TORONTO – Committed to showcasing Canadian stories and fostering homegrown talent, Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund marked its 20th anniversary Tuesday.
Over its two decades, the fund has contributed over $39 million to the development and production of more than 2,000 Canadian English-language film and television projects.
Astral Media was the first Canadian broadcaster to establish a national, non-profit private fund to support the development of film and made-for-pay-television productions in 1986. With Astral Media’s creation of Le Fonds Harold Greenberg in 1996, an equivalent French Language Program which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this September, The Fund/Le Fonds has become one of the largest private funding agencies in Canada.
“When we first created The Harold Greenberg Fund in 1986, our mission was to help support the creation of quality cinematic works that both reflect and contribute to our sense of national identity,” said Ian Greenberg, president and CEO, Astral Media, and brother of the late Harold Greenberg. “Twenty years later, we are proud to have enriched the film and television landscape in Canada… When we add to that the activities of our French-language program, The Fund/Le Fonds investments top $48 million. It has been a privilege to work with such creative people and to be a part of the cultural legacy that the Canadian film and television industries have created for this country.”
“The Fund has played a pivotal role in the growth of the Canadian film and television industry and has had the opportunity over the last two decades to celebrate the box office and festival successes of some of our country’s finest scriptwriters, directors and producers, both domestically and internationally,” added John Galway, president, English Language Program, Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund. “We look forward to continuing to strengthen the film and television industry in Canada through our funding programs.”
Supported by Astral Media’s The Movie Network, Viewers Choice and Family Channel, Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund’s three English-language funding programs – Equity Investment Program, Script Development Program and Family Film Program – offer feature film script development loans and equity investments for film and television productions.
Since inception, Astral Media The Harold Greenberg Fund has invested in 1,664 script development projects, 109 story optioning projects, 122 feature films, 11 family television series and 171 training grants. Some of The Fund’s projects include: Beowulf and Grendel, The Hanging Garden, Life With Derek, Love and Human Remains, Men With Brooms, Naturally, Sadie, The Sweet Hereafter and Water.
