, Gender-diverse and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, Persons with disabilities and members of Official Language Minority Communities.