Telefilm Canada welcomes 16 filmmaking teams and projects selected for 2020-2021 Talent to Watch Program

Sixteen projects representing some of Canada’s strongest new voices from coast to coast to coast

Montréal/Toronto – August 18th, 2020 – Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund are pleased to announce the 2020 projects selected under the Talent to Watch Program, with a total of 16 first feature films and narrative web projects to be made from emerging independent filmmakers from across the country. Over $2.2 million will be invested by Telefilm and the Talent Fund in projects that include works in both Official Languages. Thirteen of the 16 teams are culturally diverse, with one who self-identify as gender diverse. Additionally, 50 per cent of the selected stories are directed by women. 

New this year, feature film projects will receive $150,000 (up from $125,000) in support. 

“This year’s Talent to Watch program selections provide our emerging filmmakers with some piece of mind at a time of great uncertainty. This funding gives them the opportunity to begin planning and fine-tuning their projects while we wait for some local productions to resume,” said Christa Dickenson, Executive Director, Telefilm Canada. “From Heather Young’s Murmur, to Jasmin Mozaffari’s Firecrackers, we have seen how the Talent to Watch program works as a career launchpad for filmmakers, while showcasing their stories to audiences around the world.” 

The Talent to Watch program is made possible by the generous support of donors across the country to Talent Fund, which has been championing emerging filmmakers since it was launched in 2012. $17 million has been raised to date, which has funded nearly 150 feature films and webseries. 

“Now more than ever, it is vital that we support new voices and give them the opportunity to shine,” said Christine Magee, Chair of the Talent Fund. “The Talent Fund does just that. It plays a vital role in creating new spaces for filmmaking talent by directly providing funding for projects from the Talent to Watch program. It has been a pleasure to watch the careers of Canada’s brightest talents launch through this program, and we can’t wait to see the results of this year’s selections. Thank you to our donors who make our filmmakers’ dreams and budding careers possible.” 

Lending their expertise a part of the selection committee included such filmmakers as Sharon Lewis (director – Brown Girl Begins), Yonah Lewis (co-director – White Lie), Lori Lozinski (producer – The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open), Allison White (Talent to Watch alumna, producer – Cast No Shadow), and Heather Young (Talent to Watch alumna, director – Murmur), while the external jury for the Indigenous selections has asked to remain anonymous. This year, French-language projects were evaluated by an internal jury at Telefilm due to limitations caused by COVID-19. 

Projects selected for 2020-2021: 

Alter Boys 

Director and Writer: Jonathan Lawrence 
Producer: Ryan Cooper  
Province/Territory: Manitoba 
Partner organization: On Screen Manitoba 
Language: English 

Bitter Sweat 

Director: D.W. Waterson  
Writer: Caitlin English 
Producer: Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs 
Province/Territory: Ontario 
Partner organization: Canadian Film Centre
Language: English  

Blokus  

Director and Writer: Josiane Blanc 
Producer: Ania Jamila  
Province/Territory: Ontario  
Partner organization: Le Laboratoire d’art – Le Labo Inc. 
Language: French 

Compulsus 

Director and Writer: Tara Thorne  
Producer: Nicole Steeves 
Province/Territory: Nova Scotia 
Partner organization: Women In Film and Television – Atlantic 
Language: English 

Doug Find Rose 

Director and Writer: Grace Glowicki 
Producer: Harry Cepka 
Province/Territory: Ontario 
Partner organization: Festival Selection Stream 
Language: English 

Fred l’handicapé  

Director: Emmanuelle Landry 
Writer: Frédéric Mallet 
Producer: André Roy 
Province/Territory: New Brunswick 
Partner organization: New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-operative 
Language: French 

Golden Delicious 

Director: Jason Karman 
Writer: Gorrman Lee 
Producer: Kristyn Stilling 
Province/Territory: British Columbia 
Partner organization: Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Society 
Language: English 

Jour de merde 

Director and Writer: Kevin T. Landry 
Producer: Kélyna N. Lauzier 
Province/Territory: Quebec 
Partner organization: Institut national de l’image et du son 
Language: French 

Les quintessences 

Director, Writer and Producer: Philippe David Gagné 
Province/Territory: Quebec 
Partner organization: Festival Selection Stream 
Language: French 

Mariam 

Director and Writer: Hamza Bangash 
Producer: Anam Abbas 
Province/Territory: Ontario 
Partner organization: Festival Selection Stream 
Language: English 

Mongrels 

Director and Writer: Jerome Yoo 
Producer: Nach Dudsdeemaytha 
Province/Territory: British Columbia 
Partner organization: Telus Storyhive 
Language: English 

Querencia 

Director and Writer: Mary Galloway 
Producer: Jessie Anthony 
Province/Territory: British Columbia 
Partner organization: ACADEMY OF CANADIAN CINEMA AND TELEVISION – CANADIAN ACADEMY DIRECTORS PROGRAM FOR WOMEN 
Language: English 

The Chinatown Diner 

Director and Co-writer: Lawrence Le Lam 
Co-writer: Tesh Guttikonda 
Producer: Thomas Affolter 
Province/Territory: British Columbia 
Partner organization: Crazy8s Film Society 
Language: English 

The Good Guise 

Director and Writer: Chrisann Hessing 
Producer: Tanya Hoshi 
Province/Territory: Ontario 
Partner organization: Festival Selection Stream 
Language: English 

The Green Waterways 

Director and Writer: Kennlin Barlow 
Producer: Corrina Merasty 
Province/Territory: New Brunswick 
Partner organization: New Brunswick Filmmakers Co-operative
Language: English 

When Morning Comes 

Director and Writer: Kelly Fyffe-Marshall 
Producer: Tamar Bird 
Province/Territory: Ontario 
Partner organization: Festival Selection Stream 
Language: English 

As part of the Talent to Watch selection process, creative teams from across the country submitted potential projects to one of the program’s sixty designated partners. Each partner then submits projects to Telefilm for consideration by the decision juries. 

The Festival Selection Stream allows emerging filmmakers whose short films have been selected at key festival to submit a project directly to Telefilm for jury consideration. 

About the Talent Fund 

The Talent Fund is a private donation fund dedicated to the discovery, development and promotion of Canada’s next generation of emerging filmmakers and content creators. Guided by an advisory committee of business and community leaders, the Fund mainly supports the discovery and career progression of emerging Canadian talent in the audiovisual industry. Thanks to principal partners Bell Media and Corus Entertainment, and to several corporations, foundations and individuals, the Fund has raised $17 million to date. Visit thetalentfund.ca for more information. 

About Telefilm Canada 

Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations to principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada

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