FESTWAVE CREATION INC.

Name

FESTWAVE CREATION INC.

Legal name

Festwave Institute

Website

https://festwaveinstitute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Training and Workforce Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAGAJ

Training, Workshops & Certification Events

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

SECONDARYEDAMAMAE

Screenwriting Workshops (Film/TV/Web)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Creative Writing Workshops

SECONDARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPADADAG

Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Documentary & Nonfiction Production

Keywords

• Film industry training
• Filmmaker education programs
• Screenwriting workshops
• Entertainment workforce development
• Documentary film incubator

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from the Government of Canada's Ecosystem Fund through Développement économique Canada (DEC) for Quebec Regions. Received $3 million to create the Festwave Institute to support Black entrepreneurs in film and TV through training and skill building.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Support from major corporate partners including Netflix (presenting sponsor of Being Black in Canada), National Bank, Telefilm Canada, and Canada Council for the Arts who provide funding and sponsorship for programs and operations.
3. Donations: Individual donations accepted through PayPal to support the mission of strengthening the next generation of Black film professionals. Organization notes they cannot provide charity receipts but appreciate support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Festwave Institute is a non-profit national training institute that provides free professional training, mentorship, equipment access, editing suites, and production support to Black and underrepresented film and television creators across Canada. Its flagship Being Black in Canada incubator program welcomes 35 emerging Black filmmakers per year across six Canadian cities to create short documentary films that are broadcast on CBC, Télé-Québec, and TFO, complemented by specialized à la carte workshops in dubbing, screenwriting, production direction, acting direction, production accounting, and makeup/hairstyling, plus paid internships organized with AQPM member production companies.

Product overview

Festwave Institute is a national training institute created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation that operates as a unified platform providing professional development programs for Black and underrepresented creators in film and television. The core offering is the Being Black in Canada incubator program, supplemented by specialized add-on training modules including dubbing, screenwriting (WEB & TV Series), production direction, acting direction, production accounting, and makeup/hairstyling. Additional programs include paid internships in audiovisual production. All programs are free for participants and focus on removing barriers to entrepreneurship in the entertainment industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Festwave Institute National training institute created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation that supports Black and underrepresented creators in film and television by removing barriers to entrepreneurship through training, tools, and networking to build lasting careers.
• Being Black in Canada Program Canada's largest incubator dedicated to Black filmmakers, providing free training, mentorship, professional equipment, editing studios, and production teams to help emerging Black filmmakers create their first short documentary films, with selected films broadcast on CBC, Télé-Québec, and TFO.
• Dubbing Training Program Free French-language dubbing training for Afro-descendant actors who are members of the Union des artistes (UDA), led by industry expert Manuel Tadros, covering voice art, script reading, ear training, and career development.
• Paid Internships in Audiovisual Production A pilot program offering two aspiring producers or production managers from Black communities a four-month, full-time paid internship (640 hours) at AQPM member production companies in film or television, providing hands-on experience from pre-production through post-production.
• Being Black in Canada: Writing WEB & TV Series Free screenwriting training for Black screenwriters to develop and refine short fiction series projects, delivered in collaboration with SARTEC with Dominique Drouin as lead expert; 44 hours of training for 8 participants.
• Production Direction for Television and Film Training for production directors and assistant production directors from Black communities covering budget management, shooting schedule optimization, and networking with industry experts; 56 hours with 12 participants per cohort.
• Acting Direction Special edition training for Black directors and assistant directors who are members or future members of ARRQ (Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec), focused on directing actors and creative diversity approaches; 16 hours with 12 participants.
• Production Accounting Training for producers, assistant producers, managers, and accountants of production companies owned or led by Black entrepreneurs, covering financial management, project tracking, and accounting; 12 participants per cohort.
• Makeup and Hairstyling for Black Characters in Film and Television Training for makeup artists and hairstylists of all backgrounds to work with diverse actors and actresses, focusing on advanced techniques to enhance skin and create authentic hairstyles for Black characters; 12 hours delivered in three 4-hour sessions, maximum 8 participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 films produced through the Being Black in Canada program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Netflix is the presenting sponsor of the Being Black in Canada program, providing high-profile backing and visibility for the initiative.
• National BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025National Bank co-presents the Being Black in Canada program alongside Netflix, contributing funding and institutional credibility.
• AQPM (Association québécoise de la production médiatique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAQPM organizes paid internship programs in media production for Black community members in collaboration with the Festwave Institute. Provides placement opportunities with AQPM member production companies.
• SARTEC (Société des auteurs.trice.s de radio, télévision et cinéma)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARTEC collaborates with Festwave Institute on screenwriting training programs. Provides expert instructor Dominique Drouin for the Being Black in Canada: Writing WEB & TV Series program.
• Union des artistes (UDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUDA collaborates with Festwave Institute on dubbing training programs for Black actors who are UDA members, promoting inclusion and diversity in Quebec's dubbing industry.
• Black Film Festival NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 12 affiliated Black Film Festivals: Montreal International Black Film Festival, Toronto Black Film Festival, Halifax Black Film Festival, Calgary Black Film Festival, Ottawa Black Film Festival, Vancouver International Black Film Festival, Halifax Black Summer Festival, Fade to Black Montreal, Salvador Black Film Festival, Festival Haïti en Folie Montreal, Festival Haïti en Folie NYC, Quebec Film Festival in Haiti.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Broad incumbents

• Sundance Institute: US-based non-profit that operates training labs, fellowships, and a major film festival. Comparable as a large-scale film training + festival ecosystem with strong DEI-focused fellowship programs.
• Canadian Film Centre: Canada's premier film, television, and new media training institution, founded in 1988. Comparable as a film-industry training organization, though its focus is industry-wide rather than specifically on Black/underrepresented talent.
• Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity: Canada's largest arts training institution offering residency programs across film, media, and performing arts. Comparable as a Canadian institution delivering professional arts training programs.
• TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival): One of the world's largest film festivals with industry training, talent development, and inclusion programs. Comparable as a Canadian film festival + training/industry programming organization.

Regional players

• Hot Docs: North America's largest documentary festival, based in Toronto, with industry programming and filmmaker development. Comparable as a Canadian documentary-focused film organization that helps develop and showcase new filmmakers.
• AFI (American Film Institute): US-based film school and Life Achievement Award institution. Comparable as a film-training organization, though US-focused rather than serving Canadian talent.
• RIDM (Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal): Montreal-based documentary film festival with industry programming and training components. Directly comparable as a documentary-focused film organization in the same Montreal ecosystem as Festwave Institute.

Direct peers

• imagineNATIVE: Canadian organization supporting Indigenous filmmakers and screen-based storytellers through training, mentorship, festivals, and funding. Highly comparable structure: non-profit film-training + festival + community-development model, focused on an underrepresented Canadian community.
• Black Screen Office: Canada-based non-profit dedicated to eliminating anti-Black racism in Canada's screen industries through research, advocacy, and workforce development. Directly comparable to Festwave Institute as a mission-aligned, Black-focused film/TV organization operating in Canada.
• Reelworld Film Festival & Conference: Canadian non-profit film festival and conference focused on racial equity and diverse talent in the screen industries. Directly comparable as a Canadian diversity-focused film organization with festival and training programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FESTWAVE CREATION INC.