Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds provide financial support for
feature-length documentaries

MONTREAL , Dec. 4 /CNW Telbec/ - Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds are pleased to announce the names of the feature-length documentary projects that will receive funding support under the Theatrical Documentary Program in 2009-2010. Participating filmmakers will receive funding support for the production or post-production stage of their project.

The goal of the Theatrical Documentary Program is to broaden both the slate and audiences for Canadian feature-length documentaries produced for commercial screening in Canada , while jointly financing a number of French- and English-language projects likely to be successful in Canada and abroad.

"Through this program, we are looking to attract new audiences in theatres for Canadian documentaries by providing support at crucial stages so projects can be commercially viable," stated Michel Pradier , Director of Project Financing, Telefilm Canada . "The feature films selected this year testify once again to Canadian documentary filmmakers' spirit of innovation and creativity."

Launched in 2005-2006 as a one-year pilot project, this unique public-private partnership was recently renewed until 2011. The program has a total budget of $4.5 million and provides funding, during production and post-production stages, for feature-length documentary projects with production budgets of $500,000 or more in French and $600,000 or more in English as well as financing for projects at the post-production stage.

    
    English-language projects

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Project         Production   Director    Distri-     Phase       Region
                    company                  butor
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The David       Legacy       Sturla      E1 Films    Production  Toronto
    Suzuki Project  Lecture      Gunnarsson  Canada inc.
                    Productions
                    Ltd.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Genius Within:  GG           Michele     Union       Post-       Toronto
    The Inner Life  Productions  Hozer       Pictures    production
    of Glenn Gould  Inc.                     of Canada
                                             inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Guantanamo  Xenophile    Thomas      KinoSmith   Production  Toronto
    Trap*         Media Inc.   Wallner     inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I Will Survive  Cave 7       Jamie       Bravo! /    Production  Toronto
    (Again)         Productions  Kastner     Canal D
                    inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Tutu Much       Ballet       Elise       KinoSmith   Post-      Vancouver
                    Girls Inc.,  Swerhone    inc.        production
                    Merit Motion
                    Pictures Inc.,
                    2802031
                    Manitoba Inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------


    French-language projects

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Project         Production   Director    Distri-     Phase       Region
                    company                  butor
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Les Ailes de    Productions  Marc        Les Films   Production  Québec
    Johnny Mae      Thalie inc.  Fafard      Christal
                                             inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Quais-Blues     Productions  Richard     K Films     Post-       Québec
                    des Années   Lavoie      Amérique    production
                    Lumières inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Marc Séguin,    Productions  Bruno       Filmoption  Post-       Québec
    dialogue avec   Pimiento     Boulianne   Interna-    production
    le territoire   inc.                     tionale inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Yoga            Inform-      Carlos      Filmoption  Production  Québec
                    Action       Ferrand     Interna-
                    Films inc.               tionale inc.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    *Financial support from Telefilm Canada only.
    

About Rogers Communications

Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. We are engaged in wireless voice and data communications services through Wireless, Canada's largest wireless provider. Through Cable, we are one of Canada's leading providers of cable television services as well as high-speed Internet access and telephony services. Through Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit www.rogers.com.

    
    Telefilm Canada: Developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual
    industry
    

Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian productions that appeal to domestic and international audiences. The Corporation also administers the funding programs of the Canadian Feature Film Fund, the Canadian Television Fund and the Canada New Media Fund. Visit www.telefilm.gc.ca.

For further information: Eva Hartling, Senior Advisor, External Communications, Telefilm Canada, [phone], ext. 2090, 1-800-567-0890, [email protected]