Films by Gail Maurice, Javier Badillo and Bronwen Hughes are among 40 projects selected for the Ontario Creates’ 18th International Financing Forum (IFF).

The 2023 edition comprises 20 Canadian and 20 international projects and will be held from Sept. 10 to 11 in association with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The event connects producers looking to secure financing for upcoming projects with film industry executives, including international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers. The IFF is a hybrid event this year, with in-person meetings at TIFF and online meetings taking place internationally, according to a press release.

The Canadian projects selected include Maurice’s Métis drama Blood Lines, produced by Paula Devonshire of Devonshire Productions, Maurice’s Assini Productions, and Jamie Manning of Night Market; Venezuelan-Canadian director Badillo’s sci-fi comedy Lupe Q and the Galactic Earworms, produced by Badillo (Spitshine Flicks) and Shan Tam of Holiday Pictures; and Western thriller Devil You Know, directed by Hughes, and produced by Thomas Michael of Fella Films.

Other Canadian projects include You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked., directed by Aisling Chin-Yee and produced by Chin-Yee under her banner Fluent Films; I’m Gonna Shine!, directed by Robert Budreau and produced by Budreau’s Lumanity Productions and Cybill Lui Eppich; Skite’kmujua’kik (Place of Ghosts), directed by Bretten Hannam and produced by Marc Tétreault and Jason Levangie of Shut Up & Colour Pictures; Nimisha Mukerji’s See Jane Fight, produced by Paul Barkin of Alcina Pictures and Tchavdar Georgiev; and Jamie Kastner’s The Skyjacker’s Son, produced by Laura Baron Kastner (Cave 7 Productions), Mary Young Leckie (Solo Productions), and Jennifer Holness (Hungry Eyes Media).

New companies represented at this year’s IFF include Black Bear Pictures, Cinetic Media, Embankment Films, Film Republic, Hanway Films, Miramax, Mister Smith Entertainment, Picture Tree International, Pressman Film, Radiant Films International, and The Yellow Affair.

Returning companies include A24, Bankside Films, Beta Cinema, Bleecker Street Media, Cornerstone Films, Maven Screen Media, Magnolia Pictures/Magnet Releasing, MK2 International, Netflix, Protagonist, Raven Banner Entertainment, StudioCanal, WME, and The Match Factory, among others.

The full list of projects and participants is available on the Ontario Creates site.

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