Telefilm Canada is prepping a non-stop business and social event agenda for this year’s 20th annual Banff Television Festival, including sponsorship of some half-dozen festival programs. Based on last year’s successful formula, the agency will again operate an office at the Banff Springs Hotel Convention Centre.

Highlights include sponsorship of a series of workshops at the Banff Centre for the Arts called New Media Focus, June 14-19, and the launch of its Paris Immersion project for Canadian documentary professionals.

Organized in association with TV France International, the Paris Immersion project is slated for November and will permit 25 producers and broadcasters to exchange with leading industry players from France. The first four editions of the successful Immersion program were held in London, Eng.

The new media program includes a CyberPitch market simulation, panels on the Internet, professional training and economic models, and two ‘master class’ sessions on convergence and games production.

From its Vancouver operations office, Telefilm’s Asia Pacific Initiative has organized several meetings with industry players from the People’s Republic of China and Singapore.

Telefilm will present four awards worth a total of $60,000 at this year’s festival including prizes for best Canadian English- and French-language programs, best aboriginal program in English or French, and best aboriginal program in an aboriginal language. The aboriginal awards are selected by an aboriginal jury chosen by Television Northern Canada and Telefilm.

The agency is also sponsoring a networking breakfast held in conjunction with the first-ever Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Golf Tournament, June 13.