HGF, Creative BC partner 

The Harold Greenberg Fund and Creative BC have teamed up to launch a new short film finance initiative. The Harold Greenberg Fund’s BC Shorts Program will finance short, impactful films from B.C.-based filmmaking teams. Three recipients will receive $20,000 each in financial contributions. Deadline for the program is June 1.

Hot Docs teams up with CMF

The CMF has partnered with Hot Docs to offer the Hot Docs Collection Playlist on the CMF’s Encore+ YouTube channel. The channel streams memorable Canadian film and TV from the past. Docs that previously screened at the Hot Docs Festival and the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema will be available on the playlist, including films created by Hot Docs production fund or market program recipients. Titles in the collection include Alanis Obomsawin’s Kanhesatake: 270 Years of Resistance and Rocks at Whiskey Trench; the 2006 festival film Actuality: The Art and Life of Allan King, directed by John Haslett Cuff; and Hot Docs 2011 Focus On recipient Alan Zweig’s A Hard Name. Many of the films offered on the channel will be available in French and English, with additional titles slated to be added over the coming months.

DAZN signs on to broadcast the Commonwealth Games

CBC Sports has entered into a sub-licensing agreement with sports streaming service DAZN Canada for broadcast coverage of the Commonwealth Games. DAZN will stream more than 400 hours of live event coverage from the games on its platform. More than 6,600 athletes and teams from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories will compete in the games. The Commonwealth Games run April 4 to 15.

Blue Ant commissions Orangutan Jungle School

Production is underway on the animal docu-soap, Orangutan Jungle School (10 x 60 minutes), from Blue Ant’s New Zealand-based prodco NHNZ. The project follows a group of orphaned orangutans as they progress through a unique forest school system with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF). Commissioned by Love Nature, the project is created, executive produced and written by Judith Curran and filmed in Borneo, Indonesia. Blue Ant Media’s Anna Sand is an exec producer on the series. Blue Ant International is handling international sales and will feature the title at MIPTV.

Network Entertainment rolls on next doc 

Network Entertainment has started production on its new feature documentary on the life of Sylvester Stewart (better known as Sly Stone). The Vancouver-based prodco has acquired the rights to produce the doc following the pop-funk rock star’s journey. The doc will be comprised of classic performances, TV interviews, archival footage and photos and interviews from people in Stone’s personal and professional life. Ron Weisner and Robert Allan are co-exec producers on the feature-length doc. UTA will sell domestic and international rights to the film. Network Entertainment’s previous credits include I AM MLK Jr. and the recently announced I Am Paul Walker for Paramount Network.

Image: Shutterstock