The Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund has announced a new slate of 21 non-theatrical projects despite a funding cut of more than 50% this year. A total of $233,360 has been allotted by the Ottawa-based private-sector fund, which headed into 1994 with a budget of $350,000 compared to last year’s $720,000.

‘We’re not dead, we’re working around the money we have,’ assures Robin Jackson, executive director of the fund.

Jackson says the fund had nearly 200 applications in the Dec. 10, 1993 round. ‘The demand is extremely high and we have a case to make for more funding. We will be going back to the government.’

In the meantime, the cifvf is hoping that June, with the announcement of specialty channels, will bring good news following the cifvf’s pitch to applicants for sponsorship. The idea is an exchange of programming for support, explains Jackson. ‘We will go to the channels for funding and then we’ll have a call for whatever the specialty channel’s area is. We went to 21 of the applicants and seven of them said they were interested.’

Of this year’s 21 funded productions, seven are French-language. Eight of the projects are from Quebec, five are from Ontario, three are from British Columbia, one is from Alberta, three are from Nova Scotia and one is from New Brunswick.