For immediate release
Toronto, Montréal, 30 October 2019
After more than two decades championing Francophone independent production Claire Dion will retire from her role as Associate Director of the Bell Fund on December 20th.The Bell Fund launched in 1997 with a mission to develop and produce innovative and interactive digital media associated with TV. Claire joined the Fund in 1997 and over two decades her work helped foster and support French producers to become global leaders in digital media content.
It was the first fund of its kind and Claire was a tireless champion for the Industry of French content across the country. Since 2017 Claire and her team have refocussed their energies on 5 new Bell Fund programs including short form series for digital platforms, tv and slate development.
“She is a trailblazer and leaves a legacy as a real champion of francophone production,” says Vice-Chair Josee Daignault. Earlier this year, Web fest Berlin recognized Claire with the Impact Award for her “lasting impact on the digital short form series industry” and Xn Québec honoured Claire with its Numix Tribute Award acknowledging “her fighting spirit and perseverance”.
“Claire is immensely talented, not to mention very busy having managed 3 funds simultaneously over the last 20 plus years. She’s been an outstanding colleague, mentor to many and built a team committed to excellence,” says Executive Director, Nancy Chapelle. “Going forward we will continue to support the francophone community with our team, Chantal Côté in the newly created position of Deputy Director and Isabelle Doré, in her new position as Administrative Coordinator/Business Analyst. They will continue working full time in our Montreal office. And while I know Claire is excited to pursue new challenges and opportunities within our Industry, she will always be a trusted friend of the Fund.”
“I have and will always have unforgettable memories of these years at the Bell Fund, discoveries, innovation and such extraordinary encounters within our small team, with my Toronto colleagues and the great creators of the digital world,” says Dion.
“The Bell Fund has been enriched by Claire’s contributions. We all wish her well in her future endeavours” says Naveen Prasad Chair of the Bell Fund.
The Fund would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Pierre Rodrigue to the Board. He joins Vice Chair, Josée Daignault and Johanne Saint-Laurent who are also Québec board members.
The Bell Fund is proud to have provided financial support to over 700 projects for a total of $69M dollars in Québec from 1997-2017. Since the launch of the Fund’s new programs in 2018, French-language production has received $11.5M to fund a record number of 74 projects.
About the Bell Fund:
The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian media content makers who create and produce engaging content for audiences in Canada and around the world. Bell Fund investments support content development and production for broadcast and digital platforms that are accessible to all Canadians. For 20 years, since 1997, the Bell Fund has invested over $200 million in 2,000 Canadian digital media projects and television programs. The Bell Fund also supports training, research, professional development and promotion for the Canadian media production industry.
The Bell Fund receives annual contributions of approximately $16 million from Bell TV as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry. The Fund was also awarded a $10 million endowment from Bell TV which supports the Fund’s development programming. The Bell Fund is incorporated as a not-for- profit organization, governed by an independent Board of Directors representing various sectors of the television and digital media industry.
For further information:
Bell Fund
416-977-8154
info@bellfund.ca
www.bellfund.ca
Fonds Bell
514-845-4418
info@fondsbell.ca
www.fondsbell.ca