Telefilm Canada, alongside the Canada Media Fund (CMF), the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), are announcing a strategic partnership to strengthen the audiovisual sector’s understanding and reach of audiences by prioritizing and harmonizing the measurement and collection of audience data.

This new audience data initiative is one of the various projects brought forth by the table of leaders at federal organizations of the audiovisual sector (Telefilm, CMF, ISO and NFB). For more than a year, the federal audiovisual table has been working with the department of Canadian Heritage to modernize the Canadian audiovisual ecosystem marked by intense competition and questions of cultural sovereignty. This concerted audience-centred approach will inform more effective strategies for reaching audiences, increasing the impact of the richness and diversity of Canadian and Indigenous stories —whether in feature films, television, documentaries, or animated films— and ensuring its discoverability across digital platforms and cinemas.

Building on the Telefilm-led pan-Canadian consultation, which engaged over 50 active companies and key partners in the audiovisual sector, and resulted in the Exploring the Futures of Distribution – Strategic Visions for the Canadian Audiovisual Industry report, greater collaboration is essential to create a cooperative ecosystemic approach centred around audience.

“This joint initiative is a foundational step towards centering audiences around everything that we do, combining our expertise and audience-data to bridge the gap between our ecosystem’s value chains and audiences,” said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “The continuity of our partnerships is paving the way for us to better support the cultural impact of Canadian and Indigenous cinema and position our stories where they belong – at the forefront of screens at home and abroad.”

“This is just the beginning of a major undertaking that will lead to a more concerted action with not only the funding agencies, but will also involve the audiovisual sector at large,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund. “By modernizing how we gather and share audience insights, we will ensure the viability of Canadian content in an era of rapid broadcast and digital change.”

“By strengthening our data collection and audience insights, we can better understand how Indigenous stories are discovered, shared and watched,” said Kerry Swanson, CEO of the Indigenous Screen Office. “This will allow us to amplify Indigenous voices, ensure equitable visibility in the marketplace, and connect these vital narratives with audiences across the country and the world.”

“This collaboration marks a turning point for Canada’s film ecosystem,” said Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada. “By aligning our approaches, the production, promotion and distribution of Canadian films will be better positioned to reach Canadians and reflect the richness, diversity and creativity of our stories for years to come.”

Ongoing key partnerships among the agencies include:

Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada announce a three-year joint strategy to increase industry inclusivity
ISO to administer CMF’s $10m Indigenous Program in a new chapter for Indigenous screen content | Canada Media Fund
In a collaboration to equip Canadian producers with innovative technology and skills to drive viewership, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, and the National Film Board of Canada are joining founding sponsors to expand Magnify Digital’s Audience Development Pilot.

The collaboration of the four organizations to work towards a structured modernization of the Canadian audiovisual distribution landscape will involve many players in the audiovisual sector. More to come in the months ahead.

Telefilm Canada is announcing its investment of $2.68 million in five Indigenous film projects through the Indigenous funding streams for the Theatrical Documentary Program and the Production Program in both the English and French markets.

An annual commitment of $4 million is earmarked for Indigenous creators from Canada’s Indigenous communities, with the remainder amount reserved for Indigenous projects submitted through the Talent to Watch Program and the Development Program.

Ancestral Beasts (horror)

Director and Screenwriter: Tim Riedel

Production: 16198872 Canada Inc

Province: Ontario

Language: English

Instant Indian – The Hijacking of a Nation (documentary)

Director and screenwriter: Jules Koostachin

Production: Xa7tus Productions Inc.

Distribution: IndieCan Entertainment

Province: British Columbia

Language: English

Little People (drama)

Directors: Sarah Houle and Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi

Screenwriters: Shane Ghostkeeper and Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi

Production: Muskego Inc.

Province: Alberta

Language: English and Cree – nehiyawak

The Skins Game (drama)

Director: Jon Elliott

Screenwriter: Justin Neal

Production: Holy Crow Productions

Province: British Columbia

Language: English

Une tragédie inuite: La police au Nunavik (documentary)

Directors: Kim O’Bomsawin and Olivia Ikey

Screenwriters: Kim O’Bomsawin and Chaz Beaudette

Production: Nikan Productions (VI) Inc.

