Telefilm Canada - COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund

[Frank Cox]

On July 7, 2020, the Government of Canada unveiled the final components of the second and last phase of the Emergency Support Fund, including namely an additional investment of $1,755,000 to be distributed by Telefilm for movie theatres that show Canadian films

Announcement here: https://telefilm.ca/en/financing/cov...ilm-allocation

Guidelines here: https://telefilm.ca/wp-content/uploa...elefilm-fv.pdf

In order to be eligible it appears that a theatre has to have played at least one "Canadian Feature Film" sometime between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2020.

“Canadian Feature Film” is defined as a fictional or documentary film of 75 minutes or more that has : (i) obtained a minimum of 6 out of 10 points (or 60% of the points) from the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO), or (ii) received a preliminary or final recommendation by Telefilm as an audiovisual coproduction governed by a Canadian treaty.

The payout is $5000 per theatre location (to a maximum of $50,000 per company) with an additional $11,000 payout if the theatre is owned by a member of an underrepresented group. "Underrepresented Groups” are defined as the following groups in the audiovisual industry: indigenous, LGBTQ2+, official language minority communities, persons with disabilities, racialized persons/visible minorities and women.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Did you check if you played a "Canadian feature film" in the target period?

Also, I had to look up what they mean with LGBTQ2+, as in, what the 2+ entails... Essentially, the + is everybody that wasn't explicitly mentioned in the "LGBTQ2" part, so I guess everybody qualifies for that requirement?

[Frank Cox]

I did.

Little Italy, Sept 14-20, 2018.

There might be (probably are) more than that, but since the website says you need only one I stopped looking after I found Little Italy.

Unless there's a hidden gotcha in the fine print, I think I'm entitled to $5000 from this thing.

And there is. I just got an email from the Telefilm outfit saying that in order to qualify for this thing you must be incorporated. Melville Theatre is just a registered business name but is not a corporation so I guess I'm out of luck.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Sounds like this thing is highly discriminatory and specific about exact guidelines. Around here, everybody operating a business on his/her own title also qualifies as being incorporated. Besides personal liability, I also don't see the difference between a "corporation" and a business executed on personal title.

What's the purpose of this thing? Giving the big guys that can somehow make all the boxes "check" a little bonus or do they want to help the small guy? For a small shop like you, I guess $5000 extra can make a difference between hanging in there for another month or not, for a multiplex it's just a drop on a hot plate....

[Allan Barnes]

I wonder if DRIVE IN THEATRES are covered and if SHAZAM / SHAPE of WATER is Canadian "approved" content ?