Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund invest $3.45 million in 17 new feature film projects

Press Release

Telefilm Canada and the Talent Fund are backing 17 new film teams through the Talent to Watch program with an investment of $3.45 million. These selected first features showcase distinct creative talent from across the country, and gives emerging filmmakers the opportunity to add their voices and help shape Canada’s vibrant cultural identity.

“Talent to Watch is a powerful springboard for emerging filmmakers, giving them the opportunity to share their unique voices and contribute to the mosaic of stories that shape Canada’s identity” said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “The richness and diversity of these projects reflect our deep commitment to showcasing a wide range of genres, languages and perspectives in many of our regions, each one adding a vital thread to the fabric of Canadian storytelling.”

“The Talent Fund is essential to enabling the next generation of filmmakers to add their creativity to Canadian and Indigenous film,” said Sandi Treliving, Chair of the Talent Fund Advisory Committee. “The donations that we receive from our generous donors are equally important. Thank you to our thoughtful supporters across Canada for ensuring that the Fund can continue to have an impact on homegrown film and the sense of belonging it inspires.”

Selected projects include:

Away With Dad (sci-fi, fantasy and fairytale)
Director and screenwriter: Kyle Credo
Producer: Farah Abdo
Province: Ontario
Languages: English and Filipino (Visayan)
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

De plein fouet (suspense)
Director: Léonard Giovenazzo
Screenwriters: Léonard Giovenazzo and Janie Faucher-Roy
Producers: Tristan Alain and Laurence Wells
Province: Quebec
Languages: English, French and Korean
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, Concordia University

From Me To You (romantic comedy)
Director: Daniel Little
Screenwriters: Daniel Little and Peter Jickling
Producer: Martin O’Brien
Province: Yukon
Language: English
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Yukon Film Society

Good Morning Vietnam (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Luis Petranko
Producers: Charbel El Melhem and Andres Molina
Province: Quebec
Languages: French and Spanish (Castilian)
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Hiding In My Cells (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Ali Naqi
Producers: Ali Naqi and Christina Saliba
Province: Quebec
Languages: English and Kannada
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Hypothetical Baby (drama)
Director: Nicole Bazuin
Screenwriter: Rachel Cairns
Producers: Rachel Cairns and Nicole Bazuin
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Kage No Hana (drama)
Director: Latif Ullah
Screenwriters: Latif Ullah and Mako Fujimoto
Producers: Latif Ullah and Mako Fujimoto
Province: British Columbia
Language: Japanese (Kansai-ben)
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Les rescapés du paradis (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Bogdan Stefan
Producer: Stéphanie Gagné
Province: Quebec
Language: French
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Bande Sonimage

Les Ombres de la Métropole / The Shadows of the Metropolis (documentary)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Ahana B. Murumbi
Province: Quebec
Languages: French and English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Nadine Pick Up The Phone (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Vanessa Magic
Producer: Bonnie Do
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Nobody Sees Me Like You Do (drama)
Director and screenwriter: Keith Hodder
Producers: Ariel Yang and Maxine Grossman
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Parrandas (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Constance Chaput-Raby
Producer: Isabelle Grignon-Francke
Province: Quebec
Languages: French, English and Spanish (Castilian)
Industry Partner Stream
Partner organization: Forum RIDM

Place des aubes (drama)
Director, screenwriter and producer: Sébastien Higgins
Province: Ontario
Languages: French and English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

POW WOW (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Pete Kolopenuk
Producer: Laura Faul
Province: Saskatchewan
Languages: English and Cree
Indigenous Stream

Stages of Change (drama)
Director: Cassidy Civiero
Screenwriter: Alanna Schwartz
Producer: Katie Billo
Province: Ontario
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

The Ruin of the Earth (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Yannick Jamey
Producer: Ophelia Spinosa
Province: Quebec
Languages: English and Irish (Gaelic)
Festival Selection Stream

Trans Girls: Raw and Uncut (documentary)
Director and screenwriter: Mily Mumford
Producer: Erin Purghart
Province: British Columbia
Language: English
Filmmaker Apply-Direct Stream

Telefilm received a high volume of applications in the Talent to Watch Program for fiscal 2025-26. Over 155 projects representing more than $34million in funding requests were assessed.

Statistics on all films funded in the year will be published in the 2025–26 Annual Report.

An advisory committee composed of external and internal representatives assessed the projects and made recommendations to Telefilm. The decision-making process is designed to ensure that Telefilm funds a balanced production portfolio reflecting a variety of genres, budgets, company sizes, regions of the country, and perspectives. A list of the committee members will be posted on Telefilm’s Project Financing Advisory Committees page once all funding decisions have been made.

About Telefilm Canada

As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and abroad. Telefilm also makes recommendations to the Minister of Canadian Heritage regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations that principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Letterboxd.

About the Talent Fund

The Talent Fund is a national donation initiative dedicated to the impact and longevity of first-time filmmakers’ careers from across Canada. Igniting career paths in cinema, the Talent Fund invests in emerging talent and provides support to build their professional portfolios, fosters community and knowledge-sharing through professional mentorship, and prioritizes emerging creators from historically underrepresented communities. Funds raised are invested in Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program – a career accelerator and launchpad – which helps the next generation of storytellers contribute to a thriving Canadian film industry. Since 2012, the Fund has supported over 215 film projects, brought to life by more than 400 emerging artists (writers, producers, and directors) and has financed films that have earned over 200 awards worldwide. Individual donors, family foundations, corporations and sponsors invest in the Talent Fund as they believe in the power of storytelling through film, and the impact this program has on the careers of emerging artists. To learn more about the Talent Fund or to make a donation, visit thetalentfund.ca

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Media contact:

Joyce Richards
Advisor, Strategic Communications
Telefilm Canada
joyce.richards@telefilm.ca

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