News releases

The film to be submitted for consideration in Best Picture and general entry categories

December 18, 2020 –Telefilm has been informed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that Funny Boy, by cowriter-director Deepa Mehta, does not meet the Academy’s eligibility requirements for the International Feature Film category due...

Montréal, October 29, 2020 — Funny Boy by cowriter-director Deepa Mehta will represent Canada in the race for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, taking place on April 25, 2021.

“Eleven outstanding films were submitted this year, and we are confident that Deepa Mehta’s Funny Boy will appeal to Academy members just as her...

Funded by Telefilm Canada and CBC Films, the feature is based on the best-selling novel by Shyam Selvadurai about a young boy’s sexual awakening in Sri Lanka during the turbulent Tamil-Sinhalese conflict

October 27, 2020 - As part of the national public broadcaster’s commitment to bring Canadian film to...

www.BeingBlackInCanada.com

Montreal, October 20, 2020 - The Fabienne Colas Foundation is proud to announce Telefilm Canada as a major partner of the Being Black in Canada Program - Canada’s largest mentorship, training, and creation program entirely dedicated to Black filmmakers. By offering its strong support, Telefilm Canada...

Telefilm Canada supports calls for the creation of a Black Screen Office and has committed to investing $100,000 annually. The pledge was made on Monday during a meeting with filmmakers from the Black community who have called for the creation of a dedicated bureau.

“Telefilm supports the formation of an institution...

Telefilm Canada supports the production of 20 English-language feature films from across Canada with a total investment of over $7 million. Fifty per cent of the projects selected are directed and written by women.

This year, Telefilm received and processed 136 applications under the Production Program for English-language projects with budgets of $2.5 million and below. French-language feature films under this stream were previously 

Sixteen projects representing some of Canada’s strongest new voices from coast to coast to coast

Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund are pleased to announce the 2020 projects selected under the Talent to Watch Program, with a total of 16 first feature films and narrative web projects to...

Toronto/ Montréal, August 12^th, 2020 – Telefilm Canada announces the support of 10 Indigenous feature films with an annual $4 million dedicated to funding Indigenous creators through the Indigenous Stream. The selection of these projects presents an array of genres from drama to thriller, science-fiction and documentary, with three of...

Over the past three years, Telefilm has seen an ongoing and significant increase in overall funding for women creators

Montréal, July 23, 2020 – Telefilm Canada has released the results of its gender-parity initiatives for projects funded during the 2019-20 fiscal year. The statistics show continued growth in Telefilm funding...

At Telefilm Canada, we are firmly committed to creating a more representative film community, inclusive of Black, Indigenous, People of Colour creators as well as filmmakers from additional underrepresented communities and identities. That starts with addressing the systemic racism that has existed within organizations like our own.

While we have made...

MONTRÉAL / TORONTO, July 7, 2020 – Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault today announced that an additional $27.8 million in funding has been designated for Canada’s audiovisual sector as part of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations. Administered by Telefilm...

Montreal, May 29, 2020 – Telefilm Canada is providing nearly $8 million in funding for six French-language feature films. The projects selected reflect gender parity and represent several genres and themes. Telefilm Canada fosters and encourages the development of the Canadian audiovisual industry through its financial support.

“The current context has...

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Telefilm Canada welcome the measures announced today by Minister Steven Guilbeault, to direct emergency funding specifically to Canada’s screen-based industries. Following Prime Minister Trudeau’s previous announcement of $500M to establish a COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations, the Government of...

Toronto/Montréal, 28 April  2020—Telefilm Canada has announced the 15 English and French-language documentary feature films supported by the Theatrical Documentary Program, with funding totalling $2.1 million. This year, more than half of the selected projects are directed by women.

Through this program, Telefilm Canada encourages the production of high-quality feature-length...

