For immediate release

Toronto July 9, 2018 – Producers and creators of 18 scripted short-form web series produced in Canada have been invited to participate in the official program of Stareable Fest and in a Best of Canada Showcase screening session, in New York, July 20-22.

Stareable.com which is the largest community of web series creators online, connects filmmakers and their audiences while encouraging collaboration between talented diverse voices. It has launched Stareable Fest (festival.stareable.com) at the Town Stages in Tribeca NYC which is an industry marketplace and creator convention, with workshops, panels, screenings and awards.

The Independent Production Fund (IPF – ipf.ca) and the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC – omdc.on.ca) have partnered to sponsor a delegation of top Canadian creator/producers to participate in the event.  Eleven Canadian short form comedy and drama series  – nearly 30% of the official program, were selected by a jury and will be screened throughout the event.  In addition, seven new Canadian series from across Canada were curated by the IPF and are programmed in the Best of Canada Showcase.   Canadian productions form nearly 50% of the programming at this first Stareable Fest.

The Canadian delegation will meet colleagues, distributors and streaming platforms in face to face meetings and at social events in order to encourage a wider recognition of the outstanding Canadian productions created for online audiences and develop contacts and marketing opportunities for wider distribution of these productions internationally.

Stareable Founder, Ajay Kishore commented: “Stareable is proud to support the unbelievable talent coming out of the Canadian web series community. We see the Best of Canada showcase at Stareable Fest, sponsored by IPF and OMDC, as proof that great television should know no borders.”

The official program includes the following Canadian series:

Barbelle (Boss & Co. – Gwenlyn Cumyn, Karen Knox)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQvThGbWTSo

Filth City (LaRue Entertainment – Andrew Ferguson, Matt King)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InWPvZ33Diw

Gritzmore (Melissa Zieffle, David Greene)
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/9ad0a209b6/moustache-blindness-gritzmore-s01-e01

How to Buy a Baby (LoCo Motion Pictures – Lauren Corber, Wendy Litner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xzcazWs3W0

Kristal Clear (Kristal Clear Productions Inc. – Shannon Fewster, Joshua Demers)
https://www.primevideo.com/region/na/detail/0RV6ONA045GU8VW5RMWPDOZDLR/ref=sr_hom_c_unkc_1_1?sr=1-1&qid=1530634920

Naturally Salt Spring (Ahisma Media / Nice Lady Productions – Erica Hargreave, Lori Yearwood)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtvSrYloS3g&vl=en

Off Kilter (Falter & Findr Productions Inc. – Priscilla Galvez, Alejandro Cadillo)
https://watch.cbc.ca/media/off-kilter/season-1/episode-1/38e815a-00e2a8c3c43

People Watching (Lapaire Productions – Geoff Lapaire, Winston Rowntree)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buKMOxNzYjY

Save Me (iThentic, Lisa Baylin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC96TMzmGhs

Small Cop (Rare Little Bird Pictures – Christina Sicoli)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-bxbifNf6g

Space Riders 2 (iThentic, Lisa Baylin)
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f7fb157141/space-riders-ep-1-real-heroes

Programmed in the Best of Canada Showcase:

Haunters (Fauxhemian Films – J. Adam Brown)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk-mKv3CnfA

Inconceivable (This is a Spoon Studios – Joel McCarthy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20SHrAnB9oE

L’Arène (NitroFilms – Pierre Matthieu Fortin)
https://www.facebook.com/TeleQc/videos/l’ar%C3%A8ne-%C3%89pisode-1/1565209220194505/

My 90-Year Old Roommate (season 2, LoCo Motion Pictures/Hawkeye Pictures – Ethan Cole)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4xf5Hiz6B4

NarcoLeap (kgpfilms – Kate Green)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8hgTmSROu4

Petrol (season 2, N5 Pictures – Ant Horaslani, Reza Sholeh)
http://petroltheseries.com/category/episodes/

Running with Violet (shesaidfilmsinc. – Marie-Claire Marcotte, Rebecca Davey)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHGxD2s9Us4

The Independent Production Fund finances the production of Canadian short form scripted web series. It has invested $13M in 120 series since 2010. It also undertakes professional development and promotional activities.

The OMDC is an agency of the Government of Ontario, Canada. Ontario Media Development Corporation supports the province’s creative economy by providing innovative programs, services and funding for the film & television; book & magazine publishing; interactive digital media & music industries.