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Theatrical Documentary Program
Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds continue their partnership for the production of feature-length documentaries
Montreal, August 14, 2008 – Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds are delighted to announce the renewal of their partnership with the launch of the Theatrical Documentary Program for Canadian documentary filmmakers for its third year.
This unique public-private partnership, renewed until 2011 with a total budget of $4.5 million, provides financing for feature-length documentary projects with production budgets of $750,000 or more during their production and post-production stages. Telefilm Canada and Rogers Group of Funds are committed to financing up to three English-language and two French-language projects.
There will be a total of $1.5 million in resources for 2008-2009, allocated two-thirds for the English-language market and one-third for the French-language market, for both production and post-production projects.
The goal of the program is to broaden both the slate and audiences for Canadian feature-length documentaries produced for commercial screening in Canada, while jointly financing a number of French- and English-language projects likely to be successful in Canada and abroad.
"Telefilm Canada is proud to renew its partnership with the Rogers Group of Funds," says Wayne Clarkson, Executive Director, Telefilm Canada. “This collaboration encourages innovation and emerging documentary filmmakers by helping to bring their vision to the big screen."
"Rogers is thrilled to be working with a seasoned partner like Telefilm,” stated Robin Mirsky, Executive Director, Rogers Group of Funds. “Both organizations are dedicated to supporting the documentary filmmaking industry and we are confident that together this program will uncover interesting and engaging projects.”
First implemented in 2005-2006 as a one-year pilot project, the Theatrical Documentary Program has participated in the production of 10 English and French-language documentary films, as well as the completion financing of many English-language and French-language documentary film projects throughout Canada. Filmmakers who have benefited from the program are pleased with this positive move for the documentary industry.
“Thanks to the Telefilm Canada program for documentary filmmakers, The Last Continent had unprecedented reach. The Antarctic mission captured fascinating images of an area that will soon be part of World Heritage, and the documentary’s impact on Canadian audiences has surpassed our expectations. More than a simple film about Antarctica, The Last Continent has become an extraordinary event for promoting societal reflection and public awareness,” said director-producer Jean Lemire.
“Without completion funds from Telefilm’s Theatrical Documentary Program, Manufactured Landscapes would never have had a release in Canada,” said Jennifer Baichwal, award-winning director. “The program provides necessary support at crucial stages for long form documentary films which have the potential to be commercially viable outside of the broadcast model. This is both unique and essential to the health of the Canadian documentary film industry, and we applaud the program’s renewal.”
Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds are committed to consulting with key stakeholders by the end of this year to review the program and its guidelines for 2009-10 and 2010-2011.
The deadline for submitting a proposal to the Theatrical Documentary Program is September 30, 2008. For guidelines and additional information, please go to the website at www.telefilm.gc.ca.
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. Engaged in wireless voice and data communications services through Rogers Wireless, Rogers is Canada's largest wireless provider and the operator of the country's only national GSM based network. Through Rogers Cable Rogers is Canada's leading provider of cable television services as well as high-speed Internet access and competitive telephony services. Through Media, Rogers is engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines trade publications, and sports entertainment. For further information about the Rogers Group of companies, please visit www.rogers.com.
Developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry
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 productions that appeal to domestic and international audiences. The Corporation also administers the funding programs of the Canadian Feature Film Fund, the Canadian Television Fund and the Canada New Media Fund.
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Media:
Alejandra Sosa
Communications Officer and Press attaché
(416) 973-6436 (x2505) or 1-800-463-4607
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