Province: Quebec

Language: French

Telefilm received and assessed 22 projects representing more than $16 million in funding requests. Project submissions were considered by an Advisory Committee, and Telefilm met with all shortlisted teams.

More funding decisions, including projects from the Indigenous stream and the Theatrical Documentary Program will be announced in the coming weeks. Statistics on all films funded in the year will be published in the 2025–26 Annual Report.

An advisory committee composed of external and internal representatives has evaluated the projects and made its recommendations. The decision-making process is designed to ensure that Telefilm funds a balanced production portfolio reflecting a variety of genres, budgets, company sizes, regions of the country, and perspectives. A list of the selection committee members will be posted on Telefilm’s Project Financing Advisory Committees page once all funding decisions have been made.

About Telefilm Canada  

As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations which principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on LinkedIn,  X, Facebook,  Instagram and Letterboxd.    

Canadian cinema will be in the spotlight at the 78th Locarno Film Festival with four feature-length films and three short films all world premiering at the festival. In addition, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige’s Memory Box (France/Lebanon/Canada/Qatar coproduction) is featured in Histoire(s) du Cinéma and will receive the prestigious Raimondo Rezzonico Award. Alongside the films in selection, Canada is the focus country at the 14th edition of First Look, an industry initiative that serves as a key post-production platform for international arthouse projects.

In the Filmmakers of the Present competition, two narrative Canadian features were selected, first-time feature film director Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron (Canada/Hungary coproduction which received funding in Telefilm’s Talent to Watch Program) and directorial debut of Éric K. Boulianne’s Folichonneries (his short Faire un enfant won the Best Director award at the 76th Locarno Film Festival in 2023). In the international competition is Ben River’s Mare’s Nest (UK/France/Canada coproduction), and in the non-competitive section is Steven Kostanski’s Deathstalker, a genre film with executive producer Slash from Guns N’ Roses.

In the shorts competition, Ryan McKenna’s Solitudes (his second short selected at Locarno), Alexandre Dostie’s BOA (Canada/France coproduction), and Jean-Sébastien Hamel and Alexandra Myotte’s animated short Ce qu’on laisse derrière (What We Leave Behind) (their previous short film was shortlisted at the 2025 Oscars®) – were all produced in Quebec.

“Canada makes a powerful mark at Locarno with eight films in selection, one prestigious award and six promising teams in First Look — a record-breaking celebration of Canadian talent!” said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “Locarno has long championed Canadian voices like Denis Côté, Trevor Anderson and Matthew Rankin, and this year reaffirms Canada’s growing impact on global cinema. Our expanding international collaborations and audience markets not only reflect the strength of our storytelling today but also lay a strong foundation for the next generation of storytellers to thrive on the world stage.”

Locarno’s First Look, in partnership with Telefilm Canada, is set to showcase six Canadian feature-length films that are currently in post-production with a goal to enhance their sales prospects and international festival runs. This industry-oriented initiative offers an international platform for Canadian producers to introduce their selected projects, followed by screenings with an audience of sales agents, buyers, festival programmers.

With over 30 submissions, the following feature-length films are selected at Locarno’s First Look:

-Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’s Nina Roza (Quebec)
-Sophie Leblond’s Lhasa (Quebec)
-Nick Butler’s Lunar Sway (British Columbia)
-Raymond St-Jean’s Veins (Quebec)
-Catherine Hébert and Elric Robichon’s We Will Not Be Silenced (Quebec)
-Bryce Hodgson’s Thanks to the Hard Work of the Elephants (British Columbia/Ontario/Quebec)

Telefilm Canada announces its investment in 27 feature-length films in the English market with a commitment of over $14.4 million, under the Production Program’s low budget stream, including international coproductions.

This year’s selection demonstrates strong provincial representation and appeals to a wide range of audiences, from science fiction and horror to comedies and dramas. 

Last month, 12 big-budget feature films in the English market were announced here.

