Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund unveiled the selection of 16 first feature-length film projects from emerging independent filmmakers, under the Talent to Watch Program for fiscal year 2022-2023. A commitment of $3.5 million will be invested into these projects by Telefilm and the Talent Fund. “For the past decade, Talent Fund has played a pivotal role in giving emerging filmmakers a career launchpad to showcase their stories to the world,” said Sandi Treliving, Chair of the Talent Fund. “Thanks to the support of our generous donors, this year's cohort will be able to bring their unique visions to life. We look forward to seeing the results of this year’s recipients and can’t wait for audiences to discover these talented filmmakers.”
As part of Telefilm’s modernization efforts, the Talent to Watch Program was relaunched earlier this spring with important changes, including an increase funding of $250,000 (up from $150,000) per film project and up to $150,000 for documentary projects. In addition, this year’s Talent to Watch recipients will have access to a new mentorship program administered by the National Screen Institute (NSI) and the Institut national de l'image et du son (INIS). “Class of 2022 features an array of storytellers from across the country, illustrating that Canada is indeed full of incredible talent ready to share their stories through the art of cinematography,” said Francesca Accinelli, Interim Executive Director and CEO, Telefilm Canada. “Talent to Watch alumni like Daiva Žalnieriunas and Josiane Blanc are paying it forward playing the roles of producers in support of new emerging teams. For the first time ever, the Talent to Watch program is supporting a Tibetan- and English- language film project, 100 Sunset, and an Arabic film project set in the Sinaï region of Egypt, The Firehouse. With significant changes made to our program, we can expect more diverse voices coming in our pipeline and making their mark in the Canadian audiovisual landscape.”
The creatives selected for the initiative include "100 Sunset," a mystery, with Director and screenwriter: Kunsang Kyirong, Producer: Joaquin Cardoner, from British Columbia in Tibetan/English Stream, including Industry Partner, Partner organization: Vancouver International Film Festival, "1001 couronnes pour ma tête" (documentary), featuring Director, screenwriter and producer: Habibata Ouarme, Province: Ontario, Language: French/English, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct. Agent Dynamo (documentary), Director and screenwriter: Lea Marinova, Producer: Svetla Turnin , Province: Quebec, Language: English/Bulgarian, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct. L’asile (documentary), Director and screenwriter: David Sanchez, Producer: François Dubé, Province: Quebec, Language: French Stream: Industry Partner, Partner organization: SPIRA. Boxcutter (drama), Director: Reza Dahya, Screenwriter: Chris Cromie, Producers: Reza Dahya and Soko Negash, Province: Ontario, Language: English, Stream: Industry Partner, Partner organization: Prism Prize. "Chemins de terre," (horror), Director and screenwriter: Laetitia Demessence, Producer: Yann-Manuel Hernandez, Province: Quebec, Language: French Stream: Industry Partner, Partner organization: Université de Montréal.
Other projects selected were "Do I Know You From Somewhere?" (drama), Director: Arianna Martinez, Screenwriters: Gordon Mihan and Arianna Martinez, Producers: Gordon Mihan and Lance Blakney, Province: New Brunswick Language: English, Stream: Industry Partner, Partner organization: New Brunswick Film Co-Operative, "The Firehouse" (drama), Director and screenwriter: Omar Elhamy. Producer: Jonathan Beaulieu-Cyr, Province: Quebec, Language: Arabic, Stream: Festival Selection, "His Father’s Son" (drama), featuring Director and screenwriter: Meelad Moaphi, Producers: Stephen Raglow and Spencer Hahn , Province: Ontario, Language: English/Farsi, Stream: Industry Partner, Partner organization: York University, "Johanne" (documentary), Director and screenwriter: Nadine Valcin, Producers: Josiane Blanc, Ania Jamila Province: Ontario, Language: French, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct, "Jude and the Jinn" (magic realism), Director and screenwriter: Rolla Tahir, Producers: Mercedes Cardella and Ladan Siad, Province: Ontario, Language: English/Arabic, Stream: Industry Partner, Partner organization: ReelWorld Film Festival Inc.
"Lucky Strikes," a comedy, also made the cut, featuring Director and screenwriter: Darcy Waite, Producer: Madison Thomas, Province: Manitoba, Language: English, Stream: Industry Partner – Indigenous Component, Partner organization: On Screen Manitoba Inc. "The River Will Carry Us" (drama), Director and screenwriter: Mahsa Razavi, Producers: Priscilla Galvez and Tanya Hoshi , Province: Ontario, Language: English/Persian, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct . Seahorse (drama), Directors: Natalie Remplakowski and Aisha Evelyna, Screenwriter: Aisha Evelyna, Producers: Natalie RemplakowskI and Aisha Evelyna , Province: Ontario, Language: English, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct. The Track (documentary), Director, screenwriter and producer: Ryan Sidhoo, Province: British Columbia, Language: English/Bosnian, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct, Tandis que lui (drama), Director and screenwriter: Elisa Gilmour, Producer: Daiva Žalnieriunas, Province: Ontario, Language: French, Stream: Filmmaker Apply-Direct