Toronto’s Future of Film Showcase (FOFS) is expanding its industry programming with the FOFS Pitch Competition, co-presented by POV.

Designed to support Canadian filmmakers in the early stages of their careers, the competition will offer one winner a prize of $5,000 cash and $50,000 worth of in-kind services to support the development of their short film.

Six emerging Canadian filmmakers will each have ten minutes to pitch their films to a panel of judges. Competing are Adrien Benson (Wifi), Aisha Evelyna (Mothballs), Kathleen Burgess (Eleanor), Micaela Robertson (No Grand Notions), Victor Oly (Living With Ron) and Yvette Sin (Pulp).

The six finalists will receive weekly mentorship sessions leading up to the pitch, including roundtables with development executives at Archipelago Productions and CBC Gem, a studio tour of William F. White International, a festival and distribution strategy meeting with film programmer Richard Pierre (Toronto Black Film Festival, Canadian Film Fest) and a pitching workshop with producer Lauren MacKinlay (The Way Home).

The live competition takes place on June 22 with the winner announced the following day.

“The pitch competition is a natural evolution for the Future of Film Showcase as we continue to grow our programming to provide new opportunities for future generations of Canadian filmmakers to gain exposure, valuable connections and mentorship,” said Future of Film Showcase co-founder and CEO Eric Bizzarri in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to invest in a filmmaker’s project at the development stage, and witness their project flourish from script to screen.”

The Future of Film Showcase runs from June 20 to 23

Pictured (L-R): (Top) Adrien Benson, Aisha Evelyna, Micaela Robertson; (Bottom) Kathleen Burgess, Victor Oly and Yvette Sin.