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Canada Feature Film Fund, English-language productions, fiscal 2012-2013

22 February 2012

Telefilm Canada announces March 5, 2012 as opening date for applications to three CFFF programs

Montreal, February 21, 2012 – Telefilm Canada will accept funding applications for English-language productions through three Canada Feature Film Fund (CFFF) programs as of March 5, 2012. These applications will be for fiscal 2012-2013.

The programs opening March 5, 2012 concern:

– Regional Production;

– Low Budget Independent Feature Film Assistance Program; and

– Alternative Distribution Program.

This announcement applies to English-language projects from the Western, Ontario-Nunavut, Quebec and Atlantic regions.

Unless otherwise announced, the application period will run until the available funds are exhausted.

Please note that there is no specific application period for English-language productions subject to the National evaluation process. Production applications for these projects may be made at any time.

Changes to the guidelines

Click on this link to access the new 2012-2013 guidelines for CFFF production programs for English-language projects.

Two notable changes are:

– In response to the changing needs of the industry, Telefilm will now be providing more flexibility in how we participate in the financing of a film property. Our production financing can now be defined in one of two ways at the option of the producer: (1) financing in the form of a recoupable advance or (2) as previously, a recoupable equity investment. Structuring our financing as a recoupable advance eliminates Telefilm’s requirement of taking copyright ownership in a production. By giving producers the choice of receiving Telefilm’s financing as a recoupable advance, rather than as an investment, we are offering the industry greater flexibility and control over the management of their production.

Please note that this change is also applicable to all 2012-2013 conditional commitments, in other words for all contracts that will be signed as of April 1st, 2012, even if decision letters have gone out prior to that date.

Producers who have already received decision letters, for which this new option will be available, will be contacted in order to give us their choice.

– As part of Telefilm’s Program Redesign to simplify its Development financing for clients, all Development programs are being regrouped under one main program. Consequently, Greenlight financing, being a form of pre-production financing, for English-language projects has been simply moved from the Development guidelines to those for Production.