Series Mania, Telefilm Canada, CNC and BANFF link for Canada-France Series Lab

Laurence Herszberg

Organisers of Series Mania Forum, Telefilm Canada, CNC and BANFF World Media Festival have come together to launch a new initiative aimed at expanding French-Canadian cooperation.

Canada-France Series Lab has been created as a joint venture between the partners and aim to facilitate new relationships and “ultimately create new co-production opportunities, while at the same time fostering the development of projects with strong international potential in a competitive environment.”

It will be a year-long initiative starting at Series Mania Forum 2023, when 15 producers from each country will be invited to participate to meet their French/Canadian counterparts and form pairs. Four to five projects presented by these pairs will be selected by a jury of experts and invited to participate in a series of professional workshops.

The first workshop will be held in person at the BANFF World Media Festival in June 2023, followed by a virtual coaching cycle from September 2023 to March 2024. The program will end at the 2024 edition of the Series Mania Forum with the projects’ presentation to potential international financiers.

Partners of the scheme include the Embassy of Canada in France and the French Embassy in Canada, with producers’ associations and industry partners also set to be incorporated from each country. The call for producers opens on 23 November and closes on 23 January 23, 2023.

Laurence Herszberg, founder & general director of Series Mania, said the new initiative would “help foster meetings between French and Canadian producers, highlight certain projects on the international scene and revive ongoing co-productions between the two territories.”

A webinar and presentation for potential candidates is set for 21 November. For more info and to register, click here.