GRANT PROGRAMS
Our grants are intended to foster artistic creation among independent filmmakers in the province of Québec. To benefit from Spira’s support, projects must be independent and under the artist’s full editorial and creative control.
Spira awards three grants each year. They are attributed in conformity with its mission and equity policy. At least one grant is awarded to a woman and one to an artist from a minority group. Spira reserves the right not to award the grants if the submissions fail to meet the requirements established by the equity policy.
The equity policy identifies groups from the following minorities:
• cultural diversity communities;
• deaf or disabled communities;
• official language minority communities;
• Native communities;
• LGBTQ2+ communities.
For more information, please refer to our equity policy.
The grant awarded to a woman filmmaker is named after LISE BONENFANT, a trailblazer who made her first steps with Vidéo Femmes and still cares deeply about the future of Québécois filmmaking.
Selection Committee
Project submissions are analyzed by a committee of professionals and peers that includes 3 persons (1 from Spira’s staff, 2 Spira members). The selection is submitted to Spira’s board of administrators and considered final and without appeal. Spira will not tolerate solicitation or intimidation following the refusal of a project. Spira will be available for the artist, to share the jury’s comments and recommendations and discuss how the project could be improved.
Members of the selection committee are bound by Spira’s code of ethics and respect the confidentiality of the projects and fulfill their professional duties in good faith.
The following criteria guide the selection committee:
• The relevance of the project with regards to the artist’s path and Spira’s mandate.
• The clarity and originality of the proposal, the author’s point of view and the aesthetic treatment envisioned.
• The artist’s professional background and ability to carry out the project.
• The feasibility of the project in terms of the cast and crew’s experience, the budget and work schedule.
GRANTS DETAILS
Each grant includes :
- A fee of $1,500 for the artist
- A lump sum of $500 for meetings with a consultant chosen by the artist. Artists can choose the type of support they want, depending on the specificities of their project: scriptwriting, pre-production, production, post-production. The person selected and the terms of the meetings must be approved by Spira.
- Access to a workspace on Spira's premises for a maximum of 14 days.
- Free equipment rental*.
- Free post-production room rental*.
- Administrative support for 1 to 3 hours. This service enables the Spira team to advise the artist on certain aspects of project management.
- A public presentation by the artist of the work carried out with the grant, organized by Spira, including an additional fee for the presentation.
* Depending on availability
All other costs relating to the project, such as production costs, accommodation and living expenses, are the responsibility of the artist.
Profile requested
This grant is intended for emerging, mid-career and established filmmakers with a recognized artistic practice. Applicants must have completed at least one scriptwriting or directing project that was broadcast in a professional context.
Eligible project
The purpose of the grant is to enable the artist to devote time to one or more stages of his or her film project. The project must be completed between April 1 and December 31 of each year. Support may be requested at the research, development, pre-production, production or post-production stages. Only independent projects in which the artist has full editorial and creative control are eligible for Spira support. All forms of cinematographic writing (documentary, fiction, experimental, short, medium or feature film, etc.) are eligible.
SPECIFICATIONS
- This program is not intended to offer the support of a production company (administrative management of co-productions, Sodec deposit, etc.) but to encourage independent creation.
- Projects created for promotional, corporate, school, educational, journalistic or music video purposes are not eligible.
- An artist cannot benefit from this program more than once every 3 years.
Deadline: March 15 at 11:59 p.m. each year.
To submit an application, please complete the online form.
You will be able to add your supporting documents in PDF format directly in the form.
YOUR SUBMISSION FILE MUST INCLUDE :
- A detailed project description (2 pages max, describing your reasons for submitting the project, its content, your mentoring needs, the impacts on your artistic process and professional path)
- Depending on the advancing and the nature of the project: a script, treatment, or at least one drafted scene or segment
- Artist statement (250 words)
- Short biography (200 words)
- Curriculum vitae (3 pages max)
- Production calendar (1 page max)
- 1 to 3 web links (Ex.: Vimeo, YouTube) to your prior productions (3 productions max)
Note: Incomplete files will not be submitted to the jury.
Please contact Madeleine Aubin, artistic director, at