Opportunities

Last updated: May 7, 2025

About this page

On Screen Manitoba is committed to informing our members and stakeholders of funding opportunities, calls for submissions, markets, competitions, awards, jobs, information sessions, consultations and other opportunities.

Every other Tuesday, links to new opportunities will be shared in our bi-weekly newsletter, In Focus, and will be added to this centralized location within 1-2 business days.

 

Job Opportunities

*NEW* Casting call for Impossible Cities: seeking on-camera experts in city planning, architecture, civil engineering, and firefighting. Visit Farpoint Films’ website for details.

*NEW* Black Watch Entertainment is casting licensed Manitoba Realtors for a new on-screen project. Auditions are on May 8 in Winnipeg. Email asst@blackwatchentertainment.com to book.

The Winnipeg Film Group is hiring Workshop Instructors for multiple workshop opportunities. Interested parties can fill out this Jotform. 

Tripwire Media Group is looking for a Cinematographer and Videographer, as well as a Writer and Storyteller. Send your demo and CV to thestudio@tripwiremedia.com. There is no deadline to apply.

Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and Immigration Partnership Winnipeg — Newcomer Employment Hub

Creative Manitoba Job Board

Winnipeg Arts Council Billboard

New Media Manitoba Job Board

Work in Manitoba Job Board

Film Festivals

Open calls for submission

The Toronto International Film Festival is accepting film submissions for its 2025 edition. Standard deadline is on May 9, 2025.

The Vancouver International Film Festival is accepting film submissions for its 2025 edition. The regular deadline is May 16 and the late deadline is May 30.

Submissions for the 45th Atlantic International Film Festival are still open. Late deadline is June 6.

GEMFest 2026 is accepting submissions from women and gender-diverse filmmakers. The early bird deadline is June 15, 2025.

Whistler Film Festival + Content Summit takes place in Whistler, BC, December 3-7, 2025. Regular deadline is June 30, 2025. Late deadline is July 31, 2025.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival is accepting entries across all categories. Early deadlines are July 14 for shorts, July 25 for episodic, and July 28 for features.

Screenings and events

The Cannes Film Festival runs May 13–24.

FascinAsian Film Festival 2025 runs May 23 to 25, in Winnipeg. Passes are available now.

The Blue Mountain Film + Media Festival runs from May 29 to June 1.

Gimli International Film Festival runs July 23 to 27.

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will host in-person screenings June 3 to 8 in Toronto, with online programming available June 9 to 15.

Funding

Trade Commissioner Service CanExport SME

CanExport SMEs helps small and medium-sized Canadian businesses expand into new global markets by covering costs related to international marketing. Eligible activities include attending trade shows, conducting market research, and adapting promotional materials. Learn more and apply.

TELUS Fund

TELUS Fund has announced 2025 deadlines for its financing programs:

Applicants must email Health Organization and Platform Support Forms to info@telusfund.ca to confirm eligibility.

Bell Fund

Bell Fund has announced key 2025–2026 program dates:

Rogers Group of Funds

Telefilm Canada Programs

Telefilm Canada has announced upcoming deadlines for 2025 funding programs.

  • Production Program

    • Minority coproductions (all languages, budgets; Canadian share ≤ 30%)
      Opening: June 2, 2025
      Deadline: June 16, 2025

    • French-language projects (all budget levels)
      Opening: June 23, 2025
      Deadline: July 7, 2025

Canada Media Fund Programs

*NEW* IDEATION

Interactive Digital Media

Linear

*NEW* CREATION

Interactive Digital Media

Linear

*NEW* Industry

Sector Development

International

Independent Production Fund

The Independent Production Fund is accepting applications for the COGECO Television Production Program, which supports French- and English-language television drama series. Deadline is on April 16, 2025.

Indigenous Screen Office Programs

*NEW* The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) has released its 2025–2026 funding program schedule.

  • Finishing Fund Program
     Deadline is July 25

  • Sector Development Program
     Deadline is June 5

  • Production – Features & TV Series
     Deadline is June 12

View the guidelines here.

National Film Board

Filmmaker Assistance Program

Canada Council for the Arts Programs

  • Explore and Create
    – Research and Creation: April 23, 2025
    – Concept to Realization – Project grants: April 23, 2025
    – Concept to Realization – Composite grants: April 23, 2025

  • Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples
    – Travel: April 23, 2025
    – Small-Scale Activities: April 23, 2025

  • Supporting Artistic Practice
    – Professional Development for Arts Professionals: April 9, 2025

  • Market Access Strategy for Official Language Minority Communities (OLMC) Fund
    – Deadline: May 14, 2025

Deadlines and Notification of Results

Manitoba Arts Council Programs

Grants ( Application Deadlines )

Winnipeg Arts Council Programs

All WAC Grants Programming

Manitoba Film and Music Programs

Development - There are no set deadlines for this program. Applications can be sent throughout the year.

