Canada Showcase - A Program of Grants for Canadian Festivals

The primary goal of Canada Showcase is to increase awareness of high quality Canadian works at Canadian festivals, more specifically films (including short films), television programs and new media productions. Canada Showcase further seeks to encourage opportunities to celebrate, showcase and market Canadian works at festivals that are international, national or regional in scope. Canada Showcase also supports festivals that provide business-building opportunities (e.g., markets, forums, sales).

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for assistance, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

• be a not-for-profit organization;
• be a Canadian-controlled entity, as determined according to sections 26 to 28 of the Investment Canada Act ;
• demonstrate and document its capacity to organize and satisfactorily manage an event, as well as its commitment and proposed approach to ensuring transparency and accountability by means of first-rate governance.

Cinematheques, student festivals and festivals hosted by film/video co-operatives are not considered eligible, nor are extremely specialized events that are geared to special interest groups.

Eligible Activities

Priority Access

Telefilm Canada currently receives applications for financing that exceeds its available resources. Applicants should therefore be aware that, in administering the Canada Showcase Program, Telefilm Canada will give priority to festivals that demonstrate the ability to accomplish the following:

• provide effective exposure and promotion of Canadian works to national and international audiences, while encouraging cultural diversity;
• provide regions of Canada with increased access to Canadian and international works;
• involve the professional audiovisual community in the event by providing suitable activities, services and forums for participants;
• create an original event that will rally the various local communities and enhance the cinematic menu currently available to the public;
• contribute to the development of the Canadian film industry while building new audiences and fostering new groups.

Summary

Telefilm Canada's prime objective with the Canada Feature Film Fund is to capture 5% of the domestic box office by 2006 and to increase audiences for Canadian feature films abroad. The Canada Showcase program plays an important role in meeting this goal by providing financial assistance to festivals that contribute actively, directly and distinctively towards the promotion and presentation of Canadian works.

Festivals represent important opportunities to promote, showcase and celebrate Canadian films. Consistent with Telefilm Canada's mandate, festivals are seen as accomplishing the following:

• promoting Canadian works to national and international audiences;
• providing regions of Canada with increased access to Canadian and international works; and
• contributing to the development of Canadian films.

Application Process

All applications, complete with all required support material, must be submitted to the Telefilm Canada office in your region to the attention of the Canada Showcase Communications Officer.

Complete applications must be submitted no later than three months prior to the beginning of the event for which funding is being requested. Telefilm Canada reserves the right to request any additional information and documents it may deem necessary to assess the application.

Financial Assistance

The financial assistance will take the form of a contribution. As a general rule, Telefilm Canada's financial participation will not exceed 15% of the event's approved total budget.

Ontario Contact(s):
Telefilm Canada
Suite 100
474 Bathurst Street
Toronto, Ontario  M5T 2S6
Telephone: (416) 973-6436
Fax: (416) 973-8606
Toll-free (information): 1-800-463-4607
E-mail: info@telefilm.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/accueil.asp?LANG=EN&

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National Contact(s):
Telefilm Canada
Suite 700
360 Saint-Jacques Street
Montréal, Quebec  H2Y 4A9
Telephone: 514-283-6363
Fax: 514-283-8212
Toll-free (information): 1-800-567-0890
E-mail: info@telefilm.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/accueil.asp?LANG=EN&