Call for Applications: Newcomer Filmmentor 2025

THE LIAISON OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS OF TORONTO (LIFT)
ANNOUNCES CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:
LIFT NEWCOMER FILMMENTOR 2025

Toronto, June 26, 2025—Are you a newcomer or refugee filmmaker living in or near the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)? Are you looking to develop specific film-related skills, better familiarize yourself with the film community, or work towards completing a project?

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) is pleased to announce the launch of the fourth year of the Newcomer Filmmentor program. The program will allow three participants to each be paired with one mentor practicing in one of the three following fields: Documentary, Experimental or Narrative filmmaking.

The mentorship period will take place from August 2025 to March 2026. This is a self-directed mentorship. The mentee must present a clear plan in their application of how they would like to structure the mentorship and what they would like to accomplish within the eight months of the program. Proposals exploring analogue or digital filmmaking through LIFT’s workshops, production equipment and post-production facilities will be considered.

The successful applicants will:
– Be paired with a mentor to provide advice and guidance once a month.
– Be provided with a LIFT Production Membership until June 30, 2026.
– Receive $2,500 CAD (total) in artist fees in two installments.
– Have the opportunity to be enrolled in up to four (4) LIFT workshops over the duration of the mentorship period listed above.
– Receive $1,500 in-kind equipment credit to use LIFT’s extensive analogue and digital equipment and facilities, expiring June 30, 2026. (Any additional equipment, facilities, expendables, and production costs will be the responsibility of the participant).
-Have the opportunity to participate in three (3) “Lunch and Learn” sessions with industry professionals.
– Receive a Conference Level Accreditation for TIFF 2025.

Applicant Eligibility:
– Must be 18 years or older at the time of the application deadline.
– Due to the nature of our funding for this project, this program defines a Newcomer as an immigrant or refugee who has lived in Canada for less than 7 years
– (A refugee is a person who was forced to leave their home country and is now located in Canada).
You must live in Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area areas (GTHA) or within commuting distance from the city in order to access LIFT workshops and equipment rentals (travel subsidy and cost of living are not covered by this mentorship).
– Be available for the entire duration of the program’s various dates from August 5, 2025 – March 31, 2026.
– Candidates must commit to attending:
> A mandatory orientation session at the LIFT facility.
> Regular monthly meetings with their mentors.
> Training in specific workshops (a mix of predetermined workshops and personal selection).
> Three (3) “Lunch and Learn” sessions aimed at advancing professional development, of which the themes will be chosen based on the applicants’ interests.
– Must be deadline-driven and self-starters.
– In March 2026 (date TBC), there will be an opportunity for participants to present their works in progress at a private event for mentors, mentees, family, friends and crew members.

Proposals must include:
– Statement on why you would like to participate in this program and how your artistic practice would benefit from it. (250 words max)
– Describe what you will work on during this mentorship. Which skills are you hoping to improve? What project will you be working on? This is a very competitive program, so a concrete idea of what you will be working on is important for the adjudication process. (500 words max)
– Provide a timeline of activity from August 2025 to March 2026. (500 words max)
– The name of which mentor you would like to work with.
– Why would you like to work with the mentor you’ve selected? (250 words max)
– Please indicate what kind of professional development would be useful to your artistic career or practice. (250 words max)
– Short biography that indicates your past experience with film, video/digital and other artistic mediums, if any. (250 words max)
-You may include a résumé or curriculum vitae, but it’s not mandatory (2 pages maximum)
– Support material of one to three samples of previous work or a work in progress, either an audio/visual sample, photography, or writing samples. (Up to three examples via online links).
– For each support material submitted:
1. Provide a very brief artist statement or synopsis of each piece submitted.
2. Indicate your role on the project.
3. Provide a very short description of the relevance of the support material to your application,
– Please identify any accessibility accommodations you need so we can support you through the application process and into the project phase.
– You may resubmit an application from a previous year.

LIFT welcomes applicants from all creatives, and strongly encourages applications who identify as candidates from equity priority groups; using the current Toronto Arts Council definition as outlined in the TAC’s Equity Framework.

