A dhel Productions, Diving Bell Films and Moccasin Footprint Society are among the 21 BC filmmakers receiving $7,500 grants courtesy of The Rogers Group of Funds and Creative BC.

The $157,500 disbursement, the second intake of the two-year Early-Stage Investigation Development Program that’s part the Documentary and Factual Development Fund launched in 2020, will enable these recipients to invest in the development of their documentary or factual series format motion picture, which can either be a one-off or a series.

It’s also part of the $800,000 investment commitment from Rogers and Creative BC that will be delivered by March 31, 2022.

Thus far, $407,500 has been distributed to date.

The Fund, which embodies Creative BC’s actions for equity and inclusion in program delivery, is part of the Reel Focus BC suite of programs delivered by the organization. It also represents the first partnership in Canada between the Rogers Group of Funds and any province.

Among the projects receiving funding are Adhel Productions’ First Girls; Aimer Films’ Treasure of the Rice Terraces, All In Pictures’ Women at the Table, Cascadoo Films’ ENDOMIC: Uncut, Diving Bell Films’ At the Penthouse, Fat End Productions’ Dishing, Imposter Media’s Necessary Tomorrows, InnoNative’s Saints and Warriors and Jessica Wadsworth & Joe Watts’ The Ruddy Redwood.

Other doc projects picking up funding were Joella Cabalu’s Nakabingwit: First Comes Love, Kahani Pictures’ The Other Side of Me, Lark Productions’ Dirtbag Climber, Lucy Komori’s Tsunagu: Intergenerational Conversations, Milena Salazar’s Robot Kindergarten, Moccasin Footprint Society’s The Swimmers, self-directed studies’ FREEWAY ’67, Stories First Productions’ Your Conflict is Our Conflict: The History of Indigenous Soldiers in the West, Tristan Oliver’s Undiagnosed, Windowbox Media’s Hilarapy, UATÊ Storied Learning’s LAND AS BODY: Inter-National Indigenous Birth Work as Embodied Governance and Young Fellows Pictures’ The Big Smoke.

In a statement, Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC, says that the Fund has been a strong catalyst in helping BC documentary and factual filmmakers realize their visions.

“This partnership with Rogers Group of Funds has allowed us to invest in the development of 53 projects before market trigger, helping B.C. domestic producers create quality content and thrive in a competitive market,” said Gill.