BANFF – The Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada (APFC) said Sunday that Netflix is the lead partner on the first-ever Professional Development Program in Film and Television for francophone producers and creators in minority communities across Canada.
In conjunction with the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada, the intensive internship program will allow Canadian francophone scriptwriters, directors, and producers to benefit from support in their regions for the development of original works representative of the country’s diversity, and to ensure the transfer of knowledge to other creators in these regions, reads the announcement.
Scheduled to run from 2019 to 2022 in the Atlantic, Ontario, and Western Canada regions, francophone creators will be able to develop their projects through three components: Feature film scriptwriting and development; Accelerator program for the development of series with international potential; and a Support program that includes master classes, bootcamps, and microprograms. Details of the project will be announced at a later date.
APFC bills itself as the voice of the audiovisual and independent production sector in francophone Canada. Its executive director Carol Ann Pilon said that she is “eager to get this historic project off the ground for the benefit of our film and television creators.”
“Netflix is proud to partner with the Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada, Telefilm Canada, and the Canada Media Fund in supporting this totally new professional development program,” added Stéphane Cardin, Netflix director of public policy for Canada. “This significant investment in francophone creation in a minority setting is the tenth partnership Netflix has made in Canada.”