Application Deadline: 10:00am ET on Monday, July 7, 2025

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, July 25, 2025

All questions should be emailed to:
LIFT Education and Outreach Administrator Iman Abbaro at iabbaro@lift.ca
Subject Heading: Call for Applications: Newcomer Filmmentor 2025 – First and Last Nam

Application can be submitted at the following Google Forms link:
Form coming shortly.

Submissions sent through Google Forms are preferred.

However, if you would prefer to apply via physical mail for accessibility purposes, please mail applications to: ***
Newcomer Filmmentor 2025
c/o Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT)
1137 Dupont Street
Toronto, Ontario  M6H 2A3

*** Physical applications must reach the LIFT office before the deadline

Mentors:

.
(L-R) Maya Annik Bedward, Faraz Anoushahpour and Martin Edralin

Documentary:  Maya Annik Bedward is a producer, director and co-founder of Third Culture Media. Her productions have screened at TIFF, Hot Docs, Black Star and the New Orleans Film Festival. Her latest production “Patty Vs. Patty” won best Short Documentary at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards. Maya has directed episodes for the docuseries “Blk: An Origin Story” (History Channel, Global TV) and the variety comedy series, “Lido TV” (CBC Gem). She is also a fellow of the EFM Toolbox Programme and a founding member of the Black Screen Office. https://www.3rdculturemedia.com

Experimental:  Faraz Anoushahpour is an artist and film programmer. He worked at Images Festival (2014-2018), and is a member of the Reassemblage Collective in Toronto. His collaborative projects have been presented at e-flux Screening Room, Flaherty Seminar, Anthology Film Archives, Berlinale, ICA, MoMA, New York Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and others internationally. https://p-f-r.com

Narrative:  Martin Edralin is a Filipino-Canadian, Toronto-based filmmaker. His first short film, “Hole” (2014), won the Grand Prize at Clermont-Ferrand, jury prizes at Locarno and Seattle, and screened at Sundance, TIFF, and BFI London. His second short, “Emma” (2016), was selected in TIFF Canada’s Top Ten and won Best Live Action Short at the Rhode Island IFF. His debut feature, “Islands” (2021), premiered at SXSW and was awarded Special Jury Recognition. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3520753

.

The 2025 edition of the Newcomer Filmmentor mentorship program is produced with the support of the City of Toronto through Toronto Arts Council’s Grant for Newcomer and Refugee Arts Engagement, the Ravi Subramaniam Fund, and donated proceeds from the film “Rex vs. Singh,” directed by Richard Fung, John Greyson, and Ali Kazimi.

The Toronto Arts Council’s Grant for Newcomer and Refugee Arts Engagement provides targeted funding to Toronto non-profit organizations and artist collectives engaging newcomers and refugees through the arts, supporting the integration and inclusion of newcomer communities to Toronto.

The Ravi Subramaniam Fund is a charitable fund that honours the legacy of Ravi Subramaniam and his interest in the arts and film. The fund was established by his colleagues on the occasion of his retirement as the Partnership and Hubs Development Lead at The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) in Toronto, Canada. Ravi is a leader in building innovative partnerships and cross sectoral collaborations involving the health, newcomer and social services sector.

Based on the 1915 case of two Sikh mill workers who were entrapped by undercover police in Vancouver and accused of sodomy, “Rex vs. Singh” is a speculative exploration of the interplay between homophobia and racism in this little-known chapter of Canadian history. The piece is distributed by V tape.

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) is Canada’s foremost artist-run production and education organization dedicated to celebrating excellence in the moving image. LIFT exists to provide support and encouragement for independent filmmakers and artists through affordable access to production, post-production and exhibition equipment; professional and creative development; workshops and courses; commissioning and exhibitions; artist residencies; and a variety of other services. http://lift.ca
LIFT is supported by self-generated revenue as well as the following year-round funders: the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA), the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), Ontario Arts Foundation, the Government of Ontario and the Toronto Arts Council (TAC).

Starting: Thursday 26 June 2025 00:00

Non Members: Free to apply

Members: Free to apply

Location:
Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) 
1137 Dupont Street 
Toronto Ontario