Atlantic

Back For The Holidays (horror/thriller)
Director and screenwriter: Michael Gabriele
Production: Dark Venetian Red Pictures Inc.
Province: Prince Edward Island
Language: English

Clara and Vanessa (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Thom Fitzgerald
Production: Emotion Pictures Incorporated
Province: Nova Scotia
Language: English

Feed (horror)
Director: Nancy Urich
Screenwriters: Nancy Urich and Stephanie Johns
Production: CUT/OFF/TAIL Pictures Inc.
Province: Nova Scotia
Language: English

The Executor (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Joe Cobden
Production: Holdfast Pictures Inc.
Province: Nova Scotia
Language: English

Quebec

Good in the Room (crime-thriller)
Director: Pat Kiely
Screenwriters: Pat Kiely and Mark O’Brien
Production: Banner House Productions Inc. and Grand Touring Production Inc.
Province: Quebec and Ontario
Language: English

Worm (horror)
Director: James Watts
Screenwriters: Kelly Hurcomb and James Watts
Production: Good House Digital Inc.
Distribution: Vortex Media
Province: Quebec
Language: English

Ontario and Nunavut

Below Morning (science fiction/fantasy/tale)
Director and screenwriter: Randall Okita
Production: Lockpicker Productions Inc.
Distribution: Game Theory Films
Province: Ontario
Language: English

Devour (horror)
Director: Erica Orofino
Screenwriters: Erica Orofino and Olivia Loccisano
Production: Wildling Pictures Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English

Dinner with Friends (drama)
Director: Sasha Lee Henry
Screenwriters: Sasha Leigh Henry and Tania Thompson
Production: Admiral Productions Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English

Dirty (horror)
Director and screenwriter: Devon Graye
Production: Let’s Get Dirty LTD.
Province: Ontario
Language: English

IMPORT (thriller)
Director: Paul Shkordoff
Screenwriters: Frank Graziano and Paul Shkordoff
Production: OPC. TV INC, Sweet George Films and Metafilms
Province: Ontario and Quebec
Language: English
*France/Serbia/Canada coproduction

Intro to Swimming (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Aram Collier
Production: LaRue Productions Inc.
Distribution: Filmoption International Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English and Chinese (Cantonese)

Labranza (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Andrea Martinez Crowther
Production: Lulo Films Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English, Spanish
*Canada/Mexico coproduction

Los Turistas (The Tourists) (drama)
Directors and screenwriters: Brad Deane and Lina Rodriguez
Production: Rayon Verde Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English, Spanish
*Canada/Colombia coproduction

Phreaker (thriller)
Director and screenwriter: Adam Yorke
Production: Phreaker Motion Picture Corporation
Distribution: Mongrel Media
Province: Ontario
Language: English

Rocket Fuel (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Jessie Posthumus
Production: Edge Entertainment Inc.
Province: Ontario
Language: English

The Embers and the Stars (science fiction/fantasy/tale)
Director and screenwriter: William Woods
Production: Obvious Allegory Inc.
Distribution: VVS Films
Province: Ontario Language: English

Tides (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Jessica Huras
Production: Nice Picture Inc. and Shut Up & Colour Pictures Inc.
Province: Ontario and Nova Scotia
Language: English

Western

A Hero of Our Time (Man Vs Truck) (comedy)
Director and screenwriter: Ted Stenson
Production: Kino Sum Productions Inc.
Province: Alberta
Language: English

Alien Boy (science fiction/fantasy/tale)
Director and screenwriter: Fawaz Al-Matrouk
Production: Karma Films Inc.
Province: Saskatchewan
Language: English, Arabic

Any Other World (science fiction/fantasy/tale)
Director and screenwriter: Ben Pickles
Production: Any Other World Productions Inc.
Distribution: Photon Films
Province: British Columbia
Language: English

Baby Tooth (mystery/crime/police)
Director and screenwriter: Connor Gaston
Production: Garden Film Studio Ltd. and Studio 104 Entertainment Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English

CAMP (horror)
Director and screenwriter: Avalon Fast
Production: TNodrick Productions Ltd and 16053106 CANADA INC.
Distribution: Filmoption International
Province: Alberta and Quebec
Language: English

Judas Tree (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Susan Bayani
Production: Understory Films Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English, Farsi (Persian)

New Diamond Restaurant (horror)
Director and screenwriter: Milton Ng
Production: Dear Hero Productions Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English, Chinese (Cantonese)

Northern Lights (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Mackenzie Leigh
Production: Heart Shaped Movies Inc.
Province: Manitoba
Language: English

Switchback (thriller)
Director and screenwriter: Melanie Jones
Production: Instilling Entertainment Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English

Telefilm continues to receive a high volume of applications, particularly in Ontario and the Western region, under the Production Program. In the English market, 216 projects were assessed in the low budget stream including international coproductions, representing over $135 million in funding requests. Project submissions were considered by an Advisory Committee, and Telefilm met with all shortlisted teams.

