Hot Docs is pleased to announce the establishment of the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund with a generous $1-million gift from the Rogers Foundation. This is in addition to a $4-million gift from the Rogers Foundation to purchase the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, the century-old movie house in Toronto’s vibrant Annex neighbourhood that Hot Docs has operated, managed and programmed for the past four years. Named in memory of the late philanthropist and visionary President and CEO of Rogers Communications, the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund will provide much-needed financial support to Canadian documentary filmmakers to enable their important work. Both announcements were made this morning at a press conference held at the Cinema in Toronto.
“Hot Docs has a remarkable history of strengthening the documentary industry and supporting documentary filmmakers,” said Martha Rogers, chair of the Rogers Foundation. “We are proud to join their tradition with the establishment of the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund to provide direct funding to Canadian documentary filmmakers. Ted was a proud Canadian and a true lover of documentary, so this is a fitting legacy.”
Administered by Hot Docs, the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund will offer production grants to Canadian filmmakers for feature-length documentary work. Each year for the next ten years, the Fund will disburse up to $35,000 each to three to four projects. Full eligibility and application requirements are now available at www.hotdocs.ca. Applications will be accepted beginning August 11, 2024, with a rolling deadline.
Currently, Hot Docs administers an impressive $7-million portfolio of production funds, including the Corus-Hot Docs Documentary Funds for Canadian filmmakers (formerly the Shaw Media-Hot Docs Funds), the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Group Documentary Fund for African filmmakers living and working on that continent, and the CrossCurrents Doc Fund for filmmakers from marginalized or underrepresented communities. Fund recipients have screened at distinguished festivals around the world, including Hot Docs, TIFF, Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca and IDFA, and have garnered numerous awards and recognitions, including an Emmy Award and an Oscar nomination.
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