Telefilm Canada announces funding for 11 English-language projects

THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL - Telefilm Canada announced funding for the production of 11 English-language projects on Thursday.

The federal cultural agency is distributing the money under the Canada Feature Film Fund and the Low Budget Independent Feature Film Assistance Program, which gives under $500,000 to first-time directors.

Receiving the most funding at $2.5 million is "Splice," about a genetic scientist couple who create the world's first human/animal hybrid. Vincenzo Natali is director.

Next at $1.7 million is director Deepa Mehta's "Heaven on Earth," which follows a young bride as she leaves India to build a new life in Canada.

"Freezer Burn" is a Grant Harvey-directed tale of a former professional hockey player who thwarts an alien invasion. It got $1.5 million, as did the Gary Yates-directed "High Life," about petty criminals with a dream.

Getting $1.4 million is David Schultz's "45 RPM," in which two teens attend a big rock 'n' roll party in 1950s New York.

Other films getting over $500,000 but under $1 million include: "One Week," about a man who flees his lifestyle for something more adventurous; "Growing Op," about a teenage boy living in a suburban grow-operation (Thom Fitzgerald is executive producer); and "Toronto Stories," about a young boy lost in the Big Smoke (Sook Yin-Lee is co-director).

In the low-budget category is "Nonsense Revolution," about a teen who dies in a drunk driving incident and comes back to Earth as a frustrated angel. Fitzgerald is producing.

"The Harton Interviews" is a horror about world domination by alien creatures that look human.

And "Puck Hogs" follows a men's recreational hockey team.

© The Canadian Press, 2007