Fourteen B.C. projects receive $210K to develop factual and documentary content from Creative BC

Vancouver, B.C. (August 26, 2025) – Today, Creative BC announced $210,000 in funding to 14 B.C. filmmakers for the development of B.C.-owned and controlled original early-stage investigative development funding. Each project will receive a $15,000 grant through the Documentary and Factual Development Fund (the Fund), jointly supported by Rogers Group of Funds.

Part of the Reel Focus BC suite of programs delivered by Creative BC, the Fund is designed to drive new domestic motion picture activity and the creation of B.C.-owned intellectual property. The partnership delivers essential support to documentary and factual content creators so they can participate and succeed in an increasingly competitive and dynamic marketplace. To date, 94 B.C. filmmakers have received support through the $1 million multi-year fund.

Uniquely, this funding supports individual documentary and factual projects in either one-offs or series, prior to being greenlit by a market trigger, such as a broadcaster or streamer. This key feature removes barriers to entry by providing much-needed supports during early-stage development, thus enabling the creation of higher-quality bids to secure investors.

Together, these investments in local storytellers make a significant contribution to B.C.’s capacity to generate new documentary and factual stories for market in this globally in-demand format, and support impact-driven storytelling with access to subject matter experts.

Creative BC is pleased to announce 14 recipients of its fifth intake for the early-stage investigation development program:

1. Project: BEYOND SACRED SITES
   This documentary series offers a unique Indigenous perspective on the history of western Canada, utilizing sacred stories, art, and channeling.
   Company: 16814671 Canada Inc
   Producer: Paula deMontigny Montgomery
   Amount/Type: $15,000, TV Series
2. Project: BURGER MONTH
   A 6-part documentary series. In the small town of Nelson, BC, a burger contest serves up more than rivalry—this series is a juicy look at chefs’ lives and the issues that divide and unite us.
   Company: Juxt Films Inc.
   Producer: Jeremy Grant, Carlo Alcos, Carla Sinclair
   Amount/Type: $15,000, TV Mini-Series
3. Project: GAMER
   This 3-part true crime documentary series unravels the origins of a digital conflict in the gaming world—one that blurs the line between fandom and fury- and reveals a deeper web of influence, obsession, and power.
   Company: Lake Tide Media Inc.
   Producer: Laurie Case, Deborah Wainwright
   Amount/Type: $15,000, TV Mini-Series
4. Project: GUTS
   A cross Canada culinary exploration, delving into the science of how our food choices shape our landscapes, cultures, and of course, our gut.
   Company: Grand Scheme Productions
   Producer: Michael Grand
   Amount/Type: $15,000, TV Series
5. Project: MY FRIEND HARRY
   After a chance encounter, a filmmaker and an eccentric senior form an unlikely friendship when they decide to make a movie together.
   Company: Inis Duinn Films Inc.
   Producer: Elizabeth Cairns, Erica Landrock
   Amount/Type: $15,000, Feature length
6. Project: MURDER IN GLENDON
   A 2-part documentary/True Crime series about the two Métis (Cree) men who were murdered while on a moose hunt in Northern Alberta.
   Company: Wapanatahk Media Inc.
   Producer: Tania Koenig-Gauchier
   Amount/Type: $15,000, TV Series
7. Project: NOTES OF AN EXILE
   In this documentary, Iranian-Canadian musical artist Saba Zameni she retraces her journey from oppression to finding freedom, revealing the power of art to preserve identity and challenge injustice.
   Company: DehDeh Films Limited
   Producers: Mackenzie Stannard, Sepideh Yadegar
   Amount/Type: $15,000, Feature length
8. Project: ON A QUEER DAY
   This feature length documentary tells the story of lifelong organizer Ellen Woodsworth, as she reflects on over 60 years of activism – and considers her next move.
   Company: On The Creek Films
   Producer: Ali Grant
   Amount/Type: $15,000, Feature length
9. Project: RICHARD WAGAMESE: THE NEXT CHAPTER
   Wagamese ladled out a feast of stories from the ancestors of time… to be served and savoured in the spirit of love and understanding… through a trickster’s eye where the teachings of life can be found.
   Company: Sea to Sky Entertainment Inc.
   Producers: Shauna Hardy, Jim Compton
   Amount/Type: $15,000, Feature length
10. Project: SIMPLE PINE BOX
    Facing western society’s disconnection with death, eccentric therapist Brent Goerz, sets out on a mission to reconnect his community with the process of death and grief – one simple pine box at a time.
    Company: Ben Cox Film Ltd
    Producer: Benjamin Cox, Ozgun Gunduz
    Amount/Type: $15,000, Mid-length
11. Project: THE SOUTH ASIAN DRESS QUEST
    This documentary series follows diverse South Asian couples—including queer, interfaith, and budget-conscious pairs—as they search for the perfect wedding attire, revealing not just the fashion, but the love stories, family dynamics, and cultural traditions woven into every stitch.
    Company: Viva Mantra Films Inc.
    Producer: Baljit Sangra
    Amount/Type: $15,000, TV Series
12. Project: THE WILD HORSES OF THE CHILCOTIN
    This feature documentary is based on Wayne McCrory’s book about the Xeni Gwet’in’s quest for rights and title to their traditional lands and how these rights protect their wild horses and the ecosystem of the Chilcotin Valley.
    Company: Qiyus Productions Ltd.
    Producers: Christian Bruyere, Chief Dr. Roger William
    Amount/Type: $15,000, Feature length
13. Project: THIS THIRD PLACE
    A cinematic portrait of the daily life, connection and drama unfolding under the rich tapestry of Vancouver’s Community Centres.
    Company: Candice Vallantin Creative Ltd.
    Producer: Giuliana Bertuzzi, Candice Vallantin
    Amount/Type: $15,000, Feature length
14. Project: UNTITLED
    A documentary exploring Islamophobia.
    Company: Luminus Films Ltd
    Amount/Type: $15,000, Mid-length

