October 7, 2024
Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund are pleased to welcome 17 new film teams through the Talent to Watch Program with an investment of $3.45 million. The new selection of first-feature films from across the country highlights the dynamic and distinctive storytellers from different regions, markets and communities.
“The Talent to Watch Program continues to be a driving force for discovering the remarkable talent that thrives within our country,” Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “This year’s teams represent the voices of both the present and future of Canada, and we are excited to see their bold imagination brought to life in every frame. We are proud to champion the next generation of storytellers as they enrich our creative economy.”
“Through the Talent Fund, we get to empower the next generation of storytellers that shape the stories we see on screen,” Sandi Treliving, Chair of the Talent Fund Advisory Committee. “We’re so thankful to our generous donors – from Vancouver to Regina, Toronto to Halifax – whose steadfast contributions ensure that the Talent Fund can continue its vital mission: investing in the future of Canadian and Indigenous filmmakers.”
Here are the projects selected under the streams of the Talent to Watch Program:
Indigenous Stream
Under this stream, all key members of the creative team must be Indigenous.
Houseboat (science fiction/fantasy)
Director and screenwriter: Jerry Wolf
Producer: Adeline Bird
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Industry Partner Stream
For projects that are recommended by a designated industry partner.
Danse Laurence! (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Laura Marroquin-Éthier
Producer: Francesca Rubartelli Barcenas
Province: Quebec
Language: French
Partner organization: National Institute of Image and Sound (INIS)
EXP (drama)
Director: Ted Sakowsky
Screenwriter: Ed Sakowsky
Producers: Momo Daud and Katarzyna Anielak
Executive Producer: Joseph Sindaha
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Partner organization: York University
Meat (science fiction/fantasy)
Director: Ryan Steel
Screenwriters: Ryan Steel and Sean Henderson
Producer: Sean Maheux Galway
Province: Manitoba
Language: English
Partner organization: Winnipeg Film Group
Festival Selection Stream
For emerging filmmakers who have directed a short film that was selected at a recognized film festival.
Hair Or No Hair (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Janessa St. Pierre
Producer: Mariam Barry
Province: British Columbia
Language: English
Hue & Cry (drama-comedy)
Director and screenwriter: Maziyar Khatam
Producers: Tyler Mason and Anya Chirkova
Executive Producer: Guy Maddin
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
Under this stream, all key members of the creative team must be Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, women, gender-diverse individuals, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, persons with disabilities; and/or members of an Official Language Minority Community.
Alice (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Mélissa Savoie-Soulières
Producer: Sophie Gagnon-Bergeron
Province: Quebec
Language: French
Cette Terre m'appellera Maître (documentary)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Katia Café-Fébrissy
Executive Producer: Alexandrine Torres de Figueiredo
Province: Ontario
Language: French and Creole
Civilian (documentary)
Director and producer: Raya Hamdan
Screenwriters: Mazin Almusharaf and Raya Hamdan
Province: Ontario
Language: English and Sudanese Arabic
External Neighbours (science fiction/fantasy)
Director and screenwriter: Anna Maguire
Producers: Erin Carter and Anna Maguire
Executive Producers: Anaëlle Béglet, Jeanne-Marie Poulain - Art et essai
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Fios da Terra (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Kayla Fragman
Producer: Amélie Tremblay
Executive Producer: Dominique Dussault
Province: Quebec
Language: Portuguese (Azorean dialect), French and English
Homewrecker (drama)
Director: Simon Paluck
Screenwriter: Caleb Harwood
Producer: Graeme D. Blyth
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Les Priants (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Martine Gignac
Producer: Evelyne Lafleur Guy
Province: Quebec
Language: French
MARCHEUSES (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Carlos Cortés
Producers: Hippolyte de Chanlaire and Nathalie Guérard
Province: Quebec
Language: French, English and Algonquin
Puddy Tat (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Kaytlyn Turner
Producers: Kyla Ferrier and Kevin Dong
Province: Alberta
Language: English
Requiem For A Sad Girl (thriller)
Director and screenwriter: Maude Michaud
Producers: Jen Viens and Maude Michaud
Executive Producer: Philip Kalin-Hadju
Province: Quebec
Language: English
Uninvited (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Rose Katché
Producer: Mérédith Gonzalez-Bayard
Province: Quebec
Language: French and English
Telefilm received a high volume of applications under the Talent to Watch Program for the fiscal year 2024-2025, with 150 projects assessed representing nearly $35 million in funding requests.
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.
Quotes from past Talent to Watch recipients:
Receiving anchor financing from the Talent Fund for my debut feature film, In Flames - was absolutely transformational. The fund recognizes the challenges faced by early-stage creators, and empowers them to take risks on projects that might otherwise never see the light of day. In Flames went on to be the first film from the Talent Fund to be selected at Cannes, and later won the Canadian Screen Award for Best First Feature. This journey began with the Talent Fund believing in the film, and I hope will continue to be the place for generations to come - where the first spark for Canadian filmmakers is ignited! –
Zarrar Kahn
Being a Talent to Watch recipient has easily been the most significant leap forward in my filmmaking journey. The Talent Fund funding my first feature film DO I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE? allowed me to make a film I'm incredibly proud of, but also allowed me to create something that has opened doors for me in this industry. I'm so excited for what the future holds and Talent to Watch has been a crucial first step in what I hope to be a long and accomplished career. – Arianna Martinez
The Talent Fund has helped me considerably in moving to the next level of my career; it has also strengthened my voice and shown my abilities as a director. – Jason Karman
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.
About the Talent Fund
The Talent Fund is a national donation initiative dedicated to the impact and longevity of first-time filmmakers’ careers from across Canada. Igniting career paths in cinema, the Talent Fund invests in emerging talent and provides support to build their professional portfolios, fosters community and knowledge-sharing through professional mentorship, and prioritizes emerging creators from historically underrepresented communities. Funds raised are invested in Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program – a career accelerator and launchpad – which helps the next generation of storytellers contribute to a thriving Canadian film industry. Since 2012, the Fund has supported over 199 film projects, brought to life by more than 400 emerging artists (writers, producers, and directors) and has financed films that have earned over 200 awards worldwide. Individual donors, family foundations, corporations and sponsors invest in the Talent Fund as they believe in the power of storytelling through film, and the impact this program has on the careers of emerging artists. To learn more about the Talent Fund or to make a donation, visit thetalentfund.ca
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