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Inside Out, Canada’s largest 2SLGBTQ+ film festival and single largest promoter and exhibitor of 2SLGBTQ+ content in Canada, and OUTtv, Canada’s national LGBTQ+ television network, are partnering on a new initiative to support queer Canadian documentary filmmakers with the creation of the OUTspoken Documentary Financing Fund.

The new fund will be accepting submissions beginning November 16th, with two projects to be selected to receive funding. Submissions will be open until January 8th.

In addition to direct funding, the winning projects will also receive mentoring and production support from OUTtv and Inside Out. OUTtv will broadcast the completed documentaries on OUTtv, and also on OUTtvGo, OUTtv’s subscription video on demand platform.

This fund is particularly interested in seeing submissions from creators who identify as BIPOC and as members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and will prioritize submissions that show a commitment to hiring BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ cast and crew.

Inside Out and OUTtv shall jointly review the individual submissions and select up to two applications for potential production, with OUTtv retaining final decision-making on selected projects based on the following criteria:

• Creative elements: originality of the subject matter/point of view;
• Creativity, discoverability;
• Diversity of the creative team;
• Degree of relevance of the subject matter to the 2SLGBTQ+ community;
• Track record of the producer/director.

All films will automatically be submitted for consideration for the 2021 or 2022 Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, depending on completion timeline.

All submissions MUST be uploaded as a combined PDF into their Project Profile with the following:

• Logline
• Estimated film duration (in minutes)
• Estimated total budget (in CAD)
• 1 Page Treatment
• Director and Crew Bios (500 words max)
• Director’s Statement (can be written or video, 200 words or 2:00 max)
• Links to recent work (Vimeo, etc)
• Pitch Deck or Visual treatment
• Letters of Commitment / Support (not mandatory, encouraged)

All submissions must be through the FilmFreeway submission platform and all materials should be uploaded as Files & Attachments to your submission. Late submissions will not be considered.

Documentary projects may be at any stage of production, but at minimum must be fully developed and ready to prep for shooting. The completed film should be 45 – 54 minutes in length. However, OMG (OUTtv Media Global Inc.) is open to discussions about longer versions (up to a 90 minute TV slot) on a case-by-case basis. Films must be delivered by the end of 2021, unless otherwise agreed with OMG on a case-by-case basis.

Films must be certified as Canadian content, either by the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (‘CAVCO”) or by the Canadian Radio-Television Communications Commission (the “CRTC”), and producers must provide OMG with the certification number when it becomes available.