In Brief: Sundance selects two Canadian copros for doc grant

Plus: The Sundar Prize Film Festival adds new categories for 2025 and the government invests $114K toward a Yukon program.

Two Canadian coproductions are among the 28 documentaries selected for the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, totalling US$1.4 million (about C$1.9 million) in grant support.

Selected for development funding is the Canada, U.S., New Zealand, U.K. and Argentina coproduction Knocking on Heaven’s Door from filmmakers Jonathan Qu and Kevin Feiyang Li.

The film follows a Christian astrophysicist after his battle with cancer who races to build his last great balloon telescope to unravel the mysteries of dark matter and the artistry of God. The project is produced by Qu, Li and Nicholas de Pencier.

Chosen for production funding is the U.S/Canada coproduction #WhileBlack from directors Sidney Fussell and Jennifer Holness. The film explores the true cost of going viral while Black with witnesses who filmed viral videos of injustice and saw social platforms turn their pain into profit. The film is produced by Ann Shin and Geeta Gandbhir.

Sundar Prize Film Festival sets new initiatives for 2025

The Sundar Prize Film Festival, which held its inaugural festival in Surrey, B.C. in April, has announced new plans for its second edition.

Three new award categories will be given out, including Best 2SLGBTQ+ Film with a $1,000 cash prize, Best Youth Film with a $500 prize and Best BC Short Film, also with a $500 prize. The festival is also creating a special youth jury to select the Best Youth Film award.

The 2025 Sundar Prize Film Festival is slated to run from April 11 to 13.

Government invests in market-readiness program for Yukon First Nations artists

The federal government has invested $114,000 over three years to support First Nations visual artists in the Yukon via the Northern Cultural Expressions Society.

The investment will support the creation of a three-year Market and Export Readiness project to give business-related training to local artists, including creating a marketing plan and scaling up domestic and international marketing and sales.

The funds were provided through the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency’s Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth) Program.

With files from Kelly Townsend

Image: Unsplash