Production - There are no set deadlines for this program. Applications can be sent throughout the year.

Marketing

All MFM Film Programs

Winnipeg Film Group

Stay tuned for future program opening announcements.

Other Government Funding

Stay tuned for future program opening announcements.

Other Funding

CBC Films Production Funding

Creative Manitoba — All-Access Inclusion Bursary for Artists 

Women’s Enterprise Loan Fund

Markets and Conferences

*NEW* The Marché du Film takes place May 13–21 in Cannes, France, alongside the Cannes Film Festival.

*NEW* The Annecy International Animation Film Market takes place June 8–14 in Annecy, France.

*NEW* Canadian digital interactive media companies are invited to join the national delegation to FAME Week Africa 2025, taking place September 1–3 in Cape Town. Apply by May 27 through this link.

Awards and Competitions

Training and Development

*NEW* Whistler Film Festival’s Producers Lab International: The Emerald Lens is accepting applications until May 15. The 2025 cohort will attend Galway Film Fleadh and receive tailored mentorship leading up to the Whistler Film Festival. Attend the online Q&A session on May 8 at 3 p.m. CT.

*NEW* Applications are open for the 2025 Adventure Filmmakers Workshop, running October 31 to November 9 at the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival. Apply by May 28, 2025.

Film Training Manitoba
*NEW*John Paizs: Cinematic Fundamentalsruns June 7 at Film Training Manitoba’s training space in partnership with Winnipeg Film Group.

Canadian Media Producers Association

National Screen Institute – Canada

Indigenous Screen Office

Black Screen Office

Mid-Career Accelerator

BSO Office Hours Mentorship Program

Creative Manitoba

Winnipeg Film Group

*NEW* Basic Filmmaking Workshop with Nathaniel Magbanua will run from June 24th – August 18th, 2025. This in-person workshop is limited to 12 participants. Spots are sold on a first come, first served basis. Register here.

Whistler Film Festival Talent Programs

Other Training and Development Opportunities

Manitoba Legal Clinic for the Arts

Indeed Rising Voices Mentorship program

Web Series Canada National Coaching Program

Mental Health Commission of Canada — Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification courses

Radio-Canada — paid internship program for racialized and Indigenous professionals (French only)

The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) — DOC Business Concierge

BIPOC filmmakers can join DOC for the first time for free with a two-year introductory membership.

Surveys and Consultations

The Disability Screen Office has launched Canada’s first multi-year study on disability in the screen industry, in partnership with Coalition MÉDIA and Nordicity. The survey is open through June 2025 to people with or without disabilities working in or hoping to work in film and TV.

Research Publications

Canada Media Fund (CMF) released the third edition of Perspectives

In this new edition, titled The Currency of Audience, consulting firm Nordicity and CMF look at the interplay between audiences and intellectual property (IP) and how it strengthens the media sector.  

Black Screen Office — Being Counted: Canadian Race-Based Audience Survey

A study centred on the experiences, screen media preferences, and viewing habits of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) audiences – a first in Canadian audience research.

Black Screen Office — Being Heard: Black Canadians in the Canadian Screen Industries

A study addressing the gap resulting from the underrepresentation of Black creatives in industry research, and provides recommendations to create sustainable transformation and build a stronger, more diverse and equitable workforce.

Black Screen Office — Being Seen: Directives for Creating Authentic and Inclusive Content

Guidelines to meaningfully engage Black, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, and People with Disabilities communities.

1844 Studios — Building Inclusive Networks in the Film & Television Industry

A nation-wide qualitative study examining factors that contribute to the inclusion/exclusion of BIPOC women from industry networking events.

Racial Equity Media Collective — Evaluating Racial Equity in Canada’s Screen Sector

A report to collect race-based data to measure inequity. Finding that this was not possible, it became a call to the government to make this information more accessible and to formalize a new, safe way to collect data.

National Film Board of Whose Canada?

The Racial Equity Screen Office published this racial equity audit on productions that were funded by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) from 2012 to 2021, which claims that the NFB has failed to provide equal opportunities to Black and racialized creatives behind the camera.

DOC Institute Funding Analysis for BIPOC Documentary Content in Canada

This analysis reports inequities in funding distribution for documentary production and highlight barriers for documentary creators who identify as Indigenous, Black or racialized in the Canadian film and television industry. The report analyzed data from 2018 through 2020, but found there was limited data.

