Telefilm Canada launches festival funding programs for fiscal year 2023-2024  

September 29, 2022 – Telefilm is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 guidelines for the festival funding programs, including the new Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program, which will replace the Limited Edition Stream of the Promotion Program, for festivals with start dates on or after October 1, 2023.  

The review of the Promotion Program, as part of Telefilm’s modernization initiatives, began in 2021 with the launch of the General Admission Stream of the Promotion Program, to support small and emerging film festivals. Announcement on the future of the Industry Initiatives Stream will be made at a later time. 

Please note that the Reopening Fund is no longer available under these programs.  

New to the programs: 

General Admission Festivals Program 

• Funding for eligible festivals will now be provided through a dedicated program rather than as a stream of the Promotion Program. 
• To be eligible for this program, festivals must have had two editions or more (i.e., the edition for which funding is requested must be at least the third edition of the festival). 
• The first intake period is expected to be in the spring of 2023.  
• Telefilm’s financial participation is $5,000, which may be increased, in Telefilm’s discretion, up to $15,000, dependent on the number of applications, availability of funds and the festival’s scale, location and mandate. 

Medium- to Large-Scale Festivals Program  

• Funding for eligible festivals will now be provided through a dedicated program rather than as a stream of the Promotion Program. 
• Applications will be evaluated using an evaluation grid, which will be available on the program’s webpage before its opening.  
• The first intake period is in January of 2023. The specific dates will be announced soon. 
• Updated eligibility criteria: 
  • Not required to be financed by Telefilm in the past to be eligible for funding. 
  • Festival must take place over a minimum of five consecutive days in the same city or regional municipality. 
  • Festival must have had at least seven editions (i.e., the edition for which funding is requested must be at least the eighth edition of the festival). 
  • Festival must have a minimum total activity budget of $300,000.  

• Telefilm’s maximum financial participation amount is the lower of 10% of the film festival’s budget or $250,000. Please note that, generally, the average funding under this Program is expected to be below the maximums indicated above.  

• A webinar for interested festivals to learn more about this new program will be scheduled in the fall. Subscribe to our industry advisories to receive more details when it is announced. 

Important to note: 

Festivals with start dates before October 1, 2023, should reference the current guidelines available in the General Admission Stream webpage and the Limited Edition Stream webpage.