Telefilm has launched a new program to raise awareness of Canadian indie cinema in U.S. markets.

Called “Canada Cool” and starting this September, the financier will be offering U.S. exhibitors the opportunity to screen a roster of Canadian comedy films not yet in U.S. distribution. It has two stops booked: New York’s Cinema Village and L.A.’s Crest/Westwood for a week-long run from Sept. 18 to 25.

Additional locations are being sought, with exhibitors able to choose from just one film or all 12.

The 10 comedies included in the exhibition are Being Canadian (directed by Robert Cohen), Animal Project (Ingrid Veninger), Asphalt Watches (Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver), Bang Bang Baby (Jeffrey St. Jules), De père en flic (“Fathers and Guns”) (Émile Gaudreault), Henri Henri (Martin Talbot), Relative Happiness (Deanne Foley), Songs She Wrote About People She Knows (Kris Elgstrand), Sunflower Hour (Aaron Houston) and Two 4 One (Maureen Bradley). The two classic selections are Crime Wave (John Paizs) and Le Déclin de l’empireaméricain / The Decline Of The American Empire (Denys Arcand).

The idea for Canada Cool came about after the Museum of Modern Art in New York changed its programming policy in 2013, putting to an end the annual Canadian Front showcase (a Telefilm-backed annual showcase of new Canadian films). As such, Telefilm decided that a new approach was needed to get new Canadian films seen stateside.

“The call was to create a network exhibition space for films that have not been distributed in the U.S. that would allow filmmakers to work outside of the traditional distribution model,” said Brigitte Hubmann, senior advisor, festivals and international promotion, Telefilm.

Hubmann said that this year’s Canada Cool is very much a pilot project and that the focus in subsequent years will be on different aspects Canadian filmmaking, outside of comedy.

“For this initial project, the plan was not to have an annual [overview] of all Canadian films, but to choose a genre that resonates with audiences. Comedy is a key genre for us, and it’s something we’re known for in the U.S.” Hubmann said.  

The program will also be a revenue generating enterprise for the films’ rights holders, as the cinemas must pay a licence fee to carry it.

Telefilm is also poised to launch a section on its website where prospective carriers of the series can preview the film trailers, key artwork and synopses.