How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 30% of admissible expenses.

What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

Who are the financial supporters of the Production program — Indigenous stream?

Production program — Indigenous stream is funded by Telefilm Canada, Government of Canada

What are Production program — Indigenous stream's eligibility criterias?

Applicants must be Canadian audiovisual production companies. Companies must have their head office in Canada. Applicants must conduct their activities within Canada.

Production program — Indigenous stream

Last Update: July 22, 2025

Canada

Financing for Indigenous-made feature films

Production program — Indigenous stream at a glance

Eligible Funding

Up to 30% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : June 4, 2024
Closing date : June 19, 2024

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Information and cultural industries
Arts, entertainment and recreation

Grant Providers

Telefilm Canada
Government of Canada

Program status

Closed

Overview of the Production program — Indigenous stream program

Get a contribution or equity investment to cover up to 30% of the production costs of a fictional, feature-length film. You could get an additional $100,000 if your project has a budget of less than $2.5 million and is being shot in a remote location or i

Eligible projects & activities

This grant is open to companies with their head office located within Canada. All eligible applicants must conduct their activities within the Canadian regions.

Any province or territory in Canada.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 570,000

Production of an Indigenous Stream film

$ 600,000

Production of a low-budget French-language film

$ 450,000

Post-production of an English-language action film

$ 240,000

Post-production of an international French-language coproduction

$ 750,000

Development of a feature-length documentary film

$ 510,000

Production of a feature-length Indigenous language film

Eligibility criteria of the Production program — Indigenous stream program

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific criteria related to the company's profile and operations.

The applicant must be a Canadian audiovisual production company.
The applicant's head office must be located in Canada.
The applicant must carry out their activities within Canada.

Who is eligible?

Canadian audiovisual production companies who have their head office in Canada and carry out their activities in Canada.

Eligible expenses

The Production Program funds Canadian feature films that are either in the production or post-production stages. Eligible projects are centered around full-length feature films in English.

Production of English-language feature films with budgets of $3.5 million or more, including international coproductions.
Production of English-language feature films with budgets under $3.5 million, including international coproductions.
Production of Indigenous feature films in all languages and budget levels.
Post-production applications for English-language films at all budget levels, including international minority coproductions.

Eligible geographic areas

The grant covers expenses incurred during production and post-production of Canadian feature films.

Production costs, including set design, costumes, and props.
Salaries and wages for cast and crew involved in the film production.
Post-production expenses such as editing, sound design, and visual effects.
Necessary travel and accommodation for the production team.
Marketing and promotional costs associated with the film's release.
Rental of equipment and studio space required for production.
Insurance and legal fees related to production activities.
Contingency costs as part of the project's budget.

Eligibility criteria of the Production program — Indigenous stream program

The Production Program has evaluation and selection criteria used to assess grant applications. The evaluation process focuses on various aspects of the project to determine its suitability for funding.

Artistic quality and originality of the project
Market potential and audience appeal
Experience and track record of the key creative team
Financial and production feasibility of the project
Contribution to cultural diversity and inclusion

How to apply to the Production program — Indigenous stream program

Review Guidelines and Key Dates

Visit the program's webpage to understand the Production Program guidelines and eligibility criteria.
Check the opening and closing dates for application submission relevant to your project and language.

Prepare Application Documents

Download and fill out the Standard Budget Template and any other necessary templates as per your project stage.
Compile required documents such as Declaration of Canadian Status, Declaration Regarding Indigenous Projects (if applicable), and Track Record for Producer(s), Director(s), and Screenwriter(s).
Prepare a Production Sustainability Plan, if applicable.

Create a Dialogue account if you do not have one already.
Log in to the Dialogue portal using your credentials.

Complete and Submit Application

Enter your application details into the Dialogue system, ensuring all information is accurate and complete.
Upload all required documents and templates into the system.
Review your application to ensure completeness and correctness.
Submit your application through the Dialogue portal before the specified deadline for your submission period.

Confirmation of Submission

Receive a confirmation within the Dialogue system that your application has been successfully submitted.
Save a copy of the confirmation for your records.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

IT support for applications is only available on business days until 5:00 pm EST.
Projects produced in languages other than French and English must be submitted during the opening periods applicable to English-language projects.
Changes have been made to the minimum contingency reserve requirement, increasing it from 6% to 8%.
Productions with budgets of $3.5 million or higher selected for production funding must use a carbon calculator and deliver a carbon footprint report at Final Costs.
Minority coproductions and post-production applications have the choice between a non-repayable contribution or a repayable investment.