The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Ontario Creates are investing $278,000 across 14 interactive digital media (IDM) projects as part of the 2024-25 edition of the Ontario Creates-CMF IDM Futures Forward Program.

The joint program was launched in 2022 and funds IDM projects in development from emerging Ontario companies owned by individuals from equity-deserving communities, along with those who completed Ontario Creates’ Futures Forward workshop.

For the program, equity-deserving communities are defined as women or non-binary, 2SLGBTQIA+, First Nations, Inuit or Métis, racialized, persons with disabilities and francophones.

Successful applicants can receive up to $20,000 towards the development of IDM projects including video games, short-form web series, mobile content, e-learning content, expanded reality experiences or digital publishing projects. CMF and Ontario Creates each contribute 50%.

Twelve projects received the maximum allocation, including In Hindsight (Hoshi Media), Love Hotel (Wired Feelings), Hell’s Delivery (Team Ginkgo), Zeras Wars (Kerberus Wulf Studio), Alice is Asian (Isabella Shibuta) and Sim Powwow 3D (Gen Eight Games).

The other projects selected for a $20,000 commitment are Ex Novo (Evolver Dynamics) The Adventures of Nanny Piggins (Chiron Media), Adelaide Street (Rellow Media), The Spirit Wife (Blue Maroon Media), Traditional Transplantation (Cunning Concepts & Creations) and A Fish Tale (16154549 Canada).

The remaining two projects, both selected for $19,000 are Boy Toy (Slalom Productions), which is also the only French-language project, and Citiots (Ceres Productions).

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