Telefilm Canada invested more than $11 million in funding to 22 regional English-language feature films for 2009-2010 through the Canada Feature Film Fund

Montreal, August 9, 2010 – Telefilm Canada announces a total of $11.3 million in funding to 22 regional English-language feature films through the Canada Feature Film Fund (CFFF) during fiscal year 2009-2010. Since Telefilm’s last announcement for the support of regional feature films in December 2009, the organization has supported 11 regional projects.

“In addition to supporting emerging talent, Telefilm’s regional program funds and celebrates the rich diversity of stories, genres and director voices across Canada,” said Stephanie Azam, National Feature Film Executive, English language, Telefilm Canada. “We are confident these films will capture audience imaginations in theatres following their release.”

“We had a strong year with 22 regional client film projects in production covering seven genres including five comedies,” said Michel Pradier, Director of Project Financing, Telefilm Canada. “We’re very proud of this portfolio as it reflects the quality and variety of projects submitted to all of our regions over the year,” he concluded.

Canada Feature Film Fund – Regional Investments

A Beginner’s Guide to Endings (Comedy; Ontario & Nunavut Region; Darius Films; Producer: Nicholas Tabarrok; Director: Jonathan Sobol; Writer: Jonathan Sobol; Distributor: eOne Films). Upon learning they only have a few days left to live, the White brothers set off to reverse a lifetime of mistakes. Set in Niagara Falls, this scrappy and stylish comedy interweaves three stories of miraculous redemption, catastrophic misfortune and frequent concussions.

The Corridor (Horror/Thriller; Atlantic Region; Kulwar Films Inc.; Producers: Craig Cameron, Mike Masters; Director: Evan Kelly; Writer: Josh MacDonald). They’ve been the best of buddies for more than a decade, but now they’re changing— getting married, getting promoted, going bald, going crazy. During a male-bonding weekend they will discover a spectral corridor through the woods– an impossible hallway where none should be. It will lead these five men into fear, into betrayal and into the biggest change of them all: by weekend’s finish… they’ll be dead.

Daydream Nation (Drama; Western Region; DDN Productions Inc. & Daydream Films Inc.; Producers: Christine Haebler, Trish Dolman, Simone Urdl, Jennifer Weiss; Director: Michael S. Goldbach; Writer: Michael S. Goldbach; Distributor: eOne Films). Daydream Nation is a provocative yet humorous romance about a rural community shaken by the arrival of an acerbic teenage girl.

Hard Core Logo II (Comedy; Western Region; Foundation Features & Trilight Entertainment; Executive Producers: Christine Haebler, Dany Chiasson, Lindsay Macadam, Dave Valleau; Director: Bruce McDonald; Writers: Bruce McDonald, David Griffith; Distributor: Alliance Films). Years after filming the rock doc “Hard Core Logo,” director Bruce McDonald is asked to interview Care Failure of Canadian punk band Die Mannequin, who claims to be channelling the spirit of the Hard Cores’ front man, Joe Dick. At the recording studio in the backwoods of Canada, Bruce discovers their manager has hired legend Bucky Haight to scare Care into recording a classic. Convinced she is suffering a genuine case of possession, Bruce stays to document the recording. As bizarre events unfold, Bruce’s experiences revitalize and cure him of his trauma about Joe, and help him rediscover his creative integrity.

Oliver Sherman (Suspense Drama; Ontario & Nunavut Region; Film Works; Producers: Eric Jordan, Paul Stephens; Director: Ryan Redford; Writer: Ryan Redford; Distributor: Mongrel Media). Feeling lost, veteran Sherman Oliver sets out in search of the soldier, Franklin, who saved him back in the war. Franklin is now happily married with children but his quiet life is soon threatened and the violence he left behind in the war begins to re-emerge.

Running Mates (Comedy; Ontario & Nunavut Region; Running Mates Productions; Executive Producers: Nicholas Tabarrok, John Kozman, Jesse Ikeman, Jeff Glickman; Producers: Thomas Michael, Sean Buckley; Director: Thomas Michael; Writer: Paolo Mancini; Distributor: Boutique Films). When Archie Fenton decides to return to his home town to run for mayor in the hilarious comedy Running Mates, he didn’t count on his best friend to campaign against him. The town is soon divided in their support, and things between the two old buddies quickly turn ugly.

Small Town Murder Songs (Drama; Ontario & Nunavut Region; STMS Films Inc.; Producers: Ed Gass-Donnelly, Lee Kim; Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly; Writer: Ed Gass- Donnelly; Distributor: Kinosmith Inc.). Walter, an aging police officer with a history of aggressive behaviour, has reformed his life but when a murdered body is discovered in his small Mennonite town, Walter’s new life begins to unravel. Walter struggles to remain objective, but his unresolved feelings soon bubble to the surface.

Textuality (Romantic Comedy; Ontario & Nunavut Region; Strident Films; Executive Producers: Michael Baker, Marco Tallarico, Alistair Leyland, Mike Warner; Producer: Marc Rigaux; Director: Warren Sonoda; Writer: Liam Card; Distributor: eOne Films). Textuality is a hilarious, witty and edgy romantic comedy about a generation of technically savvy multi-taskers who simultaneously feel connected to everyone, yet are unable to connect with anyone.

Whirligig (Comedy; Atlantic Region; Two East Productions Inc., Standing 8 Productions Inc., Big Motion Pictures Ltd.; Producers: David MacLeod, Chaz Thorne, Michael Amo; Director: Chaz Thorne; Writer: Michael Amo; Distributor: Kinosmith Inc.). In order to learn the secrets and win the love of a beautiful married woman, a misguided young man befriends her adopted 12-year-old son.

Low Budget Independent Feature Film Assistance Program – Regional Investments

Every Emotion Costs (Drama; Ontario & Nunavut Region; Nite Fall Studios Incorporated; Producers: Darlene Naponse, Joseph Mansourian; Director: Darlene Naponse; Writer: Darlene Naponse). Every Emotion Costs is Quilla’s journey back to a northern reservation to attend her mothers’ funeral. With the help of her sisters, and through the ceremony of death, she is able to reconnect with her past, her community and the lover she had left behind when she fled to the city many years earlier.

Snow (Drama; Atlantic Region; Snowglobe Productions Inc.; Producers: Suzanne Lively, Rohan Fernando; Director: Rohan Fernando; Writer: Rohan Fernando). A young woman loses everything to the tsunami in Sri Lanka and comes to Canada where a journey of self-discovery demonstrates how the seemingly most inconsequential relationships can have the most profound impact.

About Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian products that appeal to domestic and international audiences. Telefilm also administers the Canada Media Fund. Visit www.telefilm.ca.

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For information:         
Denise Arab
Director, Communications
Telefilm Canada
514-283-0838, ext. 2099
arabd@telefilm.ca
www.twitter.com/telefilm_canada