Canadian Film Centre
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) is an advanced training institution for film, television and new media. Based in Toronto
, Canada
, CFC offers residents education, industry partnerships and production experience. Beyond development, CFC promotes and invests in Canada’s diverse talent; providing exhibition, financial, and distribution opportunities for top creative content leaders from coast to coast. In operation since 1988, CFC has graduated over 1,000 residents.
as a film training centre, CFC has progressively added new programs, initiatives and labs as they become relevant; growing from 6 initial staff running a solitary film program for 12 inaugural residents in 1988, to over 50 staff, running 10 programs and 3 initiatives for more than 100 residents in 2008.
1991: Summer & Fall Writer’s Boot camp offered until 1993
1992: The Feature Film Project launches
1994: Inaugural Television Training Program begins
1996: Professional Screenwriting Program starts
1997: Habitat New Media Lab created
1997: Editors’ lab included in Film Program offerings
1999: Prime Time Television Program commences
2000: CFC acquires Worldwide Short Film Festival
2002: Interactive Project Lab initiated
2003: CFC Distribution is introduced
2003: Interactive Narrative Feature Project (INFP) conceived
2004: Professional Screenwriting Program & Writers’ Lab folded into Prime Time TV Program
2004: TELUS Innovation Fund announced
2006: TV Pilot Program begins
2006: NBC Universal Multiplatform Program announced
2007: CFC Go West Project Lab launched
2007: Mobile Film Festival launched
2007: Launch of Late Fragment, INFP’s inaugural project and North America’s first interactive dramatic feature film
2008: CFC/NFB Documentary Feature Film Program created
2008: Canada - UK Script Incubation Program announced
2008: CFC Actors Conservatory announced
2009: CFC NBC Universal Content Creator Program announced
2009: CFC Launches New Program | Telefilm Canada Features Comedy Lab
2009: E1 Entertainment Supports CFC Features
2009: Kiefer Sutherland Announced as Chair of CFC Actors Conservatory
On-going initiatives include:
. Feature films comprise:
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, CFC offers residents education, industry partnerships and production experience. Beyond development, CFC promotes and invests in Canada’s diverse talent; providing exhibition, financial, and distribution opportunities for top creative content leaders from coast to coast. In operation since 1988, CFC has graduated over 1,000 residents.
History
Founded in 1988 by Governor General's Award recipient and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Norman JewisonNorman Jewison
Norman Frederick Jewison, CC, O.Ont is a Canadian film director, producer, actor and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. Highlights of his directing career include In the Heat of the Night , The Thomas Crown Affair , Fiddler on the Roof , Jesus Christ Superstar , Moonstruck , The Hurricane and The...
as a film training centre, CFC has progressively added new programs, initiatives and labs as they become relevant; growing from 6 initial staff running a solitary film program for 12 inaugural residents in 1988, to over 50 staff, running 10 programs and 3 initiatives for more than 100 residents in 2008.
Timeline
1988: CFC opens with original Film Training Program for producers, writers and directors1991: Summer & Fall Writer’s Boot camp offered until 1993
1992: The Feature Film Project launches
1994: Inaugural Television Training Program begins
1996: Professional Screenwriting Program starts
1997: Habitat New Media Lab created
1997: Editors’ lab included in Film Program offerings
1999: Prime Time Television Program commences
2000: CFC acquires Worldwide Short Film Festival
2002: Interactive Project Lab initiated
2003: CFC Distribution is introduced
2003: Interactive Narrative Feature Project (INFP) conceived
2004: Professional Screenwriting Program & Writers’ Lab folded into Prime Time TV Program
2004: TELUS Innovation Fund announced
2006: TV Pilot Program begins
2006: NBC Universal Multiplatform Program announced
2007: CFC Go West Project Lab launched
2007: Mobile Film Festival launched
2007: Launch of Late Fragment, INFP’s inaugural project and North America’s first interactive dramatic feature film
2008: CFC/NFB Documentary Feature Film Program created
2008: Canada - UK Script Incubation Program announced
2008: CFC Actors Conservatory announced
2009: CFC NBC Universal Content Creator Program announced
2009: CFC Launches New Program | Telefilm Canada Features Comedy Lab
2009: E1 Entertainment Supports CFC Features
2009: Kiefer Sutherland Announced as Chair of CFC Actors Conservatory
Training
CFC offers training in three separate media streams: film, television and new media. Each stream offers practical, intensive, hands-on programs that are administered under the guidance of faculty and industry professionals.CFC Film
- Cineplex EntertainmentCineplex EntertainmentCineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
Film Program: A five-and-a-half month residency offering participants complete immersion in the art, craft and business of dramatic filmmaking for producers, editors, writers and directors. - Short Dramatic Film Program: An intense five-month development, production and post-production filmmaking experience that produces up to five short films a year.
- CFC Features: A comprehensive development and production focused mentorship program for the development, production and marketing of first-time low-budget feature films.
