Ontario government invests $3M in CFC

The Ontario government has invested $3 million into the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) to help the organization deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding injection, announced by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, will support film, TV and digital media training programs and COVID-19 adaptation plans, including virtual production training. (Pictured right, MacLeod; pictured left, Christina Jennings).

The Canadian Academy launches Women In Post program

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (The Canadian Academy) has unveiled a new program aimed at enhancing career opportunities for women in the post-production sector. The Women In Post program, presented by Netflix with support from lead post house partner Company 3, will provide post-production opportunities for six women in Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal, with more locations to be announced. The application window opens this Thursday (June 3).

Women In Post will provide professional development for emerging to mid-level creatives in post-production, as well as higher-level industry access. Hands-on mentorship and strategic learning modules will enable women to hone their technical, creative and leadership skills.

“The Women in Post program is addressing a critical need in the industry to provide more opportunities for women to contribute through all stages of the creative process,” said Tiffany Burrell-Lewis, director, creative talent development at Netflix, in a statement.

In related news, applications for eight spots are also open for the fourth edition of Canadian Academy Directors Program for Women, supported by Netflix, Pinewood Toronto Studios, Canada Media Fund, RBC Emerging Artists Project, Company 3, William F. White International Inc., and the Toronto International Film Festival. Alicia K. Harris, Kathleen Hepburn, Tiffany Hsiung, Reem Morsi, and Halima Ouardiri are alumni of the Directors program, which provides practical experience through activities that include on-set director observer placements. Chosen applicants will be announced September 21.

ZoomerMedia Goes FAST In The U.S.

ZoomerTV and ONETV US have a new platform home south of the border, as ZoomerMedia Limited has launched the two channels on DistroTV.

Free, ad-supported, streaming TV, ZoomerMedia originals included in the deal range from ideaCity: Talks from Moses Znaimer’s Conference; Conversations With Conrad Black; Your All-Time Classic Hit Parade; Ask Dr. Zach and Messages From Spirit with Colette Baron-Reid.

While ZoomerTV offers a Boomer’s guide to living well on Channel #273, ONETV US over on Channel #248 is a 24-hour home fitness channel loaded with fun, yoga, strength building, weight loss, dance, cardio classes and more.

Global preps fundraiser for support efforts in India

ET Canada is launching a half-hour primetime fundraising event featuring Canadian and international celebrities in support of the Humanitarian Coalition’s emergency response efforts in India.

Airing Monday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. on Global – or streaming live or on-demand via StackTV or the Global TV app – the ET Canada Presents: Help India special will showcase in-depth discussions with celebrities, many of whom are personally impacted by India’s COVID-19 crisis.

The special kicks off with an interview between ET Canada reporter Sangita Patel and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to outline how Canadians can lend support, and includes interviews with Canadian celebrities, including Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, (Never Have I Ever), Rizwan Manji (Schitt’s Creek), Sandy Sidhu (Nurses), Toronto Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia, Lisa Ray (Cooking with Stella), Arlene Dickinson (Dragons’ Den), along with Canadian comedian Russell Peters and international star, Mindy Kaling.