Telefilm Canada Eco-Awareness Survey Report

Ninety-six percent of respondents reported not only being interested in sustainable/green production practices, but also thinking it is important to incorporate these practices in the workplace. Consult Telefilm’s Eco-responsibility Action Plan.

Canadian Media Fund 2023 Key Trends Report

This report provides new data, innovative research and interviews with a diverse cross-section of Canadian creators to capture how Canada’s screen-based industries will evolve in the coming years.

The Cost of Docs

The Whickers and Sheffield DocFest published the fifth edition of this report that looks at the changing landscape for UK and international documentary filmmakers.

Canada Media Fund Mental Health in the Documentary Sector

This report is based on a Hot Docs session hosted by Malikkah Rollins and Sarah Spring dedicated to DocuMentality, their recent report about the well-being and mental health of industry professionals working in the documentary sector.   

Accessible Media Inc. Accessible Writers Lab Report

Accessible Media Inc. released its first report from the Accessible Writers Lab, which determined that writing rooms for Canadian media need to adapt to remove barriers for disabled writers.

Women in Views 7th On Screen Report

This report documents women’s employment in Canada’s publicly funded film, television and documentary from 2019 to 2021.

CMF New Futures for Canadian Content: What You Said

This report explores how the industry needs to approach the definition of Canadian Content in a more nuanced way, and how the Cancon label may not be sufficient to fully represent the diversity within the industry.

CMPA Professional Development for Media Producers

This publication reports on data from over 200 professional and skills development programs and explores how producers can get the most out of said programs to propel their careers and projects.

BIPOC Artist Databases

CultureBrew.Art (CBA)

A national searchable database of Indigenous and racialized performing, literary, and media arts professionals.

imagineNative is partnering with CBA to offer BIPOC artists one free year of CBA membership. Email community@culturebrew.art for the promo code.

Access Reelworld

A searchable recruiting platform for Canadian Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American creatives in the film industry..

Indigenous Screen Office, imagineNATIVE and APTN — National Indigenous Talent Database

A network within Canada for Indigenous film and television projects, companies, and employees in-front of and behind screen, digital, theatrical and commercial production.

ARRAY Crew

A database of diverse and underrepresented below-the-line industry professionals, now available in Canada.

Black Women Film! Canada

A leadership program and new collective dedicated to forwarding the careers, networks, and skills of filmmakers and media artists who are Black female identified of the Canadian African diaspora.

Film in Colour

An online tool intended for users to discover, hire, and collaborate with Film/TV industry professionals of colour, including Directors, Writers, Producers, Editors, Crew, Executives, Curators, Comedians, and a wide array of other Film/TV industry roles for all levels of experience.

Inclusive Crews (Facebook group)

This is a group where filmmakers can come to post jobs encouraging all races, genders, sexual orientations, degrees of ability, religious affiliations, etc. to apply.

DOC Directory

DOC is excited to welcome more than 350 BIPOC documentary filmmakers through its BIPOC Membership category. The DOC Directory provides members with exclusive access to our public-facing database for the recruitment of crew across the country. You must be a member to access the DOC Directory.

Other Opportunities

Winnipeg Film Group

Video Pool Media Arts Centre

Equipment rental program

Video + Film Catalogue

Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

Truth & Reconciliation Roadmap (TRR)

Resources for local businesses looking to advance reconciliation and implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 94 Calls to Action.

Volunteer and Donation Opportunities

Hot Docs is collecting donations for the Weengushk Film Institute, a non-profit, artist-focused film and television-training centre for Indigenous and diverse youth.

Reelworld is raising funds to ensure that artists have a platform and the means to develop authentic stories that might otherwise go unheard.

TIFF is collecting donations for its Every Story Fund, which promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in film by creating opportunities for equity-seeking creators.

Other Opportunities

Screenminer is accepting applications from producers of TV, film and web content funded by the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada for its 2024 Audience Development Pilot licence. 

Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television — Academy Talks: Framing the Future | The Critical Path to Green Production

University of Alberta — Indigenous Canada

A free course which offers detailed information on reconciliation, Indigenous history and modern issues.

Reconciliation Education — 4 Seasons of Reconciliation

An educational tool for individual, corporate, community, and classroom anti-racist training.
Now available from Red River College Polytechnic

National Screen Institute – Canada and The Shine Network Institute — PACT (Pledge – Activate – Cultivate – Thrive)

A free online course designed to provide non-Indigenous people in the film and television sector with cultural humility and competency training to prepare them for working with Indigenous productions and content.

Culture Days — Who Can Experience My Post? An Accessibility Guide to Everyday Social Media