Home · Entertainment · Sep 11 archive
Justin Trudeau Launches Production Company at TIFF
Developing
In Short: Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled his new production company, Hope & Hard Work, at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched a new production company called Hope & Hard Work with his former Chief of Staff, Katie Telford, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Trudeau and Telford are executive producers on Detective Aunty, a cozy mystery about a South Asian mother who returns to Toronto after her daughter is accused of murder. The project is produced by Neshama Entertainment and Todd Berger.
Trudeau and his new romantic partner, Katy Perry, have been making more public appearances together, sparking renewed interest in their relationship. Meanwhile, at TIFF, New Zealand is set to announce a first-of-its-kind Indigenous co-production initiative.
New Zealand's Film Commission CEO, Annie Murray, tells Variety that the initiative is expected to be announced on Saturday, the same day as a showcase featuring representatives from Telefilm Canada and Eurimages. Murray emphasizes the importance of shared creative purpose and mutual trust in successful co-productions.
New Zealand is bringing three projects to TIFF, showcasing a diverse range of scale and approach. One of these, 'Man of Valor,' directed by Tearepa Kahi, follows a Māori World War II hero and screens as part of TIFF: The Market.
Trudeau's venture into the film industry comes after other high-profile figures, such as Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, also launched production companies following their departure from royal duties.
What's confirmed
- Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is launching a production company with his former Chief of Staff Katie Telford, and it will be called Hope & Hard Work.
What's still developing
- The latest show in the “Jay-Z30” run of gigs celebrating the 30th anniversary of the rapper’s Reasonable Doubt debut LP was cranked up several notches when Jigga was joined by his Magna Carta Holy Grail collaborator Justin Timberlake.
- “At a time when the world can feel increasingly divided, we believe in the power of great storytelling to bring people closer,” Trudeau and Katie Telford said in a statement announcing their company.
- Trudeau and Perry, as a couple, have made more red carpet and social media post appearances of late after the pair first sparked romance rumors in July 2025.
- The third project, “ Tenzing,“ which tells the story of how Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit of Mount Everest, represents the international co-production end of the spectrum, produced through New Zealand’s screen production rebate and filmed across multiple countries.
- On the policy front, NZFC’s recent changes to the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate are generating early traction.
- Popular on Variety The announcement is expected on Saturday, the same day NZFC head of funding Ainsley Gardiner — a filmmaker and Oscar nominee who served as a co-producer on the first Indigenous Canada-New Zealand co-production, “Night Raiders” (2021) — participates in the From Pitch to Partner: Global Co-Production Showcase alongside reps from Telefilm Canada and Eurimages.
Sources
- lethbridgeherald.comlink