TELUS Fund

Good planning starts with good information. Our Newsletter shares TELUS Fund deadlines, program updates, and producer resources straight to your inbox. Subscribe on our website to stay informed. #TELUSFund #Producers #Funding #Newsletter

If Danny can wear a cowboy hat, then I can too. 🤠💚 Episode 1 of Crip Trip Season 2 was an absolute banger. The new intro hit me right in the 90s kid feels, and the road trip chaos has already started before they even leave Edmonton. Catch up on Episode 1, then watch Episode 2 tomorrow on AMI+ and AMI at 7 PM Mountain / 9 PM Eastern. #CripTrip #AMIPlus #DisabilityRepresentation #DisabilityCulture #AccessibleMedia #DignityForDisability

Pack your s%$#… we’re going on a Crip Trip 🤘 Season 2 is here... Vroom, vroom 🛞 Tune in tomorrow at 7 PM MST / 9 PM ET 💚 Watch on AMI-tv or stream on AMI+ 👉 You in or what? #CripTrip #DignityForDisability #inclusionMatters #DisabilityJustice

In this episode, we hit the streets to ask Canadians a revealing question: what’s something half of us will go through, but rarely prepare for? The answer is caregiving. From surprising street responses, we move into a deeply personal story with family caregiver Amber, who shares her journey, earned lessons, and the realities of navigating care. #caregiving

“Watching social purpose documentaries in-community and connecting with producers, other industry leaders, and audiences at festivals is particularly special. A panelist today talked about the value of films with both 'gravitas and joy' which strikes me as something we need more of. Many thanks to the Hot Docs team and volunteers for facilitating this great gathering - including the fantastic as always Pitch Forum!” — Leah Camenzind, TELUS Fund Executive Director at Hot Docs @hotdocs_ #TELUSFund #HotDocs #ImpactStorytelling #CanadianFilm #Documentary

D’ici 20 ans, le nombre de personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus augmentera de 68% au Canada. Au Québec seulement, il faudrait créer annuellement trois mille nouvelles places en hébergement pour les personnes âgées en perte d’autonomie. Le défi semble titanesque, la problématique, sans issue. Pourtant, partout à travers le Canada, des proches aidants issus de diverses communautés culturelles mettent en place des initiatives permettant aux aînés de recevoir les soins dont ils ont besoin, tout en se sentant valorisés et appréciés à leur juste valeur. De la communauté italienne à la communauté vietnamienne, en passant par les Premiers Peuples et par des initiatives issues de la culture québécoise, nous irons à la rencontre de gens de cœur pour qui être proche aidant ne représente pas seulement un devoir, mais aussi une richesse. Pour eux, les aïeux constituent une source inépuisable de sagesse et de savoir, qui mérite d’occuper la place qui leur revient dans la société actuelle. La série, composée de sept épisodes d’environ six minutes, présentera des portraits sincères de celles et ceux qui, dans l’ombre, trouvent des façons innovantes, influencées par des aspects culturels, religieux ou sociétaux, d’envisager l’avenir de nos aînés. #procheaidance #procheaidancequébec

Once a “larger than life” father who celebrated every win with theatrics, 48-year-old Wade now lies dying, gaunt and silent in a hospice bed. For his 17-year-old son, Ethan, the only way to survive the inevitable is to tune it all out. Convinced his father is already “gone,” Ethan hides behind his headphones and homework. Meanwhile, his mother, Heather, is drowning in the demands of work and the weight of impending loss. Guided by Beth, a hospice nurse who understands loss, and Millie, a spirited elderly resident, Ethan learns to navigate the quiet routines of life and death. When reality strikes, he must face his fears and find the words for a final, poignant goodbye. In Passing is a poignant, grounded exploration of the messy transition between holding on and letting go in the world of end-of-life hospice care. #caregiving #endoflifecare #InPassingFilm #hospicecare #palliativecare

In the pilot episode of The Choice, caregivers share firsthand experiences of supporting a loved one through Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), alongside insight from an expert in end-of-life care. Through intimate stories, we witness the early days after a loved one expresses the desire to die—the uncertainty of what was meant, the need to ask the question out loud, and the weight of hearing the answer. For many, this moment marks a turning point, where caregiving shifts from recovery and comfort to coming to terms with a decision they didn’t make. As families begin to navigate MAiD, caregivers grapple with anticipatory grief, balancing their own emotions with the responsibility of supporting someone they love. Some hold onto hope for more time, while others begin to accept the reality of what lies ahead. Grounded in lived experience, the episode offers an intimate look at how caregiving transforms in the face of MAiD, and the difficult act of letting go. #TheChoiceDoc #medicalassistanceindying #caregiving #endoflifecare

Echoes of Care: A Mouth Without Words is an intimate, single-day drama centered on two estranged sisters, Melissa and Rachel, brought together by the silent reality of caring for their mother, Agatha. Rachel, worn down from carrying the burden alone, is guarded and resentful, while Melissa returns home unsure of where she fits in a space filled with unresolved history. With their mother unable to speak, the sisters are forced to confront each other through tense exchanges, quiet routines, and reluctant cooperation. When they discover a series of old voice notes recorded by their mother before her illness, her voice re-enters the space—revealing memories, regrets, and reflections that challenge how they see her, and themselves. As the day unfolds, the recordings become a catalyst for truth and vulnerability. In hearing their mother’s words, Melissa and Rachel begin to listen to each other in ways they never have before. What begins as a day of obligation transforms into a fragile step toward healing, showing that even without a voice, connection can still be found. #caregiving #dementiasupport

Merci à tous les producteurs et productrices qui ont soumis une demande avant la date limite. Nous avons hâte de découvrir les projets et de soutenir des œuvres marquantes qui font progresser la santé et le bien-être. Restez à l’affût des prochaines occasions de financement. #FinancementAudiovisuel #FondsTELUS #SoutienAuxProducteurs

Thank you to all producers who submitted applications for this funding deadline. We look forward to reviewing the projects and supporting stories that advance health and well-being through compelling screen-based content. Stay tuned for updates on future funding opportunities. #TELUSFund #FilmFunding #ProducerSupport

No parent wants to outlive their child. Unfortunately, that is a hard reality for many people. But the lives of these children do not end with their diagnosis. Rather, it is just one part of their story but remains the object of focus for most. Society tends to avoid conversations about serious childhood illness, yet these discussions are essential. This requires a fundamental shift in perspective: away from a focus on dying and toward a mission of living fully. Despite advances in medicine, there remains a need for more open and authentic conversation about caring for children with serious illnesses, and their family caregivers. Amplifying the voices of patients and caregivers, often hidden from public view, “Short Lives / Lasting Stories” sheds light on the oft-overlooked world of children with life-shortening illness, emphasizing the profound resilience, love, and dignity that define their lives, and demystifying what it means to be a caregiver for a child with a serious illness. #caregiving