KO Distribution and Les Films Opale are the distributors for the feature comedy François·e, which is starting production on May 20 and wrapping on June 19.

François·e is produced by KO24’s Louis-Philippe Drolet and Louis Morissette and written by Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay with Jean-François Léger as co-writer and Clodie Parent as an advisor. It will release in theatres summer 2026 with the film debuting on ICI Tout.TV Extra the following fall.

The film received financial support from la Société de développement des entreprises culturelles, Radio-Canada, KO Distribution, Les Films Opale, the Canada Media Fund and Quebec and federal tax credits.

Directed by Jean-François Asselin, François·e follows a struggling screenwriter who, to secure funding for his new series, lies about his identity and passes himself off as a trans woman only to later encounter an actual trans woman who agrees to consult on his script, unaware of his lie.

The film’s stars include Morissette (Le Mirage), Pascale Drevillon (The Affairs of Lidia), Geneviève Schmidt (Menteur), Robin Aubert (Tuktuq) and Rachel Graton (Coeur vintage).

Crave’s police procedural comedy Double jeu to return for season two

Crave’s French-language original Double jeu (Playing Both Sides) is returning for season two on the Bell Media streaming service in 2026.

The 12 x 30-minute police procedural comedy is produced by Productions Jumelage in collaboration with Bell Media and has already begun production in the Montreal area. It is created by Rachid Badouri and Mehdi Bousaidan with Frédéric Nassif as director and Jean-François Léger, Daniel Gagnon and Mehdi Bousaidan as writers.

The second season follows its leading duo, now official members of the undercover team, as they embark on a high-stakes mission to thwart an imminent attack. The season will see the main cast reprise their roles, including Rachid Badouri, Mehdi Bousaidan, Josée Deschênes, Fabien Cloutier, Douaa Kachache, Catherine Bérubé and Maxime De Cotret. Additional casting announcements are set for a later date.

Telefilm supports 22 film festivals across Canada

Telefilm is allocating $1.6 million across 22 film festivals for its Medium to Large-Scale Festivals Program.

This round of funding covers long-established Canadian film festivals starting between October 1 and March 31, 2026 and includes the 2025 editions of the Forest City Film Festival, image+nation. festival film LGBT2SQueer Montréal, Reelworld Film Festival, Regent Park Film Festival, St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Whistler Film Festival and Windsor International Film Festival.

The remaining 2025 editions of film festivals receiving support are Cinemania, Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Festival du nouveau cinéma and Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie.

The 2026 iterations selecting for funding are the Available Light Film Festival, Halifax Black Film Festival, Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Toronto Black Film Festival, Victoria Film Festival, Festival international du film pour enfants de Montréal Festival International du Film sur l’Art and Festival Regard.

GEMS expands applicant eligibility for Emerging Television Producers Program

The fourth installment of Gender Equity in Media Society (GEMS) Vancouver’s Emerging Television Producers Program has expanded to include applicants from Alberta and the Yukon.

The four-month program provides mentorship and training for up to 10 women or gender-diverse creators from underrepresented communities.

The first phase of the program is a five-day in-person workshop in Vancouver from September 24 to 28, with Deborah Osborne returning as program leader.

The second phase, from September 29 to December 19, 2025 pairs participants with an industry mentor to assist them with packaging their projects for the market.

Financial aid for travel, accommodations and meals will be provided to out-of-town participants. Financial assistance will be provided for childcare and accessibility needs. Sign language interpretation and other accessibility accommodations can be provided as well.

Applications open June 2 and close June 30.

Experimental Forest Films taps Olivia Marie Golosky for producing role

Announced yesterday (May 14), Vancouver’s Experimental Forest Films (EFF) has hired Olivia Marie Golosky as an associate producer.

Golosky, hailing from Fort McMurray, Alta., is a Two-Spirit Michif writer, director, production coordination and producer. Their first EFF projects include producing Justin Ducharme’s feature Seventeen, and Jaap van Heusden and Vinnie’s Kartak’s Canada/Netherlands copro In Alaska.

Golosky, whose prior work includes the short films Nite Ride and homecoming, is in development on their first feature, working alongside EFF co-founders Kathleen Hepburn and Tyler Hagan as an associate producer.

“Olivia brings a wonderful mix of creative instinct and production experience to their position, and we look forward to their contributions to our diverse slate of projects,” said Hepburn and Hagan in a joint statement.

With files from Nicholas Sokic

Photo by Danny Taillon; pictured (L-R): Top row: Louis-Philippe Drolet, Jean-François Asselin, Marie-Claude Beaulieu, Geneviève Schmidt, Robin Aubert, Cassandra Latreille and Rachel Graton Bottom row: Jean-François Léger, Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay, Pascale Drevillon and Louis Morissette