Feature Film Development Fund

Who can apply

1. Eligible applicants with the development of viable motion picture concepts into screenplays for theatrical release
2. Movies for television are not eligible
3. Be a resident Manitoba producer, defined as a producer who operates a production company in Manitoba that is majority owned and controlled by Manitoba residents
4. Applications must be submitted by an eligible Manitoba resident producer
5. A resident is defined as an individual who is legally entitled to be, work and remain in Canada, is currently a resident of Manitoba and has been for not less than 365 days prior to the date of application to MFM
6. A Manitoba business must have its head office and principal place of business located in Manitoba
7. Not-for-profit organizations are not eligible for MFM programs
8. Have a minimum of two years of production experience as a producer and have previously produced at least one project (minimum 30 minutes in broadcast length), which has been either screened by a major network/streamer (such as CBC/Gem, Bell/Crave, APTN/Lumi, etc.) or distributed by a recognized distributor (such as Elevation Pictures, Mongrel Media, Lionsgate, etc.)
9. Producers who do not meet this requirement, but who are judged to have equivalent experience (including experience in interactive digital media) may be deemed eligible at MFM’s sole discretion
10. Have proof of ownership in the underlying property and the necessary, corresponding current rights or options to develop, produce, and exploit the production throughout the world (may be shared in the case of co-development applications)
11. Be a feature-length fictional film or a feature-length documentary, as per industry standards
12. Be live-action or animation
13. Be primarily intended for theatrical release
14. Projects intended for an initial or primary television broadcast are not eligible
15. Have secured a minimum of 20% of the development budget
16. The market trigger’s development participation must be in the form of cash, not services, to be eligible
17. Co-productions or co-ventures will be considered eligible, but MFM will require evidence that the resident Manitoba producer shares ownership in the project
18. The production’s bank account (under the Manitoban single-purpose applicant company in the case of co-productions or co-ventures) must be based in Manitoba; the bank’s address on the cheques for the account must be a Manitoban address
19. The project must be in the compliance with the laws, regulations, standards, and policies applicable to distribution, broadcasting and to intellectual property, and the project must not infringe upon any public or private rights and must not otherwise contravene the Canadian civil and criminal laws in effect
20. Applicant companies (or their affiliates) must be in good standing with MFM at the time of application
21. Applications from those companies in default on any contractual obligation to MFM will not be considered