Theatrical documentary program

Who can apply

Canadian production companies in search of financing for their feature-length documentary projects in production and post-production.

Overview of the program

All projects submitted under this program will be evaluated through the lens of reaching Telefilm’s objective of obtaining a representative and diversified feature film portfolio that better reflects gender, cultural diversity and Canada’s Indigenous communities. The first step in attaining this objective will be to prioritize projects directed or written by women to ensure that we reach our 2020 goal of a portfolio that reflects gender parity while continuing to champion and support the works of Indigenous creators and members of communities representing Canada’s cultural diversity.

• Eligible projects will be evaluated on their overall creative merit, relevance and accessibility to theatrical audiences, as well as the potential of the project to succeed at the box office
• Broadcaster-affiliated production companies are eligible to apply with projects in the English market only

Overview of eligibility requirements

All applicants must meet a list of criteria, including the following:

• be a Canadian controlled corporation, with its head office in Canada and carry out its activities in Canada
• producers and other key members of the production team must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents

 All projects must meet the following criteria:

• be a feature length documentary film targeted primarily at Canadian theatrical audiences
• must be either in English, French, or an Indigenous language
• must be directed by a Canadian citizen
• must have a firm commitment from an eligible Canadian distribution company
• fast track stream for second feature films: Telefilm will support the production of a second feature-length documentary by an emerging director whose first documentary feature was selected (after January 1, 2018), at one of the eligible major film festivals (Appendix A of the guidelines):
  • • the first feature must be a Canadian documentary
    • applications must be submitted within the two calendar years following the selection
    • the budget for the submitted project must be between $400,000.00 and $2.5 million
    • the project must be directed by the same director as the project giving access to this Stream
• Indigenous stream: Telefilm will set aside funding for projects by Canadian filmmakers from Indigenous communities. These projects will be assessed by an external jury having Indigenous representation. Applicant companies applying for funding under this Stream will have to show that:
  • at least 51% of the project’s copyright  is held by a production company whose majority shareholder  is Indigenous
  • two of the three key members of the creative team (producer, director or screenwriter) are Indigenous

Please consult the guidelines for a complete list of eligibility requirements.