BANFF, AB – Corus Entertainment and Telefilm Canada have joined forces to create a Family Feature Production Fund designed to help increase the production of Canadian English-language, live-action family films.
The joint pilot project, announced Tuesday, will provide financing for up to two English-language family feature films a year, including international treaty co-productions, with production budgets of between $3.5 million and $5 million. Films with a fully developed script and marketing plan will be eligible to apply to the fund. Corus and Telefilm will evaluate the applications and use the fund to finance a portion of the film’s budget.
“Our consumer research confirms that age is an extremely important factor in terms of viewing habits: younger Canadians are the heaviest consumers of films, on multiple platforms, in the country. With this in mind, the Family Feature Production Fund is geared to produce and promote Canadian films that will connect with this important demographic,” said Telefilm Canada’s executive director Carolle Brabant in a release.
Corus Entertainment will also provide additional financial support, as well as a broadcast commitment and marketing support through its family and film networks, including Movie Central, W Movies and YTV.
“We are excited to be teaming up with Telefilm Canada on this one-of-a-kind program to kickstart an underserved niche in the Canadian feature film industry and fuel the growing demand for great family films in both the theatrical market and for broadcast,” said John MacDonald, VP and head of programming and production for Corus Entertainment.
The Family Feature Production Fund is scheduled to launch later this year. Information regarding criteria, eligibility and submission process will be available on www.corusent.com and on www.telefilm.ca.
