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TIFF–CBC Films Screenwriter Award

Applications are now closed. The winner will be notified by March 17, 2023.

The TIFF–CBC Films Screenwriter Award will provide $15,000 to a Canadian writer of an outstanding feature-film screenplay, supporting them to develop their project. The Award is open to experienced screenwriters who are from equity-deserving communities, women, and/or persons with a disability. Applicants must have a writer or director credit on a feature film that has been presented at one of this Award’s recognized festivals. Our commitment is to fund the development of high-quality productions that reflect, represent, and reframe diverse perspectives through character-driven stories at the centre of the Canadian experience.

The winner of the 2022 Award was Boris Rodriguez, for his screenplay Zoila and Andy.

What’s Included

A $15,000 award for the development of the submitted feature-film project
Mentorship from a script consultant
Mentorship from TIFF’s programming team
A complimentary one-year TIFF Membership, which includes discounts on film tickets at TIFF Bell Lightbox
Access to the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival
Access to TIFF’s Industry Conference, Business Centre, and Delegate Resources

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must:

Be a resident of Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Be over the age of majority in their province or territory of residence
Have received a writer or director credit on a feature film that has screened in official selection at one of the recognized festivals on this list
Demonstrate ownership of all underlying rights to their submission

The Award is open to experienced screenwriters who are from equity-deserving communities, women, and/or persons with a disability.

Key Dates

Applications open

November 21, 2022

Applications close

January 9, 2023

Winner notified by

March 17, 2023

Winner announced

March 21, 2023

Submission Guidelines

Submissions must be original works in English, written solely by the applicant. Adaptations of books, plays, or magazine articles are eligible, provided the applicant has secured the necessary legal rights. There is a limit of one submission per applicant.

In order to be considered for the Award, the applicant must submit all of the materials listed below via the online application by 11:59pm EST on January 9, 2023

The project title
The genre
The intended target audience (one sentence)
A completed online Application Form, with digital signature
A completed online Submission Release Form, with digital signature
The project being submitted for consideration. Submissions must be in the form of an 85- to 120-page feature-length screenplay in “script format standard.” The cover page should include only the project title and no other identifying markings.
A short synopsis that encapsulates the story and does not exceed 60 words
The proposed production budget (approximate)
Any key attachments in place, e.g. director, producer, and/or any proposed cast
Information on your confirmed sources of financing (if applicable)
A short statement of no more than 150 words that outlines the progress of the project to date, identifying the current challenges and the approach that will be used to explore these challenges in the next stage of development

Terms and Conditions

Applicants should carefully read the Terms and Conditions set out on the application form on FilmFreeway and abide by these.

Thank you for your interest. Applications for 2023 have now closed.

Questions?
Contact us by email at industry@tiff.net.

Industry: TIFF–CBC Films Screenwriter Award