More funding decisions, including projects from the Indigenous stream and the Theatrical Documentary Program will be announced in the coming weeks. Statistics on all films funded in the year will be published in the 2025-2026 Annual Report.

An advisory committee composed of external and internal representatives has evaluated the projects and made its recommendations. The decision-making process is designed to ensure that Telefilm funds a balanced production portfolio reflecting a variety of genres, budgets, company sizes, regions of the country, and perspectives. A list of the selection committee members will be posted on Telefilm’s Project Financing Advisory Committees page once all funding decisions have been made.

Telefilm Canada, at the Annecy International Animation Film Market (MIFA), proudly announces the launch of a new initiative for the development and export of animated feature films.

Telefilm Canada will establish a special envelope of $420,000 for animated features that will be integrated into the Development Program. This initiative aims to recognize the distinctive nature of animated films and to support their early creative stages, particularly storyboard development. It is part of a broader effort to prioritize animation across Telefilm’s entire continuum – from development to marketing – and to reflect the sustained growth of this sector within the audiovisual industry, both in Canada and abroad.

In collaboration with national and international partners, the initiative will highlight the excellence and creativity of Canadian animation while strengthening its export positioning. Backed by Telefilm’s funding programs, this new approach is designed to encourage business development in the field of animation.

A distinctive process

Creating an animated film is a distinctive process that mobilizes a wealth of resources and expertise from the project’s outset. Consequently, Telefilm will support Canadian producers and creators at a key moment, when the imagination takes shape and the narrative and visual foundations of the film are laid. The aim is not only to nurture artistic vision but also to maximize commercial potential by helping projects attract partners and distributors, especially international players.

Animation: a booming sector

Since 2017, Telefilm invested $36.28M in animation projects. During that time, funding applications for animation have doubled, testifying to the sector’s growing interest and dynamism. In the past seven years, Canadian animated films have ranked ten times among the annual top 15 box-office earners.

Telefilm’s aim is to accelerate the development of high-potential projects, strengthen the competitiveness of Canadian animation, engage more audiences and expand animation’s reach at home and abroad.

“Animation embodies our creativity, our capacity to innovate and bring generations together around powerful stories”, said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “With this initiative, Telefilm is reaffirming its commitment to animation as a national jewel by supporting creators at the earliest stages of the process. It’s also a way of looking to the future, of continuing to seduce, captivate and reach audiences of all generations at home and abroad. And lastly, it’s a strategic investment in a fast-growing sector that generates economic value while showcasing Canadian talent on the world stage.”

Telefilm Canada announces its funding for 22 Canadian film festivals, under the Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program, in its first round of decisions for a total investment of $1.6 million.

Through the Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program, Telefilm provides financial support to long-established medium to large-scale Canadian film festivals that help promote Canadian films and talent and stimulate demand for our multiscreen content.  

List of all medium to large-scale film festivals supported by Telefilm (starting between October 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026): 

2025 Forest City Film Festival
2025 image+nation. festival film LGBT2SQueer Montréal
2025 Reelworld Film Festival
2025 Regent Park Film Festival
2025 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival
2025 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
2025 Vancouver Asian Film Festival
2025 Whistler Film Festival
2025 Windsor International Film Festival
2026 Available Light Film Festival
2026 Halifax Black Film Festival
2026 Kingston Canadian Film Festival
2026 Toronto Black Film Festival
2026 Victoria Film Festival
Festival de films francophones CINEMANIA 2025
Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue 2025
Festival du nouveau cinéma 2025
Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie 2025
Festival international du film pour enfants de Montréal 2026
Festival International du Film sur l’Art 2026
Festival REGARD 2026
Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal 2025

Telefilm representatives, with the input from external advisors, evaluated the applications to ensure fair and equitable funding decisions.  

The Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program will re-open from June 16 to July 8, 2025, for festivals with start dates between April 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026. Learn more here.

About Telefilm Canada    

As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations which principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on X and on LinkedIn.         

