Blue Ant Media has inked a new partnership with Content Catalyst Fund (CCF), Julie Bristow’s development and funding venture.

The deal will see the two companies develop, produce and sell women-created unscripted programming for the Canadian and international market, encompassing all of Blue Ant’s resources as a broadcaster, producer and distributor.

CCF will develop unscripted projects across genres such as lifestyle, crime and “high impact” docuseries. Blue Ant Studios will produce titles in collaboration with CCF, with Bristow (pictured) serving as executive producer. The IP creators will “be tied to their projects and have a role in the production,” according to a representative of Blue Ant. Distribution arm Blue Ant International will be the “preferred global distribution company.”

Bristow founded CCF in 2020 to fund and develop commercially viable IP created by women to sell to the global market. The company is currently focused on unscripted projects with the expectation to branch into scripted content. CCF is Bristow’s first venture since leaving her role as CEO of BGM, which she founded as Bristow Global Media in 2013.

“CCF plans to bolster its executive production capacity with talent that will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that includes buying and selling exciting projects in North America and around the world,” said Bristow, in a statement. “This will allow us to give our new pipeline of female-generated, unscripted programming the very best start in life.”

“Not only will this joint venture allow us to grow the unscripted side of our business, specifically in popular genres like lifestyle, docu, reality and format programming, but it will also position us at the forefront of progressive, brilliant new content created by women,” said Laura Michalchyshyn, CCO and co-president, global content production at Blue Ant Media. “The partnership gives us access to seasoned and up-and-coming creative talent and inspired content development.”

Blue Ant recently revealed a number of newly acquired and greenlit Canadian originals for release in 2021 and 2022, including Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet, from recently launched prodco Wapanatahk Media, and Cream Productions’ two-part special Bathsheba.