Netflix, Hot Docs start funding initiative

Netflix is teaming up with Toronto-based film festival Hot Docs for a five-year initiative that will finance under-represented Canadian filmmakers.

Lisa Nishimura

The Hot Docs Canadian Storytellers Project promises to invest in core funding and professional development programmes for Canadian filmmakers “in recognition of the systemic barriers that continue to exist within the documentary film industry.”

The initiative will aim to serve filmmakers from groups whose stories have been historically under-represented on screen, providing year-round opportunities for documentarians who are indigenous, French-speaking, deaf and/or have a disability, or who are persons of colour.

Hot Docs said it designed the initiative with “extensive and ongoing consultations with a diverse group of arts and culture organisations and individual artists across Canada.”

The partnership will see the establishment of the CrossCurrents Canada Doc Fund, which will financially support 25 to 40 independent documentary projects from emerging filmmakers over the next five years, with grants ranging from C$10,000 (US$7,700) to C$50,000.

Both short- and feature-length projects will be supported with development, production or post-production funding. The fund will accept applications for its first round of disbursements this fall.

In addition, Hot Docs and Netflix will support 10 fellowships annually for Hot Docs’ Doc Accelerator programme for emerging filmmakers.

Lisa Nishimura, Netflix’s VP of original documentaries and comedy, said: “This project will promote opportunities for emerging filmmakers, who offer a diversity of perspectives and connect their unique voices to global audiences.”