The Canadian Independent Film & Video Fund has awarded $1.5 million to 56 Canadian film and video productions. A third of those received the largest grants – amounts ranging from $39,000 to $50,000.

Among those awarded the highest amounts is AIDS in Africa from Montreal-based Green Lion Productions. The project looks at Zambia’s one million orphaned children, many of whom, through necessity, have become the heads of households.

Another recipient is Les Productions Toutatoe’s Barbie Phentex, focusing on the lost childhood dreams of women who find themselves disillusioned with the society in which they live.

From British Columbia, Leaping Lizard Productions’ Lottery on Ice also received a sizeable CIFVF grant. Lottery on Ice explores the competitive world of young amateur hockey players and the pressures set on them from coaches and parents.

The CIFVF received 187 applications for 2004, its twenty-second evaluation round.

The fund recently received $260,000 from Star Choice Communications which will go towards eight of the funded projects. Since 1991, CIFVF has provided $11 million to independent Canadian productions.

The private-sector nonprofit organization is based out of Ottawa and dedicated to the development of non-theatrical film and video projects produced by Canadian independent producers.

The fund recognizes productions that use different formats such as animation, documentary and drama in order to educate.

-www.cifvf.ca