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Kelly Townsend

Kelly Townsend is the editor at Playback, with previous experience in B2B and entertainment journalism. Before joining the Playback team in 2018, she worked in the editorial, marketing and communication departments at B2B publisher Dovetail Communications. She has a bachelor's degree in English from York University and is a graduate of Humber College’s journalism program. Her byline has appeared in IndieWire and she spent several years covering Canadian TV as associate editor of The TV Junkies.

Posts by Kelly Townsend

Gravitas Ventures acquires U.S. rights to horror film Wintertide

Producer Kyle Bornais negotiated the rights deal after working with the distributor on the U.S. release of The Swearing Jar.

September 1, 2023

New report warns parity gains in Canadian film, TV are ‘fragile’

Women in View’s latest On Screen Report states that women and gender-diverse creatives saw an overall reduced share of film and TV work in 2020 and 2021.

September 1, 2023

CMF allocates $10.7M to 20 projects via pilot program

The Pilot Program for Racialized Communities provides production and development support for drama, documentary and children’s and youth programming.

August 31, 2023

Canada’s film sector shifts gears amid turbulent times

The second of Playback‘s two-part feature explores how distributors are finding opportunities in the changing film market.

August 31, 2023
The King Tide

Distributors, sales agents enter uncertain fall indie film market

The first of Playback‘s two-part feature examines how a disrupted fall festival season may prove boom or bust for Canada’s indie filmmakers.

August 30, 2023

Sean Cisterna begins Long Ride Home in Calgary, Brazil

Production on the year-long shoot kicked off this summer at the Calgary Stampede and Brazil’s Festa do Peão de Barretos.

August 30, 2023

New mentorship program for gender-diverse filmmakers opens

The program is run by the newly-formed Calgary non-profit Spindle Films Foundation from filmmaker J Stevens.

August 29, 2023

CRTC renews Hollywood Suite’s broadcast licence

The Commission denied a request from the group of specialty channels to carry over excess Canadian programming spend from the previous term.

August 28, 2023

Filmmakers, activists launch Toronto prodco Above the Palace

The company is led by Rodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson and Anubha Momin and is in development on scripted and unscripted projects.

August 28, 2023

Deals: Photon Films, Super Channel, Hollywood Suite

Toronto distributor Photon Films acquires TIFF-bound Frybread Face and Me, Super Channel and Hollywood Suite pick up international scripted series, plus more.

August 25, 2023

Ontario film, TV tax credit now open to certain digital content

The provincial government has amended the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit to open eligibility for online exclusive content under certain requirements.

August 25, 2023

Rojek set as Canada’s pick for 96th Oscars

The documentary is written, directed and produced by Zayne Akyol and gives an inside look into the perspectives of detained members of the Islamic State.

August 24, 2023