Telefilm Canada announces funding of $25.8 million in 12 feature-length films – including a new one from Brandon Cronenberg – in the English market under the Production Program, as part of the first round of decisions in the big budget stream, including international coproductions.

The selection of projects showcases diversity across regions, genres, languages and distribution, spanning a global presence, with eight out of the 12 films involving international coproduction partners.

Last week, 12 feature-length films in the French market were announced to receive funding from the big budget stream and the low-budget stream of the Production Program.

All Night Wrong (comedy)
Director: Jason James
Screenwriter: Jason Filiatrault
Production: ALL NIGHT WRONG Productions Inc
Distribution: Mongrel Media
Province: British Columbia
*Canada/UK coproduction

Cohen (drama)
Director: Louise Archambault
Screenwriters: Louise Archambault and Conner Molander
Production: Immina Films, A Media and Rhombus Media
Distribution: Elevation Pictures and Immina Films
Provinces: Quebec and Ontario
Languages: English and French

Daudistan (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Ariel Nasr
Production: Périphéria Productions Inc.
Distribution: Mongrel Media
Province: Quebec
Languages: English and Dari
*Canada/France coproduction

Dragon (science fiction/horror)
Director and screenwriter: Brandon Cronenberg
Production: Plausible Communications Corporation
Distribution: Elevation Pictures
Province: Ontario
*Canada/UK coproduction

Here We Are (comedy/drama)
Director and screenwriter: Mina Shum
Production: Thoughts From the Asylum Productions Ltd.
Distribution: Mongrel Media
Province: British Columbia
Languages: English, Cantonese and Mandarin

The Long Way (romantic comedy)
Director: Philip John
Screenwriter: Michael Amo
Production: Picture Plant Limited
Distribution: Game Theory Films
Province: Nova Scotia
*Canada/UK coproduction

Oddly Flowers (comedy/drama)
Director and screenwriter: Jordan Canning
Production: Shut Up & Colour Pictures Inc.
Distribution: VVS Films
Province: Nova Scotia
*Canada/UK coproduction

The Otters (family/adventure)
Director: Julien Decoin
Screenwriter: Cynthia Knight
Production: Multipix Management (Canada) Inc.
Distribution: Photon Films
Province: Quebec
*Canada/France coproduction

Taking the Waters (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Sophie Jarvis
Production: Reign Films Inc. and Ceroma Films Inc.
Distribution: Game Theory Films
Province: British Columbia
Languages: English and French
*Switzerland/Canada coproduction

Tombs (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Marie Clements
Production: Tombs Production Inc.
Distribution: Photon Films
Province: British Columbia
Languages: English and Cherokee

Trish (comedy)
Director: Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais
Screenwriter: Marc Tulin (story by Marc Tulin, Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais and Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne)
Production: Microscope Inc.
Distribution: Mongrel Media
Province: Quebec
*Canada/Belgium coproduction

Post Production:

Little Lorraine (thriller)
Director: Andy Hines
Screenwriters: Andy Hines and Adam Baldwin
Production: WANGO Films Inc. and Topsail Productions Limited
Distribution: Photon Films
Provinces: Ontario and Nova Scotia

Telefilm continues to receive a high volume of applications under the Production Program. In this first intake, 48 projects were assessed in the big budget stream including international coproductions, representing $116 million in funding requests. Telefilm met with all the teams from each of the projects. A shortlist was then created, and clients were informed after the federal election. Project submissions were considered by an Advisory Committee.

More funding decisions, including projects from the low budget stream in the English market, will be announced in the coming weeks. Statistics on all films funded in the year will be published in the 2025-2026 Annual Report.

An advisory committee composed of external and internal representatives has evaluated the projects and made its recommendations. The decision-making process is designed to ensure that Telefilm funds a balanced production portfolio reflecting a variety of genres, budgets, company sizes, regions of the country, and perspectives. A list of the selection committee members will be posted on Telefilm’s Project Financing Advisory Committees page once all funding decisions have been made.

Telefilm Canada is supporting 25 additional Canadian film festivals, under the Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program (in its second round of decisions). A total of 50 film festivals are supported under this program in fiscal year 2024-2025 with 25 film festivals supported in the first round1. This second intake of the program represents an additional investment of $1.9 million.

