Telefilm announced Thursday that it is investing $3.6 million in 16 feature film projects from emerging filmmakers.
The program kickstarts careers by financing first feature films. A total of 136 applications were received, representing $31.2 million in requested funding, a press release said.
The program has three streams: the Industry Partner Stream, which are projects that are recommended by a designated industry partner; the Festival Selection Stream, for those emerging filmmakers who have directed a short film that was selected at a recognized film festival; and the Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream, which means that all key creative team members must be indigenous, Black, people of colour, women, gender-diverse, 2SLGBTQIA+, persons with disabilities, and/or members of an official language minority community.
The following are the selected 2026-2027 projects:
A Handyman (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Felipe López Gómez
Producer: Natalia Bernal
Province: Ontario
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
A New Age (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Ethan Eng
Producer: Jackie De Niverville
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
À l’ombre de la flamme (documentary)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Hélène Lebon
Province: Prince Edward Island
Languages: French, English, Japanese
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream and OLMC project
Coldsnap (horror)
Director and screenwriter: Richard Pierre
Producers: Rachel Bulatovich, Krishna Kolanupaka, Richard Pierre
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
Forget Me Not (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Vanessa King
Producer: Megan Thelosen
Province : New Brunswick
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
Holako – Dans les yeux de l’infini (drama)
Director: Okey Beeschope
Screenwriter: Sarah Kéita
Producers: Mamoudou Camara, Okey Beeschope
Province: Quebec
Language: French
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
Keepers Light (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Maximilian Flint
Producer: Samira Eblaghi
Province: Nova Scotia
Language: English
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative
Last Fire (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Dustin McGladrey
Producer: Victoria Juanita Rose Johnnie-Mills
Province: British Columbia
Languages: English, Nisga’a
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
Indigenous component
Looking Glass Hands (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Mika Yatsuhashi
Producer: Max Holzberg
Province: Quebec
Languages: English, Japanese
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream and OLMC project*
Matrimoine (drama)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Sara Bourdeau
Province: Quebec
Language: French
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Paraloeil
Minor Estrangements (comedy)
Director and screenwriter: Meysam Motazedi
Producer: Soledad Vega
Province: Ontario
Languages: English, Farsi
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream
Niagara Crush (horror)
Director and screenwriter: Christina Dovolis
Producers: Torrin Blades, Braden Brickner
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Festival Selection Stream
NIGHTLIFE (drama)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Alexandre Forgues
Province: Ontario
Language: French
Festival Selection Stream
She’s Nonbinary (romantic comedy)
Director and screenwriter: Jess McLeod
Producers: Isabelle Deluce, Erin Purghart, Eva Tavares
Province: British Columbia
Language: English
Festival Selection Stream
Sur les pas d’Hauris (documentary)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Samuel St-Pierre
Province: Quebec
Language: French
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Institut national de l’image et du son (INIS)
Welcome To The Bluebird (mystery/crime)
Director: Griffin Cork
Screenwriter: Anthony Schokalsky
Producer: Adrian Gonzalez de la Peña
Province: Alberta
Languages: English, French
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF)
