Increased financial support from the federal government helped to buoy Telefilm Canada’s Production Program in fiscal 2021/22, according to the funder’s annual report.

The Crown corporation provided $136.8 million in total funding during the fiscal year, up 29% from $106.1 million in fiscal 2020/21. The contrasting figures are largely attributed to the increased federal funding – which saw an additional $105 million committed to Telefilm over three fiscal years – and the flexibility measures put in place after the months-long production shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Released Wednesday (Oct. 19), the report covers the time period between April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. It follows the release of Telefilm’s 18-month strategic plan, which includes a focus on sustainability and inclusivity, as well as new partnerships and funding sources, and the appointment of Francesca Accinelli as interim executive director and CEO.

Telefilm provided $79.7 million through the Production Program to 91 feature films during the 2021/22 fiscal year, more than double from the previous fiscal year’s all-time low of $36.8 million. The figure is also higher than the $64.4 million provided in fiscal 2019/20.

Total audiovisual industry spend came to $95.4 million, up 71% from $55.7 million in the last fiscal year.

The most notable decline in funding was for the Development Program, which saw $7.6 million in support given to 286 projects, down 34% from the $11.5 million given in the previous fiscal year. The drop is due to the fact that Telefilm upped its development budget in 2020/21 as a flexibility measure to support all eligible projects that  had applied for development funding.

The funding provided through the Talent to Watch program came to $2.3 million for 58 features or web series during the fiscal year, down 14% from the previous $2.7 million. The decline was attributed to Telefilm’s decision to focus on supporting previous Talent to Watch recipients negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of $3.3 million in production funding was given to 25 films under the Theatrical Documentary Program, up 40% from $2.4 million in fiscal 2020/21.

Overall promotion spend, which includes theatrical exhibition, international promotion, marketing, and export assistance, came to $37.3 million in the fiscal year, up 83% from the $20.4 million spent in the previous period, which was attributed to additional government funding to administer the Reopening Fund.

Equity and inclusion data

The report also shared insights from Telefilm’s race-based data collection, which began during the fiscal year. Of the 96 projects tracked through its Production and Theatrical Documentary programs, Telefilm found that approximately one-third of funded projects had a Black person or person of colour in a key creative position, and 24% had at least two.

A total of 15 projects (16%) funded were produced by a person of colour and received $9.4 million (11%) of total funds. Additionally, 6% of the 96 funded projects were directed by a Black person and 21% by a person of colour; while 4% were written by a Black person and 20% by a person of colour.

Telefilm also observed a dip in gender parity for women directors, writers and producers in the fiscal year, after achieving parity for the percentage of projects directed and produced by women in the previous fiscal year. All categories remained within the parity zone (40%), except for the percentage of total funding to projects produced by women, which fell to 39% from 41% in 2020/21.

Expanding partnerships

Telefilm also unveiled a new partnership with the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF) on Thursday (Oct. 20). Through the agreement, Telefilm will be able to “support Indigenous audiovisual productions and increase new training and mentorship opportunities for Indigenous creators in the Arctic regions,” according to a news release.

The AIFF was first established in 2018, with the Canada Media Fund among its founding global partners, and was created to support film and TV productions and coproductions for Indigenous filmmakers living in the region. Other partners include Norway’s International Sami Film Institute, the Nunavut Film Development Corporation, Greenland Film Makers, and Russia’s Archy.

Top image: Unsplash

Bottom image courtesy of Telefilm, pictured (L-R): Ali Ruzindana (Canadian Heritage PCH); Anne Lajla Utsi (International Sami Film Institute (AIFF); Robert Spickler (Chair of the Board of Telefilm Canada); Liisa Holmberg (AIFF); Francesca Accinelli (Telefilm); Ken Proulx (Telefilm)