Commissioning Projects

LIFT provides support to media artists through occasional commissioning projects. These range from omnibus projects with modest budgets to the creation of significant new works. Some LIFT commissions are curated and others are selected through open calls for submissions. Check back regularly for current calls for submissions.

 

LIFT Artist Commission: The Madvo Collection

Wednesday 7 September 2016 –

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: LIFT ARTIST COMMISSION PROJECT THE MADVO COLLECTION September 7, 2016—In 2014 a 200-reel collection of the films and outtakes of local documentary filmmaker Jacques Madvo was donated to the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT). Madvo travelled the world from the 1960s to the 1980s, shooting 16mm footage that made”… more

LIFT and imagineNATIVE 2016 Mentorship Announcement

Wednesday 30 March 2016 –

2016 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Jamie Whitecrow Toronto, April 13, 2016—imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that Toronto-based Anishinaabe artist Jamie Whitecrow is the recipient of the 12th annual LIFT/imagineNATIVE Mentorship. This annual mentor”… more

Call for Applicants: LIFT and imagineNATIVE 12th annual Mentorship Program – Extended

Thursday 28 January 2016 –

       Call for Applicants:        Call for Applicants:LIFT and imagineNATIVE 12th annual Mentorship Program   Toronto, January 28, 2016—Do you have a great idea for a 5-minute short film? Celebrating 12 years of supporting independent Indigenous film, the LIFT/imagineNATIVE Mentorshi”… more

LIFT and imagineNATIVE 2015 Mentorship Announcement

Thursday 16 April 2015 –

 2015 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Jaene Castrillon   2015 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Jaene Castrillon Toronto, April 16, 2015—imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that Toronto-based Indigenous Colombian artist Jaene”… more

Call for Applicants: LIFT and imagineNATIVE 11th annual Mentorship Program – Extended Deadline

Thursday 26 February 2015 –

             February 26, 2015 Call for Applicants:LIFT and imagineNATIVE 11th annual Mentorship Program               February 26, 2015 Call for Applicants:LIFT and imagineNATIVE 11th annual Mentorship Program”… more

LIFT and imagineNATIVE 2014 Mentorship Announcement

Wednesday 16 April 2014 –

 2014 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Hannah Schreck   2014 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Hannah Schreck Toronto, April 16, 2014—imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that Toronto-based Dene artist Hannah Schreck is the rec”… more

EXTENDED – Call for Applicants: LIFT and imagineNATIVE 10th annual Mentorship Program

Friday 7 March 2014 –

             February 6, 2014               February 6, 2014 Do you have a great idea for a 5 minute short film? Celebrating 10 years of supporting independent Indigenous film, the LIFT/imagineNATIVE Mentorship program w”… more

LIFT and imagineNATIVE 2013 Mentorship Announcement

Friday 1 March 2013 –

 2013 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Adrienne Marcus Raja   2013 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Adrienne Marcus Raja Toronto, March 1, 2013—imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that Toronto-based Kelabit artist Adrienne Ma”… more

Call for Applicants: LIFT and imagineNATIVE 9th annual Mentorship Program

Friday 15 February 2013 –

                         Do you have a great idea for a 5 minute short film? Explore 16mm filmmaking through LIFT’s workshops, equipment and facilities (other mediums may be employed). Shoot and edit your ideas on film, and see them on scre”… more

LIFT and imagineNATIVE 2012 Mentorship Announcement

Thursday 9 February 2012 –

2012 LIFT and imagineNATIVE Mentorship Winner Tyler Hagan Toronto, February 9, 2012— imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that Vancouver raised, Toronto based Métis artist Tyler Hagan is the recipient of the 8th annual LIFT/imagineNATIVE Mentorship. This annual”… more

Call For Applicants: LIFT and imagineNATIVE 8th annual Mentorship Program

Wednesday 25 January 2012 –

         Do you have a great idea for a 5 minute short film? Explore 16mm filmmaking through LIFT’s workshops, equipment and facilities (other mediums may be employed). Shoot and edit your ideas to film, and see them on screen at the 13th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, which will take p”… more

