CANWEST INJECTS $4 MILLION INTO CANADIAN DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION

Toronto, April 8, 2008 – Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and Canwest are pleased to announce the launch of the Canwest-Hot Docs Funds, consisting of a $3-million completion fund and a $1-million development fund. Canwest’s $4-million infusion into the Canadian documentary production community via the Funds will provide much-needed financial support to filmmakers facing financing gaps at critical stages in their projects. Hot Docs will manage and disperse the Funds’ benefit monies over the next seven-year period.

“Hot Docs is delighted to be able to expand our support of Canadian documentary makers in this very tangible and significant way,” says Chris McDonald, Executive Director of Hot Docs. “Canwest should be commended for its vision, leadership and commitment in establishing these Funds, which will have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the Canadian doc industry.”

The Canwest-Hot Docs Funds aim to increase the quantity and quality of social, cultural and political one-off documentaries produced in Canada by Canadian-based production companies. In nurturing Canadian talent and giving voice to a diversity of viewpoints, the Funds will ultimately help Canadian documentaries reach new audiences.

“Canwest strongly believes in documentaries as a great way of telling Canadian stories and we are thrilled to announce with Hot Docs these two initiatives that will assist production companies with their documentary projects,” says Christine Shipton, Senior Vice President, Drama and Factual Content, Canwest Broadcasting. “As an organization dedicated to promoting excellence in documentary production, Hot Docs’ expert implementation of this support will undoubtedly have a positive impact among the independent production community in Canada.”

Securing financing for one-off documentaries in Canada is a challenge for many independent filmmakers, and the Canwest-Hot Docs Funds are designed to assist them at critical stages in their projects. The Canwest-Hot Docs Completion Fund is a grant program that will provide financial support of up to $100,000 (limited to a maximum of 20% of a project’s budget) for production companies to complete specific projects. The Completion Fund is open to producers who have received broadcast license from any Canadian broadcaster, thereby benefiting the production and broadcasting community as a whole. The Canwest-Hot Docs Development Fund is a loan program designed to help producers get specific projects developed, researched, written and/or packaged and ready for market. The Fund will provide no-interest loans ranging from $10,000 - $15,000 in the early development stage, when projects are at the highest risk and may have not yet secured a market partner.

Detailed guidelines for the Canwest-Hot Docs Funds will be available June 1, 2008, and application deadlines are set for July 15 and October 15.