Postmedia Studios and Elevation Pictures’ production division have announced a new partnership that will see the two companies finance, develop, and launch Canadian feature film projects.

The first project under the collaborative effort is Fire Weather, a feature doc commissioned by CBC and produced by Elevation and Mercury Films. Inspired by American-Canadian writer John Vaillant’s book – a panoramic exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind – the project will be directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier, delving into the human, environmental, and societal impacts of wildfires.

Postmedia will launch coordinated, multi‑platform promotion of the film across its brands in conjunction with its theatrical release.

Launched in September of 2024, Postmedia Studios says it will combine the company’s national audience reach and data insights with new financing models that support the development, production and successful release of films, saying in a release on Tuesday that by working together, “Postmedia’s reach and Elevation’s production expertise aim to create more opportunities for Canadian storytelling.”

“Postmedia Studios is focused on connecting Canadian stories with audiences at scale, and this collaboration represents a powerful new pathway for filmmakers,” said Erika Tustin, Vice President, Content Monetization at Postmedia. “By leveraging Postmedia’s strengths, reach and data insights, along with investment in select projects, we can champion stories like Fire Weather and their success in markets across the country.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with Postmedia Studios on a model that helps create new opportunities for filmmakers,” added Noah Segal, Co-President of Elevation Pictures. “This is the first example of how strategic partnerships will strengthen and scale Elevation’s content creation efforts.”