Scythia Films & Stellar Citizens launch joint TV fund

Canadian companies Scythia Films and Stellar Citizens have launched a development fund targeting film and television projects originating in the US, Canada and Europe.

With this partnership, the companies expect to build a slate of 5-7 projects over the next 12 months.

The first project to be developed through the joint venture is an adaptation of Mark Vonnegut’s book “The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity.”

Producer Ethan Lazar fostered this partnership between Scythia and Stellar to leverage Scythia’s track record with filmmakers and Stellar’s financing and development strength, according to the partners.

Daniel Bekerman, producer at Scythia, said: “English Canada has superb writing talent, but there are stark limitations on their ability to forge a viable career here, particularly in feature films.

“We have no complaint with the availability of public funds, we are ahead of many countries in that regard. But a combination of public and private funds is what’s needed to build a more robust market capable of supporting new talent and sustaining that support into a thriving career. We want people to know there’s no ceiling on where they can go if they want to create bold and unique stories while staying rooted in Canada.”

Scythia is best known as a film financier and producer, while Stellar Citizens is also primarily a movie company.