bravoFACT Announces Award Recipients for Inaugural bravoFACTUAL Short Docs Jury

To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/18ZET8X

TORONTO (December 13, 2013) – Bell Media’s bravoFACT (Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent) announced today the 11 award recipients from the inaugural bravoFACTUAL jury meeting on Dec. 9. Selected from 98 submitted applications, the 11 recipients will share a total of $490,000 awarded to Canadian filmmakers from across the country for the production of short documentary films. The announcement comes as the bravoFACT-supported film Requiem for Romance is shortlisted for an Academy Award® nomination while bravoFACT’s Wakening is selected to screen at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

“Congratulations to all the inaugural bravoFACTUAL award recipients,” said Catherine MacLeod, Senior Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. “We’re so pleased to be able to give these very talented filmmakers the opportunity to enrich the documentary format in Canada.”

Since its inception in 1995, bravoFACT-supported films have  enjoyed success both at home and abroad. Recently, the bravoFACT-funded animated short film Requiem for Romance by filmmaker Jonathan Ng, advanced in the voting process for the 86^th Academy Awards^®. And earlier this week, the Sundance Film Festival selected the bravoFACT-funded short film Wakening to screen at their 2014 Festival. Produced by Glen Wood of ViDDYWELL FiLMS and directed by Danis Goulet, Wakening had its world premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, landing an unprecedented debut slot, screening just before the highly-anticipated TIFF 2013 opening film, The Fifth Estate.

bravoFACTUAL fund recipients from the Dec. 9, 2013 jury meeting are:

Where the Heart Is – Jason Arsenault (PEI)

Grandmothers – Tamara Dawit (Ontario)

Fred Heads – Aaron Floresco (Manitoba)

The Match – Fred Kroetsch (Alberta)

Deborah’s Oasis – Heidi Lasi (Ontario)

ForgottenThe Freedom Project – Michelle Latimer (Ontario)

Friends with Mike – Dylan Reibling (Ontario)

IF:The Poet – Kim Saltarski (Ontario)

Saving the Enemy – Ann Shin (Ontario)

The Unsinkable Captain John – Rich Williamson (Ontario)

Synesthesia – Aisling Chin-Yee (Québec)

The next submission deadline for bravoFACTUAL is February 21, 2014, and for bravoFACT is March 7, 2014.

For information about program requirements and application guidelines  visit, http://bravofact.com/.

About bravoFACT

Bell Media’s bravoFACT (Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent) was established in 1995 by the national specialty channel Bravo. The foundation is the largest funder of short films in Canada having supported over 1,500 short-form projects across the country. bravoFACT is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about bravoFACT can be found at www.bravofact.com.

About Bravo

Bravo delivers compelling stories through clever and immersive programming to viewers across Canada. From high-profile dramas to blockbuster feature films, Bravo is home to award-winning entertainment. Bravo is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about Bravo is available at www.bravo.ca.

 – Bravo –

Natalie Cole, Bravo, 416.384.2140 or natalie.cole@bellmedia.ca

Sara McLaren, Entertainment Specialties, 416.384.6104 or sara.mclaren@bellmedia.ca