Telefilm’s Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program provides financial support to long-established medium to large-scale Canadian film festivals that help promote Canadian films and talent and stimulate demand for our multiscreen content.  

As a partner of choice, Telefilm is committed to advancing the development of the industry and reaching audiences where they are. Through this program, Telefilm supports film festivals across the country and remains committed to foster and support an industry that is representative of all communities in Canada. Further funding decisions will be announced later this year. 

List of all medium to large-scale film festivals supported by Telefilm (starting between April 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025):

2025 Atlantic International Film Festival
2025 Calgary International Film Festival
2025 Calgary Underground Film Festival
2025 CaribbeanTales International Film Festival
2025 Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival
2025 DOXA Documentary Film Festival
2025 Gimli International Film Festival
2025 Hot Docs Festival
2025 ICFF – IncluCity Festival
2025 Images Festival
2025 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
2025 Inside Out Film Festival
2025 Lunenburg Doc Fest
2025 Ottawa International Animation Festival
2025 Toronto Animation Arts Festival International
2025 Vancouver International Film Festival
2025 Vancouver Queer Film Festival
2025 Yorkton Film Festival
Festival cinéma du monde de Sherbrooke 2025
Festival de cinéma de la Ville de Québec 2025
Festival du film de l’Outaouais 2025
Festival Fantasia 2025
Festival international de cinéma et d’art Les Percéides 2025
Festival international de cinéma Vues d’Afrique 2025
Festival International du Film Black de Montréal 2025

These funding decisions were made as part of the promotion program modernization, which began in 2021 in collaboration with the industry, to allocate funding more efficiently and transparently. As announced in September 2022, the promotion program has been segmented by the type of activity into different funding programs to better meet different needs and to meet clear criteria, and further refinements to the program have been done for this year’s program. For the Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program, internal representatives evaluated the applications with the input of external advisors to ensure fair and equitable evaluations.

*One application was initially on hold at the time of the news release, was funded after the announcement of the first round of decisions.

About Telefilm Canada   

As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations which principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on X and on LinkedIn.   

Universal Language is representing Canada in the nomination process for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards®, to be held on March 2, 2025. The film is directed by Matthew Rankin, written by Matthew Rankin, Pirouz Nemati and Ila Firouzabadi and produced by Metafilms. It is being distributed in Canada by Maison 4:3. International sales are handled by Oscilloscope Laboratories.

“This year’s film submissions brilliantly showcase the exceptional talent that makes Canada shine. Universal Language by director Matthew Rankin has been selected by a jury of industry peers to represent Canada in the race for the Oscar® for Best International Feature Film,” says Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “This film is emblematic of our national cinematography: with the success it has enjoyed since its launch at Cannes, no matter what the language, it reaches audiences here and abroad. That’s the power of cinema! We wish Matthew Rankin, Sylvain Corbeil and the entire creative team the best of luck!”

“We are amazed by this improbable selection and we will do our very best to represent Canada at the Oscars,” said director Matthew Rankin. “Universal Language is an expression of very great collective joy between myself and my friends Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi, Sylvain Corbeil and all the beautiful and hilarious people who created this strange, triangle-shaped, Irano-Winnipego-Québécois brain which became our film, beh naamé doosti (in the Name of Friendship).”

Universal Language, which world premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, will have its North American premiere at TIFF on September 10, 2024. The film stars Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, Pirouz Nemati, Mani Soleymanlou and Matthew Rankin.

As the appointed non-voting chair of the committee, Telefilm Canada organizes the annual pan-Canadian Selection Committee for Canada’s submission to the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards®.

The vote was determined by a pan-Canadian committee of industry organizations and guilds, as well as filmmakers and industry professionals appointed to represent organizations. Twenty-six films were submitted for consideration as Canada’s Choice this year. The committee met the morning of August 27th to select the film.

So far, nine countries have submitted their entries for the Best International Feature Film category. Last year, 88 countries submitted a film. 

