Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds welcome the National Film Board of Canada as partner in the Theatrical Documentary Program

Program budget restored to $1.5 million

MONTREAL, Aug. 6, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds have partnered with the National Film Board of Canada for the Theatrical Documentary Program. Under this arrangement, the Program's budget has been restored to $1.5 million per year, with each partner contributing $500,000.

Enthusiastic partners
"We're thrilled to have the National Film Board join the Rogers Group of Funds and Telefilm to support Canadian documentaries that explore important topics through a unique Canadian perspective," said Telefilm Executive Director Carolle Brabant.

"Our new partnership is very promising," said Rogers Group of Funds Executive Director Robin Mirsky-Daniels, "and it will surely contribute to the success of Canadian documentaries. As the largest producer and distributor of documentaries in Canada, the National Film Board of Canada is an ideal partner."

"As Canada's public producer and distributor, the NFB is participating in the Theatrical Documentary Program in order to contribute its resources and expertise to supporting Canadian filmmakers in their crucial work of producing films that reflect Canadian social and cultural realities," said Tom Perlmutter, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the NFB.

Satisfied customers
"The restoration of the Program's budget is a positive message for Canadian documentary films," said InformAction Films Founder and Producer Nathalie Barton (L'Est pour toujours, Planète Yoga). "Our documentaries are currently enjoying significant success, here and around the world."

Sturla Gunnarsson (Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Film), renowned documentary filmmaker and President of the Director's Guild of Canada hailed the announcement: "Bravo to the National Film Board of Canada, Telefilm Canada and the Rogers Group of Funds for investing in long-form documentary filmmaking, which is arguably Canada's national art form."

The goal of the Theatrical Documentary Program is to increase audiences for Canadian feature films by encouraging the production of high-calibre documentaries for theatrical distribution. Telefilm Canada, the Rogers Group of Funds and the National Film Board have joined forces to underwrite the Program with the goal of supporting projects that will be commercially successful.

Since 2005, the Program has supported 44 productions, many of which have gone on to critical acclaim, garnering 47 awards. Among them are Last Train Home (Lixin Fan); La nuit, elles dansent (Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault); Pierre Falardeau (Carmen Garcia and Germán Gutiérrez) and China Heavyweight (Yung Chang). 

Details regarding Program guidelines will be released the week of August 20, 2012, along with the program deadline.

About Rogers Communications Inc.
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. Rogers is Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of the leading Canadian providers of cable television, high-speed internet and telephony services. Through the Rogers Media division, the company is engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment. Rogers is 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.

About the NFB
The National Film Board of Canada creates groundbreaking interactive works, social-issue documentaries and auteur animation. The NFB's award-winning content can be seen at NFB.ca and on the internet via its apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV. Canada's public producer and distributor of audiovisual works since 1939, the NFB has created over 13,000 productions and won more than 5,000 awards, including 6 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies.

About Telefilm Canada
Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada's audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Visit www.telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/telefilm_canada and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

SOURCE: TELEFILM CANADA

Media enquiries:
Douglas Chow, Manager, External Communications, Telefilm Canada
[phone], ext. 2225 or 1-800-567-0890
[email protected]