Applications are now closed!
This residency programme was established for women who are outstanding Canadian feature-film screenwriters, to elevate and support talent. Each year, one writer will be provided with the opportunity to work and be mentored in the heart of Toronto’s dynamic downtown district, so they may develop their feature-film screenplay. A jury of leading screen-industry professionals will decide the winner. The Residency, which began in 2018, will run for five years until 2022. It is being generously supported by Toronto-based actor, journalist, and author Micki Moore, in response to TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign.
What’s Included
- A 10-week, feature-film screenwriting residency at TIFF Bell Lightbox from September to November 2020
- A $3,000 stipend, paid in instalments
- Mentorship from TIFF’s programming teams and expert guests
- Complimentary access to the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival
- Complimentary access to the Festival Industry Conference, Business Centre, and Delegate Resources
- Access to year-round Industry events during the period of the Residency
- Access to films screened at TIFF Bell Lightbox during the Residency
- Access to TIFF’s renowned Film Reference Library and archival collection
- A possible live read-through of the screenwriter’s feature screenplay, with up to four actors and in front of a select industry audience, at the end of the Residency
Eligibility
Candidates for the programme will represent the industry’s brightest emerging talent with a narrative feature-film project. The selected Writer-in-Residence must be a woman whose existing written work has gained some attention. This work could include: online or television projects with significant audience views; a short or feature that has been selected for major festivals; a project that has been developed through a leading international script lab; or a feature that has gained momentum through box-office or foreign sales. Applicants must reside in Canada and be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Key Dates
Applications open
April 9
Standard application deadline
May 22
Late application deadline ($35 per application)
May 29
Participants notified of selection
July 3
Application Process
With your application, please include the first 15 pages of your feature-film script and a synopsis of your project (maximum 500 words). Submissions should also include a creative vision for the project, a logline, and information on any above-the-line attachments. Applicants must also submit a video pitch, no more than two minutes in duration. The applicant should comment on their project and filmmaking approach, as well as why they would like to participate in the Micki Moore Residency.
Selection Criteria
- The quality of the writing
- The clarity of the idea and vision for the project
- The likelihood that the project will get made and find an audience
- Commitment to the residency and to the delivery of a completed draft at the conclusion
- Commitment to a possible live read-through with actors towards the end of the Residency
Selection Process
Each submission to the TIFF Micki Moore Residency is carefully reviewed by a pre-selection committee comprising up to three members of the TIFF Industry programming team. A shortlist of candidates will then be presented to an external jury of leading screen-industry professionals, who will review, deliberate, and select this year’s Micki Moore Writer-in-Residence.