Key dates:

September 20, 2024 – Theatrical release date of Universal Language
October 2, 2024– Deadline for country submissions for the Best International Feature Film category
December 17, 2024 – Academy shortlist of 15 titles selected to move forward.
January 17, 2025 – Academy Award® nominations announced
March 2, 2025 – Academy Awards® ceremony
 

About Universal Language

Synopsis :

Winter. Somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg. Negin and Nazgol find a large sum of money frozen deep within the sidewalk ice and try to find a way to get it out. Massoud leads a group of befuddled tourists upon an increasingly-absurd walking tour of Winnipeg monuments and historic sites. Matthew leaves his job at the Québec government and embarks upon a mysterious journey to visit his estranged mother. Time, geography and identities crossfade, interweave and collide into a surreal comedy of misdirection.

Structured like a Venn diagram – at the point of confluence between Jacques Tati and Abbas Kiarostami’s Koker Trilogy – Universal Language is at once a diary film, an absurdist city symphony and a welling-up of confinement-era emotion exploring the mysterious interzone where one person ends and the rest of the world begins. An elusive, half remembered dream of home, solitude, our responsibilities to others and the wild turkeys that haunt us.

About Canada in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars®  

In the history of the Oscars®, eight Canadian films have been official nominees in the Best International Feature Film (formerly known as the Best Foreign Language Film category): in 2013, Rebelle, by Kim Nguyen; in 2012, Monsieur Lazhar, by Philippe Falardeau and In Darkness, by Agnieszka Holland (a minority coproduction with Poland and Germany); in 2011, Incendies, by Denis Villeneuve; and, in 2007, Water, by Deepa Mehta. The list also includes three films by Denys Arcand: Le Déclin de l’empire américain, in 1987, Jésus de Montréal, in 1990 and, in 2004, Les Invasions barbares, the only Canadian film to have won the Oscar® in this category.  

About the selection process for the Best International Feature Film category 

Telefilm Canada coordinates and chairs the pan-Canadian Selection Committee, without voting right. The committee comprises some 10 members representing key government agencies and national film industry associations. Each of them may appoint a representative to the jury, in accordance with Academy rules. It is responsible for choosing the film that will represent Canada at the Oscars®, which accepts only one film per country for the Best International Feature Film category.

Academy rules were modified in 2023, specifying that juries must include a minimum of 50% craftspeople that are currently active in the film industry. Jury members must screen all submissions before participating in a virtual conference to evaluate and vote on which film will best represent Canada at the Oscars®. Jurors are encouraged to consider the quality of the films, as well as their international competitiveness.

Submitted films must have been produced outside the United States in a language of at least 51% other than English and must have been theatrically exhibited in the submitting country for at least seven consecutive days between November 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.

About Telefilm Canada  

As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations which principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/Telefilm_Canada and on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.  

Telefilm Canada is announcing its investment of $14.1 million in 26 feature film projects in the English market under the Production Program in the low budget stream (including international coproductions).

Atlantic

Baby 
Director and screenwriter: Jackie Torrens
Production: Peep Media Inc.
Province: Nova Scotia
Language: English

Blueberry Picking
Director and screenwriter: Sherry White
Production: Oversherry Productions Ltd.
Province: Newfoundland and Labrador
Language: English

The Shuttle
Director and screenwriter: Winston DeGiobbi
Production: Brass Door Productions Inc.
Province: Nova Scotia
Language: English

Quebec

Donde Comienza el Río (Where the River Begins)
Director and screenwriter: Juan Andrés Arango
Production: Midi La Nuit Inc. and Inercia Películas
Languages: Spanish (Colombian) and Emberá, Indigenous dialect
*Majority Coproduction Canada/Colombia

Moving Day
Directors: Caitlyn Sponheimer, Tamara Scherbak, Carol Nguyen, Kaye Adelaide, Jill Carter and Kim Barr
Screenwriters: Diane Janna, Tamara Scherbak, M.J. Kang, Kathy-Ann Thomas, Deydra Baptiste, Katrina Bertrand and Alex Feldman  
Production: Cotton Bush Productions Inc.
Languages:  English and French

Red Acres
Directors and screenwriters: Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer
Production: Slykid Inc.
Language: English

Ontario

Deathstalker
Director and screenwriter: Steven Kostanski
Production: Hangar 18 Media Inc.
Language: English

Homebodies
Director: Casey Walker
Screenwriters: Adrian Murray and Marcus Sullivan
Production: Cave Painting Pictures Inc.
Language: English

