Bell Media’s Harold Greenberg Fund (HGF) has announced the 25 projects chosen to receive funding via its Script Development Program, including Xavier Dolan’s The Life and Death of John F. Donovan.

The program supports film projects in all stages of script development, from first optioning to final draft. In total, $375,000 was distributed across the 25 projects in this latest round of funding.

For projects in the first option stage of development, Elisabeth de Mariaffi’s The Devil You Know was selected  to receive funding (with Karen Walton attached to write the screenplay), as well as Lawrence Hill’s The Illegal. Hill is collaborating on the screenplay with Clement Virgo. Two option renewals also received support: director Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool Changes (from author and screenwriter Tony Burgess), and director James Dunnison’s The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, by author Susin Nielson.

In the polish and packaging category, funding was given to A71 Productions’ Baseballissmo, Les Films Outsiders’ Space Cadet, Raven Banner Entertainment’s Jacqueline Ess, Resonance Films’ Entanglement, Screen Siren Pictures’ The Keeper, Sienna Films’ A Last Life, Buck Productions and Silverlight Entertainment’s Daniel Dolphin and the Horn of the Sea Dragon and House of Films’ Far to Go.

Xavier Dolan’s first English-language project The Life and Death of John F. Donovan also picked up funding via the polish and packaging stream. Developed by Lyla Films Inc. and Sons of Manual Productions, the screen play is being co-written by Dolan and Jacob Tierney.  

The funding for first to second draft projects was awarded to Ripple’s Effect from Cryingman Productions, Foundry Films’ Dragon Mountain, Grown Up Films’ Gold Card, Metafilms’ Turquoise, Northwood Media and Three Legged Dog Films’ The Purchase and Debbie in the Forest from Scythia Films.

The recipients of financing via the second to final draft stream were Running Home from Big Soul Productions, First Generation Films’ Paper Year and Perpetual Motion Productions’ Second Stage.

The Magic Hockey Skates from Amberwood Productions Services was one of four projects to receive funding in the treatment to first draft category, with Quarterlife Crisis Productions Inc. and Euclid 431 Pictures’ Infidelity, Beasts from Reprise Films and Merry F___ing Christmas from screenwriters Mark McKinney and Kelly Makin also securing financial support.