Lost Secrets of the Royal at the Blackwood Gallery and A Space Gallery

Wednesday 9 November 2011 –

   (Cindy Mochizuki’s YOKAI & OTHER SPIRITS – photo by Dalia Vukmirovic)  Project stills at the end of this entry. LOST SECRETS OF THE ROYAL Four newly commissioned works presented by Liaison of Independent Filmmakers Toronto (LIFT), Reel Asian, the Blackwood Gallery, and A Space Gallery   Curators: Ben Donoghue and Hea”… more

Lost Secrets of the Royal – In Production for November 2011

Friday 1 April 2011 –

Beginning in 2007 LIFT and the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival began discussions towards realizing a commissioning project producing new work from LIFT’s large collection of 35mm Hong Kong films from the 1970s and 80s. In 2009 festival Artistic Director Heather Keung and LIFT Executive Director Ben Donoghue developed a commissioning”… more

Cinema and Disjunction at Cinematheque Ontario

Monday 27 October 2008 –

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) is pleased to present Adrian Blackwell’s “Night Equals Day” and Daniel Young and Christian Giroux’s “Every Building, Or Site, That a Building Permit Has Been Issued for a New Building in Toronto in 2006.” These two new 35mm architectural films form the initial parts of LIFT’s “Cinema and Disju”… more

imagineNATIVE and LIFT announce 2011 Mentee, Susan Blight

Saturday 1 January 2011 –

    imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that interdisciplinary artist Susan Blight, from the Couchiching First Nation, has been selected for the 7th annual LIFT/imagineNATIVE Mentorship. This annual mentorship was developed to offer an Indigenous artist t”… more

Michael Greyeyes – 2010 – LIFT/ImagineNATIVE Mentorship

Friday 1 January 2010 –

Artist: Michael Greyeyes (Toronto)   Artist: Michael Greyeyes (Toronto)   imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) are pleased to announce that established dancer, choreographer and actor, Michael Greyeyes has been selected for the 6th annual LIFT/imagineNATIVE Mentorship. This annua”… more

Amanda Strong – 2009 – LIFT/ImagineNATIVE Mentorship

Thursday 1 January 2009 –

Artist: Amanda Strong (Toronto)- 2009, Canada, 7 min, Digital Beta Artist: Amanda Strong (Toronto)- 2009, Canada, 7 min, Digital BetaimagineNATIVE and the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto are pleased to announce Amanda Strong as the recipient of this year’s imagineNATIVE/LIFT Mentorship. This mentorship was developed with the vision of”… more

Jani Lauzon – 2008 – LIFT/ImagineNATIVE Mentorship

Tuesday 1 January 2008 –

Artist: Jani Lauzon (Toronto)   Artist: Jani Lauzon (Toronto)   Jani Lauzon Receives 2008 imagineNATIVE + LIFT Mentorship for 2008Jani Lauzon has been awarded the imagineNATIVE + LIFT Mentorship for 2008. A multiple Dora and Juno Award nominee, and a Gemini Award winning puppeteer, Jani is an multitalented performer in Canada’s music and”… more

Michelle Latimer – 2007 – LIFT/ImagineNATIVE Mentorship

Monday 1 January 2007 –

 Artist: Michelle Latimer (Toronto)  2007 Mentorship recipient, Michelle Latimer, produced a beautiful Super 16mm experimental short titled Tomorrow that screened at imagineNATIVE. Michelle shares that her experience helped to launch her in the industry: “It gave me confidence to get out there and take charge of my goals as a filmmaker an”… more

Past Production/Post-Production Support Grants Issued


   PRODUCTION/POST-PRODUCTION SUPPORT GRANTS 2016    PRODUCTION/POST-PRODUCTION SUPPORT GRANTS 2016  Jury: Jesse Cumming / Maureen Grant / Lea MarinBios of 2016 Jury Members   Artist: Marcos ArriagaTitle of Project: Llaxta, Noh Kaah, Ciudad Artist: Sharlene BamboatTitle of Project: Video Home System Arti”… more