I Come Home
Director: Glen Wood
Screenwriter: Andreas Vatiliotou
Production: Viddywell Films Inc.
Language: English

Lunar Sway
Director and screenwriter: Nicholas Butler
Production: Cloudy Falls Pictures Inc.
Language: English

Morningside
Director: Ron Dias
Screenwriters: Joanne Jansen and Ron Dias
Production: Augusta Avenue Productions Inc.
Language: English

Nuur

Director: Lula Ali Ismail
Screenwriter: Hassan Ghedi Santur
Production: Good Question Media Inc.
Languages: English and Somali

Pocket Mirror
Director and screenwriter: Adrian Murray
Production: Ravenea Pictures Inc. and Silent Tower Inc.
Language: English

The Temple
Directors and screenwriters: Calvin Thomas and Yonah Lewis
Production: Babe Nation Creations Inc. and Lisa Pictures Ltd.
Language: English

They Echo
Director and screenwriter: Lu Asfaha
Production: Snail Mail Media Inc. and Defar Media Inc.
Languages: English and Swahili

UGLY
Director and screenwriter: Ed Gass-Donnelly
Production: 3 Legged Dog Films Ltd.
Language: English

Western Region

Grand Prairie
Director: Evan Prosofsky
Screenwriters: Evan Prosofsky and Chandra Melting Tallow
Production: Grand Prairie Film Inc.
Province: Alberta
Languages: English, Blackfoot (Siksika First Nation) and Carinthian German (Hutterite Colony)

Hair of the Bear
Directors and screenwriters: Alexandre Trudeau and James McLellan
Production: Hair of The Bear Films Inc. and HOTB Quebec Productions Inc. 
Provinces: Manitoba and Quebec
Languages: English and French

One Perfect Date
Director and screenwriter: Lucas Frison
Production: Prairie Cat Productions Inc. and Megafun Productions Inc.
Provinces: Saskatchewan and Quebec
Language: English

Split Rock
Director and screenwriter: Ryan Glover
Production: Prowler Pictures Inc., Low End Inc. and Observer Effect Productions Inc.
Provinces: Saskatchewan and Ontario
Language: English

Stranger in Town
Director: Melanie Oates
Screenwriter: Patrick Whistler
Production: Goodbye Productions Inc.
Province: British Columbia
Language: English

The Bryce Lee Story
Director: Arnold Lim
Screenwriters: Connor Gaston, Arnold Lim and Kyle D’Odorico 
Production: Blue Lake Films Ltd.
Province: British Columbia
Languages: English and Chinese – Cantonese

Minority Coproductions

Birthday
Director and screenwriter: Lara Zeidan
Production: Couronne Nord Inc. and Sevana Films
Province: Quebec
Languages: Arabic, English and French
*Minority Coproduction Canada/France

Idling
Director: Theodore Ushev
Screenwriter: Chris Robinson
Production: 9468-2713 Québec Inc. and PREMIER STUDIO
Province: Quebec
Language: English
*Minority Coproduction Canada/Bulgaria

Tahmina
Director and screenwriter: Aboozar Amini
Production: Greenground Productions Inc. and Silkroad Film Salon
Province: Quebec
Language: Persian
*Minority Coproduction Canada/Netherlands

Terra (Khak)
Director: Raha Shirazi
Screenwriters: Giovanna Giuliani and Raha Shirazi
Production: Borrowed Light Films Inc., Aeternam Films and Doppio Nodo Double Bind
Province: Ontario
Language: English
*Minority Coproduction Canada/France/Italy

Telefilm received an increasingly high volume of applications under the Production Program this year. In this first intake, 187 projects were assessed in the low budget stream including international coproductions, representing over $106 million in funding requests.

More funding decisions, including projects from the low budget Indigenous Stream will be announced in the coming weeks. Statistics on all films funded in the year will be released once all funding decisions have been made.

An advisory committee of external and internal representatives assessed the projects and made recommendations to Telefilm. The decision-making process considered Telefilm’s goal of fostering a diversity of voices in the industry, ensuring that Telefilm funds a balanced portfolio of productions that reflect a variety of genres, budgets and company sizes, regions of the country and points of view. Names of selection committee members will be published on the Project Financing Advisory Committees webpage once all funding decisions have been made.