New Initiative Aims to Increase Demand for Canadian Content

MONTREAL/TORONTO: Telefilm Canada is partnering with the Canada Media Fund in an effort to widen the reach and expand the international demand for content made in Canada.

The strategy will be grounded in the investment in local ideas. Advice and engagement will be sought from the Telefilm staff, industry, elected officials, business as well as other community leaders in cities and towns throughout the country. The goal is to establish public-private partnerships, generate innovative ideas and locally tailored solutions to improve the visibility and demand for Canadian feature films, TV projects and interactive digital media.

In addition to the work being done at the local level, there will be a host of measures taken to track, promote and ensure the international success of Canadian-made content. This includes co-productions.

“Telefilm wants to create a groundswell in favor of Canadian content,” said Telefilm’s executive director, Carolle Brabant. “The current success of Canadian films provides an ideal context for achieving this initiative, provided we put the necessary effort behind it. I am delighted that the Canada Media Fund (CMF) is joining us in this major endeavour and that Valerie Creighton has accepted Telefilm’s offer to lead this project.”

“This initiative underlines the Canada Media Fund’s expanded mandate for the marketing and promotion of Canadian content,” added Valerie Creighton, the president and CEO of the CMF. “One of the Fund’s strategic objectives is to reward the success of our rich and compelling Canadian ideas, stories and creative content “The initiative will build on past success and explore new and innovative ways to ensure content is more widely accessible and stimulate demand for Canadian stories.”

“With the launch of this initiative in April 2011, our objective is to further support the expression of Canadian culture by enabling a broader local and international reach of compelling content,” continued Brabant. “This in turn will provide economic and cultural benefits to Canadians and develop a pride of ownership in the investment, success and impact of Canadian content.”