- CFC GO WEST Project Lab: An intense, week-long creative and business immersion experience for western-Canada-based producers.
- CFC NFBNFBThe acronym NFB may refer to:* National Federation of the Blind, organization representing blind people in the United States* National Film Board of Canada, Canada's public film producer and distributor...
Feature Documentary Program: Launched in January 2009, Canada’s first theatrical documentary development program is a new six-month program designed to help directors develop cinematic documentaries that will advance the genre and achieve commercial and critical success. - Telefilm Canada Features Comedy Lab: A high-level, professional development program, pairing accomplished Canadian feature film producers and their writer and/or director teams and their theatrical comedy scripts, with the best comedy minds in the world.
CFC TV
- CBCCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
Prime Time Television Program: A five-month residency providing up to eight experienced writers with the opportunity to train in a simulated story department environment, guided by leading senior television creators. - TV Pilot Program: A fully mentored, thorough immersion in dramatic television production, from concept through development, to production, post and delivery. Produces up to three half-hour pilots with broadcaster participation annually.
- Canada - UK Script Incubation Program: Canada’s first international co-production training program: The Canada - UK Script Incubation Program is the first of its kind in Canada and will foster a new level of collaboration between Canadian and UK television writers. With the participation of Canwest, the BBC and BBC Worldwide, the program aspires to be an exciting model for the successful co-production of television properties.
CFC Media Lab
- TELUSTELUSTelus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
Interactive Art & Entertainment Program (IAEP): Canada’s first post-graduate program for new media training and production based on a philosophy that compelling content is created though a collaborative process. Up to 10 residents per session, create interactive media prototypes that push the boundaries of conventional entertainment. Open to international candidates. - Interactive Project Lab (IPL): A unique partnership with The Banff Centre and L’INIS, that offers a series of programs designed to produce innovative cultural and entertainment start-up companies; with the goal of strengthening Canadian capability in the area of interactive entertainment.
- Interactive Narrative Feature Program (INFP): An innovative program designed to experiment with the creation, development, production, financing, marketing and distribution of interactive feature films.
CFC Actors Conservatory
- This new initiative delivers collaborative, in-depth, professional-level training for screen actors. Launched in 2009, the CFC Actors Conservatory is presented by Canwest and supported by the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, and is the first program of its kind in Canada.
Promoting and investing in Canada's talent
From organizing innovative industry outreach events nationwide, to providing Canadians with the means and venues to profile their works, CFC has extended their dedication beyond development to include promotion and investment. Designed to encourage discussion and stimulate interest in the Canadian entertainment industry, CFC has hosted numerous screenings, workshops and industry forums; helping to build the Canadian network and fuel Canada’s growth internationally.On-going initiatives include:
- CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival: Now in its 15th year, this annual event has grown to become the premier venue for the exhibition and promotion of short film in North America. Taking place in late spring, the WSFF presents 265 short films from more than 30 countries.
- CFC Distribution: A boutique distributor / sales agent currently representing both: films produced at the CFC, and other shorts acquired nationally and abroad.
- TELUSTELUSTelus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
Innovation Fund: A fund administered by the CFC that provides talented Canadians with significant financial assistance to get their innovative film, television or new media project produced.
Work produced by CFC
The CFC has produced a large catalogue of works, including 17 feature films, 145 short films, 61 interactive prototypes, and 1 interactive feature film, Late FragmentLate Fragment
Late Fragment is an Canadian interactive cinema production, written and directed by Daryl Cloran, Anita Doron and Mateo Guez. It is North America's first interactive feature film. The project is a co-production of Canadian Film Centre and the National Film Board of Canada. -Synopsis:Three...
. Feature films comprise:
- Nurse.Fighter.BoyNurse.Fighter.BoyNurse.Fighter.Boy is a Canadian drama film, originally released in 2008.The film stars Karen LeBlanc as Jude, a widowed single mother undergoing treatment for sickle cell disease. While working as a night-shift nurse to support her son Ciel Nurse.Fighter.Boy is a Canadian drama film, originally...
(director, Charles OfficerCharles OfficerCharles Officer is a Jamaican-Canadian writer, actor, director and former professional hockey player in the United States.-Director:Officer’s directorial debut, When Morning Comes, premiered at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival...
): received its World Premiere at Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
and had its theatrical release on February 6, 2009 in Toronto and Vancouver. - Blood and DonutsBlood and DonutsBlood and Donuts is a Canadian comedy/horror motion picture directed by Holly Dale, and starring Gordon Currie and Helene Clarkson, with David Cronenberg playing a cameo role as the local crime boss. The film features a vampire who is accidentally awakened after 25 years of sleep, and starts to...
(director, Holly DaleHolly DaleHolly Dale is a Canadian film and television director and film producer. She received a Gemini Award in 2008 for Best Direction in a Dramatic Series ....
