Women in Film and Television Atlantic (WIFT-AT) and Ingrid Veninger’s pUNK Films have partnered to launch a new micro-budget filmmaking initiative focused on supporting women filmmakers from Atlantic Canada.

The 1KWave Atlantic program will aim to support five film written and directed by women hailing from Atlantic Canada over a period of five months on a budget of $5,000. Each project will receive $1,000 from the initiative, in addition to mentorship from Veninger and filmmaker Kimberlee McTaggart. The teams will also have access to three additional yet-to-be-announced mentors. Jan Miller, founder chair of WIFT-AT, will also provide marketing support to the selected teams.

The goal is to have all five selected projects shot, edited and ready to screen by September. The program is based on an initiative Veninger launched in 2012, which supported the production of five films: Hotel Congress; Me, the Bees and Cancer; Mourning has Broken; Sockeye and  Liquid Handcuffs: the un-making of Methadonia.

The submission deadline for 1KWave Atlantic is March 20, with selected films to be annouced on March 30.