CMF Unveils Canada-South Africa Co-Development Incentive

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) have inked an agreement to establish a dedicated incentive for the co-development of audiovisual projects between Canadian and South African producers.

The total amount of funding available through the incentive is approximately C$120,000 or ZAR 1,200,000 ($99,000), with CMF and NFVF each contributing half of the funds. The total maximum contribution for each project funded through the incentive is C$40,000 or ZAR 200,000 ($33,000). The deal was announced at an event held during the Toronto International Film Festival as part of 20th-anniversary celebrations of the signing of the Canada-South Africa Co-Production Treaty.

To qualify, projects must involve producers eligible under criteria from both organizations. Projects must be in the drama, documentary or children and youth genres, comprising at least one product for exhibition on TV, the internet or digital media platforms. Further details of the program, including key dates, will be revealed in the coming weeks.

“In the past 20 years, we’ve seen content produced between Canadian and South African creators hit international markets with great commercial success and critical acclaim,” said Valerie Creighton, the president and CEO of CMF. “Through this incentive, we hope to develop strong partnerships between producers in both countries, enabling them to continue creating quality content that resonates with audiences around the world. We are very pleased to have found in the NFVF a strong international partner with which we can foster our mutual objective of increasing co-production opportunities.”

“This co-development incentive is a valuable initiative that will augment the existing audiovisual co-production treaty between South Africa and Canada,” said Zamantungwa Mkosi, the CEO of NFVF. “The treaty has been instrumental in ensuring that South African producers have international exposure and produce content that is memorable and impactful. The incentive signifies the importance of partnerships and collaborations in our efforts to ensure that South Africa is recognized as a valuable player internationally. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with CMF.”