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CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund
Applications now open!
The CJ + TIFF K-Story Fund, presented by CJ Cultural Foundation and TIFF in collaboration with KOFIC, is a new programme that aims to foster, support, and champion Korean Canadian and Korean American filmmakers looking to develop their first or second feature film.
Eight [8] writers or writer-directors will be selected to participate in a four-month story development process with support and guidance from CJ ENM, a leading global entertainment company that creates must-see dramas, award-winning movies and reality entertainment.
After the mentorship, three [3] of the projects will be awarded $10,000 CAD to support the development of their feature-length films and their filmmaking careers.
Please note that all successful projects awarded with funding will require participants to include both the CJ Cultural Foundation and TIFF logos in the final credits of their completed film.
What’s Included
- Up to four [4] Mentorship sessions with CJ ENM from March to June for eight [8] selected projects
- Inclusion in TIFF Talent alumni network
- After the mentorship three [3] of the scripts will be awarded
- A development prize of $10,000 CAD
- A complimentary one-year TIFF Membership
Eligibility
- Applications are open to writers or writer-directors who are Korean Canadian or Korean American.
- Applicants must provide proof of residency in Canada or the United States but do not have to be citizens or permanent residents. Applicants may also be graduate students.
- Applicants must have at least one writing credit on a previously completed (short or feature) film.
- Applicants who have made two micro-budget ($250,000 or less per project) feature films may also be considered
- Only one submission per applicant will be considered.
- Submitted scripts and application material must be in English, although the final film may be a Korean-language film.
- In order to be considered for one of the $10,000 CAD development awards, participants must submit a first draft of their screenplay in June of 2024
Submission Materials
- A video pitch about the submitted project, no more than two minutes in duration. The video should tell us: i. a bit about your project; ii. your creative approach/voice; and iii. why you'd like to participate in the CJ x TIFF K-Story Fund.
- Upload this file in the "Add an Online Screener" section of your project. Use the upload tool to add your video pitch.
- A continuous one-minute clip from a previous project on which you are credited as a director or writer-director, uploaded in the “Add a trailer” section of your project. Please follow these guidelines for your clip submission:
- The clip must be no longer than one minute.
- Ensure that the clip is high resolution.
- After the project title on the video file, include in parentheses if the clip is from a short, feature, or series.
- Ensure that the clip includes English subtitles if the language spoken is not English.
- Submissions of full films or episodes with time codes of a one-minute segment will not be considered.
- The following supporting documents:
- The applicant team’s filmography (project title, year, role or roles, festivals/platforms screened, and a maximum of five awards or nominations received per project) in PDF format
- The applicant’s high-resolution headshot in colour (format: .jpg; orientation: portrait; minimum resolution: 300 dpi)
- A treatment of at least five pages but no more than 15
NOTE: You will not be evaluated on the quality of the video, but on the content. This can be recorded on a cell phone.
All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee made up of CJ ENM and TIFF representatives, and one external industry expert.
Key Dates
Questions? Contact us by email at industry@tiff.net.