Ontario Creates’ 16th annual International Financing Forum (iff) has named 41 feature film producer teams that will take part in the virtual event at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Buffalo Gal Pictures, Mad Samurai Productions and White Bear Films are among the 21 Canadian producers and projects attending the two-day event, which is scheduled from Sept. 12-13.

This year’s edition, which takes place via a digital platform in the wake of the pandemic, includes one-on-one producer and executive meetings, a panel discussion, a producers meet-and-greet to discuss industry issues, and two roundtables on the future of financing hosted by Mogul Productions and BlockFilm.

Buffalo Gal Pictures and BentFrame Film & TV team to bring The Evening Chorus, from director/producer Adrienne Mitchell and writer Dennis Foon to the event. The historical drama is based on Helen Humphrey’s novel of the same name and follows three interwoven stories during the Second World War.

Matthew Cervi’s Mad Samurai Productions will present the horror-thriller Anastasis, from director Merlin Dervisevic and writer Randall Cole, while Jeremy Torrie and Tanya Brunel of White Bear Films bring the action/supernatural drama The Shaman from writer and director Jeremy Waabishki Makwa to the table.

Other projects include the horror offering Heart Land from Byron A. Martin Productions, the Czech-Canadian copro Finally, We Have a Republic from Canada’s Don Carmody Television, and the Kenyan-set drama Kipkemboi from producers Jennifer Jonas and Leonard Farlinger of New Real Films. The latter film is directed by Hubert Davis, the first Black Canadian director to be nominated for an Oscar (Hardwood).

B.C. producers Tyler Hagan and Sara Blake from Experimental Films are also participating with the Telefilm-supported drama Perigean Tide, which is directed by Japanese-Canadian filmmaker Meredith Hama-Brown. Meanwhile, Scythia Films’ Dan Bekerman and Stellar Citizens’ Christopher Yurkovich team for the Indian tween comedy Pappi from South Asian screenwriter and author Jagjiwan Sohal.

The Time We Met, from Banana-Moon Sky Films; Claudia, from CaribbeanTales Media Group, Greenacre Films and Imagine Media International Limited; Mid Life from Clique Pictures and Outside Line Studios; Mehal Sefari from Gobez Media and Abricom Multimedia; A Portrait from Maison du Bonheur Films; Therapy 4 Adults & Aunties from Monkey & Parrots; Night Market’s drama The Fallers; Peterson Polaris Corp’s rom-com Pick One; Phoenix from Rococoeur; S&C’s Me, My Mom & Sharmila; Sucker Busters Films’ Oh Deer; Trash Production’s Ibrahim’s Journey; and sci-fi comedy Relax, I’m From the Future from Wango Films round out the extensive list of Canadian participants.

Other international productions and projects represent a slew of countries from around the globe, including the U.K., Greece, India and Israel.

Over the two-day event the producers will network and participate in financing meetings with high-level film industry executives, including EPs, international sales agents, distributors, and other financiers.

Overall 42 international industry executives have agreed to attend and take one-on-one meetings with producers. Among the new companies represented this year are Big Beach, Caviar Antwerp, Elle Driver, IFC Films, Metro International Entertainment, Netflix, Protagonist Pictures, Voltage Pictures, and WME.

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