Projects from Lindsay MacKay, Vincenzo Natali and Frances-Anne Solomon are among 20 Canadian features selected for Ontario Creates’ International Financing Forum (IFF).

The 17th edition of the forum will take place in-person during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), running from Sept. 11 to 12, with online options for participants facing travel restrictions. There are 42 titles selected overall, with 20 Canadian projects and 22 international.

The annual forum pairs producers with high-level buyers in the industry, including studios, distributors, sales agents, and other potential co-financing or coproduction partners. New participants in 2022 include Searchlight Pictures, Endeavor Content, United Talent Agency, FilmNation and Walden Media, a subsidiary of Anschutz Film Group, with 46 taking part overall.

Among the highlighted Canadian projects taking part this year is Alice, a copro between Toronto’s Amaze and Australia’s Triptych Pictures, produced by Amaze’s Alex Lalonde and Triptych’s Kristian Moliere. Australian director Josephine Mackerras is set to write and direct, with actor Theo James (The Time Traveler’s Wife) attached to star.

Other projects include sci-fi drama Infinity, with producers Mark Smith and Joanna Coathup of Toronto’s Copperheart Entertainment and director Natali (In the Tall Grass); romantic thriller Bone Creek, a Canada/Argentina copro with CEPA’s Felicitas Raffo, to be directed and produced by Mouth to Mouth director Alison Murray; and adult animation Nine Dolls, written by and produced by Joanne Sarazen (Tammy’s Always Dying) along with Jessica Adams of Ontario’s JA Productions.

Solomon will direct and produce the Canada/U.K. copro In the Black under her CaribbeanTales Media Group banner, with Nicole Brooks and Daniel Florêncio also set to produce; MacKay (The Swearing Jar) is the director on What If, with Nova Scotia’s Walter Forsyth of Gorgeous Mistake Productions, Kyle Bornais of Winnipeg’s Farpoint Films and Michael Mason of Penguin Pictures to produce; and Scarborough directors Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson are bringing their next title Mandaragat under their Compy Films banner.

Other countries taking part in this year’s IFF include Brazil, France, Greece, India, Israel, Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Ukraine and the U.S.

Among the returning companies participating in IFF are A24, Amazon Studios, Netflix, Sphere Films, StudioCanal, WME, Celluloid Dreams, Magnolia Pictures and Memento Films, to name a few.

Past projects selected for Ontario Creates’ IFF include two 2022 TIFF world premieres, Alice, Darling and The Swearing Jar, as well as award-winning films Maudie, Sharkwater: Extinction and Incendies.

The full list of participants is available on the Ontario Creates website.

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