Today marks National Canadian Film Day, a cross-country celebration of our rich, diverse cinema. The stories we tell from coast to coast to coast offer an array of perspectives, voices, and insights. Telefilm is proud to support this important initiative again this year, in a new virtual format in this...

April 21, 2020 – Montréal/Toronto – In celebration of National Canadian Film Day on April 22, Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund are proud to launch the MADE | NOUS collection on the Apple TV app featuring hundreds of Canadian films available to stream, rent or purchase. The collection...

Montréal/Toronto, April 20, 2020 – Twenty-four Canadian film distribution companies across the country have joined forces to spotlight Canadian films for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their own home and participate in National Canadian Film Day on April 22, 2020.

Telefilm Canada is proud to provide support to this...

“Today, the Government of Canada announced a $500 million emergency response fund to help Canadians working in arts, culture and sport.

“Now more than ever, the arts and culture play a pivotal role in our daily lives. In this vein, we look forward to continuing our discussions with Heritage Canada to...

Selections represent Indigenous Stream’s inaugural Development funding decisions

Montréal/Toronto – The inaugural round of projects set to receive Development funding from Telefilm Canada’s Indigenous Stream have been selected. The lineup represents an array of established and emerging voices from Indigenous talent across six provinces. Films selected include both English and French-language...

UPDATE: Following the announcement by Austin city officials that SXSW 2020 has been cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19), Telefilm Canada is cancelling all activities relating to Canada House.

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Expanded venue brings five days of Canadian-focused programming and entertainment to Austin scene

Canada House, powered by Telefilm Canada, is bringing...

“Telefilm Canada congratulates Ms. Janet Yale and the members of the panel on this important work. Today’s recommendations are the culmination of a great amount of effort and conversations, and they seek to give Canadian content creators modernized tools to face the future.

“Telefilm has supported the development of Canada’s screen-based...

Toronto/Montréal, October 10, 2019 – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Telefilm Canada are teaming up once again to feature a series of events at MIPJunior and MIPCOM, taking place in Cannes from October 12 to 17. The two funding organizations are bringing together a group of Canadian producers to...

Montréal, September 20, 2019 — Antigone by writer-director Sophie Deraspe will represent Canada in the race for Best International Feature Film (formerly Best Foreign Language Film) at the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, taking place February 9, 2020.

“We are extremely proud of the calibre and quality of the 16 films submitted...

Montréal/Toronto, August 22, 2019 – Birks , the official jewelry sponsor of the Toronto International Film Festival, and Telefilm Canada today announced the honourees for the annual Birks Diamond Tribute to the Year’s Women in Film. The Tribute, taking place on Wednesday, September 4 at a luncheon at the Four...

Increase in overall funding for female directors, producers, and screenwriters, working towards 2020 parity goal

Toronto/ Montréal, August 1st, 2019 – Telefilm Canada has released the results of its gender parity initiatives for projects funded during the 2018/2019 fiscal year.  Overall, there has been an increase in funding for projects with women...

Toronto, July 31, 2019 – From September 5 - 15, 2019, Telefilm Canada is placing Canadian talent front and centre at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. With a variety of industry initiatives, panels, and events, Telefilm is positioning Canadian talent in the best possible spot to showcase their skills...

Montréal, July 24, 2019 – Telefilm is providing funding to 12 French-language feature films for a total of $16 million. From action, to more intimate stories, to social comedy, the selected projects represent a wide variety of genres and subject matter.

“Movie-lovers will be delighted, because there are films for all tastes...

Toronto/ Montréal, June 27, 2019 – Telefilm Canada is investing more than $4 million in feature films by writers, directors and producers from Indigenous communities. Highly diverse in terms of genre, this lineup is also notable for near gender parity, with three projects helmed by women. Also of note, one of...

Regional, cultural and gender diverse, the selection of projects from the Talent to Watch Program is reaching new heights

Toronto/Montréal, June 12, 2019 – Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund are pleased to announce the 2019 English- and French-language projects selected under the Talent to Watch Program with a total of...