): screened at the Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
, Vancouver International Film FestivalVancouver International Film FestivalThe Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
and Singapore International Film FestivalSingapore International Film FestivalThe Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
. - RudeRude (film)Rude is a 1995 Canadian crime film directed by Clement Virgo. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Maurice Dean Wint - General* Rachael Crawford - Maxine* Clark Johnson - Reece...
(director, Clement VirgoClement VirgoClément Virgo is a Canadian filmmaker of international acclaim. His latest feature, the boxing drama Poor Boy's Game, stars Danny Glover and Rossif Sutherland...
): received its World Premiere at Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, and garnered 8 Genie AwardGenie AwardGenie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
Nominations (including; Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress) at the 1996 Genie Awards. - House (director, Laurie LyndLaurie LyndLaurie Lynd is a Canadian film and television director, best known as the director of the feature film Breakfast with Scot.He also directed the feature film House, the short film The Fairy Who Didn't Want to Be a Fairy Anymore, and the television films Sibs, Open Heart and Virtual Mom, as well as...
): screened at the Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
, Tokyo International Film FestivalTokyo International Film FestivalTokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter...
and Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival. - Shoemaker (director, Colleen Murphy): Received the Audience Prize & Ecumenic Prize at the Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival, and garnered nominations for Best Supporting Actor & Best Actress at the 1997 Genie Awards.
- CubeCube (film)Cube is a 1997 Canadian science fiction psychological thriller/horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali. The film was a successful product of the Canadian Film Centre's First Feature Project....
(director, Vincenzo NataliVincenzo NataliVincenzo Natali is an American-Canadian film director and screenwriter, best known for writing and directing science fiction films such as Cube, Nothing and Splice.-Early life:...
): #2 spot in gross receipts in France in the second week of its run, Best First Canadian Feature at the Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
, and garnered six Genie AwardGenie AwardGenie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
Nominations at 1998 Genie Awards - Clutch (director, Chris GrismerChris GrismerChris Grismer is a Canadian director of film, television and music videos, now residing in Los Angeles. His credits include Kyle XY, Queer as Folk, Being Erica, Playmakers, This Is Wonderland, Make It or Break It, Pretty Little Liars, The Nine Lives of Chloe King and The Vampire Diaries...
): Best Feature at the Victoria International Film & Video Festival. - Too Much SexToo Much SexToo Much Sex is a 2000 Canadian sex comedy film directed by Andrew Ainsworth, produced by the Canadian Film Centre and starring Michael McMurtry, Janet Kidder and Diane Flacks...
(director, Andrew Ainsworth): Best Film at the Malibu Film FestivalMalibu Film FestivalThe Malibu International Film Festival is a film festival and non-profit organization, established in 1997, that showcases independent American and international films. The MIFF line-up includes world premieres and U.S...
. - Show Me (director, Cassandra Nicolaou)
- The Dark HoursThe Dark HoursThe Dark Hours is a 2005 Canadian made psychological thriller movie directed by Paul Fox and written by Wil Zmak. In his book The Long Tail, Wired editor Chris Anderson cited it as the poorest box-office performance for 2005 in the U.S., with a gross of $423. Thus, it suffered more than any other...
(director, Paul FoxPaul FoxSir Paul Leonard Fox, CBE, is a British television executive, who spent much of his broadcasting career working for BBC Television, most prominently as the Controller of BBC One between 1967 and 1973.-Early life:...
) - Siblings (director, David Weaver)
- The Uncles (director, Jim Allodi)
- The Art of WooThe Art of WooThe Art of Woo is a 2001 Canadian romantic comedy. Written and directed by Helen Lee, the film stars Sook-Yin Lee.- Plot :Alessa Woo , an art gallery employee, is caught up in trying to present a wealthy and powerful image for the sake of her career, but finds her plans unexpectedly complicated...
(director, Helen Lee): premiered at the Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. - Khaled (director, Asghar MassombagiAsghar MassombagiAsghar Massombagi is a film director who was born and raised in Tehran. He immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1986. He graduated from Simon Fraser University with two majors in film and computer sciences. He has produced three short films, Feel Like Chicken Tonight, The Miracle and Rose....
): received the 2002 Karlovy Vary Award for Best Director, and a Special Mention by the Fipresci Jury at the 2001 Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. - Shanti Baba Ram & The Dancers of Hope (director Steve RosenbergSteve RosenbergSteven Allen Rosenberg is a retired American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.Rosenberg is Jewish...
, produced by Heidi Tao Yang): the title track of the film was composed by Vikas KohliVikas KohliVikas Kohli is an Indian musician and producer best known for founding Fatlabs.-Fatlabs:Fatlabs is home recording studio in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, founded in 2003. Kohli is best known for his ability to work with multiple genres. Vikas has produced punk, jazz, hip-hop, soul, country, pop,...
of FatlabsFatlabsFatLabs, is a Canadian home recording studio in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 2003 by Vikas Kohli. The studio is known for its ability to work with an assortment of genres.- Mission Istaanbul :...
Studios.