
Development program — General stream
Last Update: July 22, 2025
Canada
Money to develop feature films
Development program — General stream at a glance
Eligible Funding
- From $15,000 to $37,500
Timeline
- Open Date : September 3, 2024
- Closing date : September 23, 2024
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Grant Providers
- Telefilm Canada
- Government of Canada
Status
Closed
Overview of the Development program — General stream program
Get a repayable advance of up to $37,500 in the development stage of your feature film. To be eligible, you need to have released at least 1 fictional or documentary feature film in the last 6 years, and 1 film that premiered at a qualifying festival.
Financing terms and conditions
- Telefilm’s financial participation is a repayable advance, ranging from a minimum of $15,000 up to 100% of the development budget within set caps.
- For the Prequalified Stream: Tier A allows up to $100,000 for a maximum of 5 projects per application; Tier B up to $60,000 for 3 projects; Tier C up to $35,000 for 1 project.
- For Selective Streams (General, Indigenous, Stream for Black People and People of Colour): maximum funding is $35,000 for 1 project per application.
- Applicants may only receive funding for a project a maximum of four times, and the cumulative development funding must be repaid on the earlier of first day of principal photography or sale/transfer of the script.
- For the Springboard Initiative: maximum funding is $35,000 for 1 project, with the funded phase to be completed within 6 months of agreement signature.
Eligible projects & activities
- Development of feature-length Canadian films, including both fiction and documentary projects (minimum 75 minutes).
- Advancement of scripts through stages such as first, second, third or subsequent draft, or packaging.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 37,500
Develop a romantic comedy set in modern-day Toronto involving preproduction and script development
$ 37,500
Create a thought-provoking documentary about climate change, focusing on the coastal cities of Vancouver
$ 37,500
Create a feature film depicting the tech startup culture, focusing on script and creative team engagement
$ 37,500
Produce an animated feature about Canadian wildlife with emphasis on preproduction and key team engagement
$ 37,500
Develop a historical drama exploring the Indigenous history of Montreal, focusing on script and story editing
$ 37,500
Develop a horror film set in the haunted forests of Halifax with script writing and preproduction focus
Eligibility criteria of the Development program — General stream program
- The applicant must be a Canadian-controlled corporation with its head office and business activities carried out in Canada.
- The applicant must operate as an audiovisual production company.
- The project must be a feature-length (75 minutes or more) film, either fictional or documentary, intended for theatrical release.
- The script must be written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and the project must be intended to qualify as Canadian content or as an Audiovisual Treaty Coproduction.
- For the General Stream, the producer must have previously produced at least one Canadian fiction or documentary feature film that meets specific release or festival presentation requirements and has received a Producer or Co-Producer credit.
Who is eligible?
- Canadian feature film production companies
- Audiovisual production companies based and operating in Canada
Who is not eligible
- Companies that are not Canadian-controlled corporations.
- Companies that do not have their head office and do not carry out their activities in Canada.
- Companies that do not operate as audiovisual (feature film production) companies.
Eligible expenses
- Budget breakdown preparation.
- Corporate overhead (up to 20% of direct costs).
- Production of demos.
- Design and graphic bible creation.
- Director fees (if different from the screenwriter or for packaging phase).
- Fringe benefits related to project personnel.
- Legal fees.
- Option fees for acquiring rights to literary works (unless paid to the producer).
- Preproduction casting and scouting.
- Producer fees (up to 20% of direct costs).
- Research costs linked to the project.
- Screenwriter fees as per agreement.
- Scriptwriting workshops and storyboarding.
- Story consultant or script editor fees (independent from the producer, including sensitivity and EDI consulting).
- Travel and related costs for preproduction scouting, financing, or final packaging of the film.
- Expenses for non-Canadian script editors and consultants (if no copyright ownership results).
- Costs for obtaining an option on non-Canadian literary work or original idea.
Eligible geographic areas
- Companies with their head office and activities in Canada.
Eligibility criteria of the Development program — General stream program
- Originality and quality of the creative materials, such as synopsis, pitch document, and script.
- Cinematic potential and ability to stand out in the current cinematic landscape.
- Relevance and resonance to Canadian experiences and audiences, including presentation of a distinctly Canadian point of view.
- Track record and screen-based industry experience of the key creative team (producer, screenwriter, and, if applicable, director) including critical and audience success.
- Potential cultural impact and audience reach, including ability to connect with Canadian and international or underrepresented audiences.
How to apply to the Development program — General stream program
1
Review Program Guidelines
- Read the guidelines and essential information to ensure your project meets all eligibility criteria and requirements.
- Familiarize yourself with the required documents for your specific stream (Prequalified, General, Indigenous, Stream for Black and People of Colour).
2
Prepare Required Documents
- Gather all necessary documentation as per the list provided for your stream.
- Complete any required forms such as the Declaration Form Regarding the Producer’s Previous Experience and the Declaration of Canadian Status of Corporation.
3
Access Dialogue
- Log in to the Dialogue platform, ensuring you have access well before the submission deadline.
- Ensure your company's contact and corporate information is up to date in your Dialogue profile.
4
Complete Application in Dialogue
- Fill out the online application form, providing all required details about your project.
- Upload all the required documents through the Dialogue platform.
- Ensure that all submitted information is accurate and complete.
5
Submit the Application
Submit your application through the Dialogue platform before the closing date and time.
6
Confirmation
- Receive confirmation of your application submission via Dialogue.
- Keep a record of your submission and any reference numbers provided.
Additional information
- Applicants can only submit one application per year to a single stream, and the choice of stream is final after submission.
- Each applicant must ensure all related parties are acting independently when more than one application is considered from a corporate group.
- Projects previously unsuccessful twice in this program cannot be resubmitted; each project can receive a maximum of four rounds of development funding.
- Compliance with guidelines does not guarantee funding, as all decisions are at Telefilm's full discretion and subject to available funds.
Contact Telefilm Canada
coordination@telefilm.ca
438-806-4865
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