Rogers Group of Funds Announces $2.4 Million in Funding for 29 New Canadian Documentary Films
TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting Canada’s vibrant documentary community, Rogers Group of Funds today announced $2.4 million to support 29 new Canadian documentary films. After a competitive group of more than 70 applications, the funded projects include both national languages with production spanning across the country.
The Rogers Documentary Fund, which was established in 1996, is part of the Rogers Group of Funds and has pledged more than $42 million in grants to Canadian producers and supported more than 900 documentary projects over the years.
“Now, more than ever before, it is so important to invest in Canadian content to showcase our diverse stories and identities,” said Phil Lind, Chair, Rogers Group of Funds. “Through the power of storytelling, we are able to connect, inform and educate one another about our past, present and future. We are so excited to support this group of documentary filmmakers as they bring their projects to life.”
The 29 new documentaries delve into untold stories about sports, humanitarianism and science, including the now defunct Vancouver Grizzlies, cruise ships infected with COVID-19, the eccentric world of the cat show circuit, and the remarkable life and career of Indigenous advocate Buffy Sainte-Marie. See list of all 29 projects below.
Since 1980, the Rogers Group of Funds has supported Canada’s independent film and television producers with more than $600 million in funding and for more than 2,300 projects.
Overview of 29 Selected Projects
Born to Run
Company: Proximity Films WOM Inc.
Producers: Howard Fraiberg & Phyllis Ellis
Broadcaster: TVO
Borrowed from Nature
Company: Kino Sum Productions Inc.
Producers: Sheila Peacock, Nicola Waugh, Gillian McKercher
Broadcaster: CBC
Boyle’s War
Company: Hootalinqua Motion Pictures Inc.
Producers: Trevor Birney, Max Fraser, Paul Cadieux, Michael Fanning
Broadcasters: Super Channel, NorthwesTel TV
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Power in the Blood
Company: White Pine Pictures Inc.
Producers: Peter Raymont, Andrew Munger, Andrea Warner
Broadcaster: Bell Media
Carbon: An Unauthorized Biography
Company: Graphene Productions Inc.
Producers: Niobe Thompson, Sonya Pemberton, Lucy Maclaren
Broadcaster: CBC
Carved in Stone
Company: Fringe Filmworks Inc.
Producers: Angela Heck, Ivan Hughes
Broadcasters: CBC Absolute, Bell MTS
Catwalk 2: Bobby’s Revenge
Company: Bobby MSF Inc.
Producers: Judy Holm, Michael McNamara, Aaron Hancox
Broadcasters: CBC, Documentary Channel
Children of the Church
Company: Screen Siren Pictures Inc.
Producers: Christine Haebler, Trish Dolman, Martha O’Neill, Adrian McCarthy
Broadcaster: CBC
Cruising Towards Disaster
Company: 2480331 Ontario Ltd.
Producers: Michael Downie, David Wells, Diana Warmé
Broadcaster: CBC
Dans l’ombre du star wars kid
Company: URBANIA TV 3105 Inc..
Producers: Jacinthe Carignan, Annie Bourdeau, Pierre-Mathieu Fortin, Philippe Lamarre, Raphaëlle Huysmans, Nathalie Cloutier
Broadcaster: Télé-Québec
Dear Audrey
Company: Cineflix (Dear Audrey) Inc.
Producers: Glen Salzman, Katherine Buck, Annette Clark, Jeremiah Hayes
Broadcaster: Super Channel
EXPLORE: An Underground Journey
Company: Peg Leg Films Inc.
Producer: Jenny Rustemeyer
Broadcaster: Knowledge Network
Kings of Coke
Company: URBANIA TV 2802 INC.
Producer: Philippe Lamarre, Raphaëlle Huysmans, Pablo Salzman, Michael Kronish, Andre Barro, Annie Bordeau
Broadcaster: Bell Media
La Bataille pour l’âme du Québec
Company: Périphéria
Producer: Yanick Létourneau
Broadcaster: SRC-RDI
La Forêt et la famille
Company: Catbird Productions, Inc.
Producer: Katarina Soukup
Broadcaster: TV5 / Unis
La vie devant moi
Company: Productions Nova Média Inc.
Producers: Yves Lafontaine, Martine Larouche
Broadcaster: SRC
Laissez-nous raconter
Company: Terre Innue Productions Inc.
Producers: Josée Rock, Alexandre Bacon, Francine Allaire, Kim O’Bomsawin, Natalie Dubois
Broadcaster: SRC / CBC
Le mythe de la femme noire
Company: Bel Ange Moon Productions
Producers: Kathy Wolf, Bianca Bellange, Tetchena Bellange
Broadcaster: Natyf TV
Meet and Eat at Lee's Garden
Company: Cinnamon Bowl Productions
Producers: Howard Tan, Day’s Lee, Isabelle Gregoire
Broadcaster: CBC Absolute Quebec
Moonless Oasis
Company: Perpetuum Films Ltd.
Producers: Josh Huculiak, Bryce Zimmerman, Nate Slaco
Broadcaster: CBC
Possessing Einstein
Company: Frequent Flyer Films Inc.
Producers: Michelle Shephard, Bryn Hughes, Carolyn Abraham
Broadcaster: Documentary Channel
Pour un verre d'eau
Company: Les Films Extérieur Jour Inc.
Producer: Amélie Lambert Bouchard, Elodie Pollet, Ian Quenneville
Broadcaster: Télé-Québec
State of the Planet
Company: Yap Planet Productions Inc.
Producers: Elliott Halpern, Elizabeth Trojians, Martin Williams, Ben Schaub
Broadcaster: CBC
The Grizzly Truth (fka Worst Team Ever)
Company: Grizz Films Inc.
Producers: Scott Moore, Vinay Virmani, Kathleen Jayme, Michael Grand, James Brown, Joella Cabalu
Broadcaster: Bell Media
The Kids in the Hall
Company: Blue Ant Studios Canada Inc.
Producers: Laura Michalchyshyn, Jennifer Harkness, Paul Meyers, Michael Bonfiglio, Nick McKinney, Betty Orr
Broadcasters: Hollywood Suite, Amazon
The Society Page
Company: Towntalk Productions Inc.
Producer: Kevin Eastwood
Broadcaster: Knowledge Network
The Urban Whale
Company: Urban Whale Inc.
Producers: Nadine Pequeneza, Joanne Jackson
Broadcaster: CBC
Unmasking the Human Face
Company: Josh Freed Productions
Producers: Josh Freed, Janet Torge
Broadcaster: CBC
Visionary Gardeners, Season I
Company: VG Productions Inc.
Producers: Moses Znaimer, Mark Bradley, Ian Toews, Beverley Shenken, Amy Walker
Broadcaster: Vision TV
Find out more the Rogers Group of Funds here.
ABOUT ROGERS GROUP OF FUNDS
Since 1980, the Rogers Group of Funds has supported Canada’s independent film and television producers with more than $600 million through three different types of funding. Rogers Telefund offers loans to Canadian independent producers; Rogers Documentary Fund, Canada's premier source of funding for documentary films; and Rogers Cable Network Fund, an equity investor in Canadian programs with a first play on a Canadian cable channel. Three different types of financing. Three different funds. All from one source – Rogers.
Media Contact
Caitlin Decarie, Rogers, caitlin.decarie@rci.rogers.com, 647-299-6733