View a list of the recipients by program online here.

To learn more about the Documentary + Factual Development Fund, visit Creative BC’s website: https://creativebc.com/funding-programs/domestic-motion-picture-programs/documentary-factual-development-fund/

Quotes:

Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC
“The Documentary + Factual Development program has strengthened B.C.’s position as a hub for documentary storytelling, empowering independent producers with the critical development resources that turn compelling stories into globally competitive content. Across five rounds and 94 supported projects, we’ve established B.C. as home to filmmakers whose work defines the standard for factual storytelling worldwide.”

Tania Koenig-Gauchier, Wapanatahk Media Inc., Program Recipient
“Wapanatahk Media is an Indigenous-owned production company, and we are honoured to receive support from the Province and Creative BC. This fund creates crucial opportunities for underrepresented voices and stories to reach wider audiences. We are thrilled to work alongside other diverse creators, and together, strengthen the impact of stories that are often overlooked.”

Media Contact:
Creative BC
Lisa Escudero
media@creativebc.com
+1 604-730-2235

Featured Image: THE CHEF & THE DARUMA Wallop Film | Photo by Kaayla Whachell

– 30 –

About Creative BC
Creative BC is an independent non-profit society created and supported by the Province to sustain and help grow British Columbia’s creative industries: motion picture, interactive and digital media, music and sound recording, and magazine and book publishing. The society delivers a wide range of programs and services with a mandate to expand B.C.’s creative economy. These activities include: administration of the provincial government’s motion picture tax credit programs; delivery of program funding and export marketing support for the sector; and provincial film commission services. Combined, these activities serve to attract inward investment and market B.C. as a partner and destination of choice for domestic and international content creation. The society acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help B.C.’s creative sector reach its economic, social, environmental, and creative potential both at home, and globally. Website: www.creativebc.com