Telefilm Canada is launching a production financing scheme aimed at French-language filmmakers working outside Quebec. The agency is committing $1.2 million over two years; combined with the $1.1 million from its collaboration with Canadian Heritage in the Interdepartmental Partnership with the Official-Language Communities initiative. Telefilm’s new Official Languages Activity Program has an overall budget of $2.3 million over the term of the program. The initial production envelope is $500,000.

The objective of the OLA is to invest in projects by eligible filmmakers and thereby expand the audience and existing talent pool outside la belle province. An initiative of the Quebec office, the strategy is also to diversify the genres of production in the sub-market.

Projects will be evaluated by a selection committee that will then make its recommendations to Telefilm, where the final selections will be made. The producer’s track record will figure in that final decision.

Interested producers should make haste: Projects must be submitted to the Quebec office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 25. Guidelines and eligibility criteria are available on Telefilm’s website under Official Languages Activities Program.