CBC BREAKING BARRIERS FILM FUND TRIGGERS FIRST THREE PROJECTS

Indigenous survival story ANGELIQUE’S ISLE from Michelle Derosier and Marie-Helene Cousineau

Bittersweet comedy MEDITATION PARK from Mina Shum stars Sandra Oh, Cheng Pei Pei and Tzi Mah

Ghost story OCTAVIO IS DEAD! from Sook-Yin Lee stars Sarah Gadon, Raoul Trujillo and Rosanna Arquette

CBC today announced the first three films selected by the CBC BREAKING BARRIERS FILM FUND , which was launched in November 2016 in support of underrepresented Canadian creators. Written by Michelle Derosier and directed byMarie-Helene Cousineau and Michelle Derosier, ANGELIQUE’S ISLE is a visually powerful and moving Indigenous survival story. From writer and directorMina Shum (Double Happiness) comesMEDITATION PARK, a bittersweet comedy starring Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy), Cheng Pei Pei (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Tzi Mah (Arrival). Written and directed bySook-Yin Lee (CBC Radio’s DNTO and Sleepover), O CTAVIO IS DEAD! stars Sarah Gadon (Alias Grace), Raoul Trujillo (Sicario ), Dimitris Kitsos (Park) and Rosanna Arquette ( After Hours).

“The first three films selected for the CBC Breaking Barriers Film Fund underscore our commitment to supporting underrepresented creators who reflect the full range of voices throughout Canada," said Helen Du Toit, interim senior director, CBC Breaking Barriers Film Fund. “All three projects go to camera before spring, and we look forward to bringing these films to CBC audiences immediately following their festival debuts and theatrical runs.”

“Today’s announcement ensures that these three films, which are also all financially supported by Telefilm Canada, will connect with an even greater number of Canadians right across the country,” said Carolle Brabant, executive director, Telefilm Canada.

Written by Michelle Derosier and co-directed by Marie-Helene Cousineau and Michelle Derosier, ANGELIQUE’S ISLE is a harrowing true tale of perseverance and survival on Lake Superior. During the copper rush of 1845, Angelique Mott and her French-Canadian voyageur husband Charlie are left for dead on a deserted island by a corrupt copper-hunter. A young Anishinaabe woman, the newly-married Angelique must struggle to survive the harsh winter as Charlie succumbs to the power of the Windigo. Adapted for the screen from the novella Angelique Abandoned by author James R. Stevens, the film will start production in March in northern Ontario and is produced by Circle Blue Films, Thunderstone Pictures Inc. and Freddie Films. In addition to CBC and Telefilm, other funding for ANGELIQUE’S ISLE includes the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

Written and directed by Mina Shum (Double Happiness) and starring Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy), Cheng Pei Pei ( Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Come Drink With Me) and Tzi Mah (Arrival; Rush Hour 1 & 3), MEDITATION PARK is a bittersweet comedy about a devoted Chinese-Canadian wife and mother (Pei Pei) in East Vancouver whose life and family are forever altered after she discovers an orange thong in her husband`s pocket, forcing her on a journey of truth and liberation. The film starts production in Vancouver this month. In addition to receiving funding from CBC and Telefilm, MEDITATION PARK is also supported by the Harold Greenberg Fund.

Written and directed by Sook-Yin Lee, OCTAVIO IS DEAD! is a mysterious, sensual ghost story that follows Tyler (Gadon) on an adventure that will define her life. Escaping her domineering mother (Arquette), Tyler enters the rich and strange world of her deceased father Octavio (Trujillo), who she never knew. Sexual identity, the occult and the power of reality versus imagination confront her on the journey. With principal photography completed earlier this month in and around Toronto, OCTAVIO IS DEAD! is produced by Jennifer Weiss, Simone Urdl and Jamie Manning of The Film Farm, with Sarah Gadon also acting as executive producer on the film. In addition to CBC and Telefilm, OCTAVIO IS DEAD! is also funded by the Ontario Media Development Corporation and represented internationally by sales agent WTFilms.

Offering new opportunities for filmmakers who have historically been at a disadvantage in accessing financing and making their unique voices heard, the CBC BREAKING BARRIERS FILM FUND helps finance English-language feature film projects that are written or directed by Canadian women, Indigenous persons, visible minorities and persons with a disability who have had at least one feature-length film showcased at a recognized film festival. Submissions are now being accepted with no formal deadlines. Further information and application guidelines are available at http://www.cbc.ca/breakingb arriers/ .

CBC will make an initial investment of at least $7.5 million in the CBC BREAKING BARRIERS FILM FUND over the next three years. The Fund will complement CBC’s existing and continued commitment to Canadian film, including licensing more than 50 Canadian feature films since 2014.

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