NEWS & UPDATES
Announcing the 2025 Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum Participants
TORONTO (Tkaronto), April 24, 2025 - The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) today announced the 2025 Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum participants, as part of the 46th edition of the international event. Up to fifteen (15) participants from across Canada will present their projects to a panel of leading media funders, potential collaborators, and industry delegates on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The ISS Pitch Forum is supported by founding partners the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF), supporting partner APTN, and presenting partner Rogers.
“The ISS-Pitch Forum is one of the world’s largest and most important events for the presentation and advancement of First Nation, Métis and Inuit film and television storytelling. The high calibre of projects that are presented each year not only represent the incredible creative force within this community, but also the vast commercial and global appeal of Indigenous content,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, BANFF’s Executive Director. “We are pleased to welcome Candace Scott-Moore as lead producer for the ISS. Her background in producing large-scale productions and significant arts events will carry on the momentum and success created in previous years and bring new ideas and energy to the ISS stage. Congratulations to this year’s cohort, and we can’t wait to see your pitches!”
The 2025 ISS - Pitch Forum participants are:
Lewis Cardinal, Red Earth Blue Sky Productions
Dr. Lolly de Jonge, IndigeKin Productions
Damien Eagle Bear, Eagle Bear Films
Mike Gosselin, Really Good Stories
Barbara Hager, Acimow Media
Alexander Lasheras, Soler Pictures
Shelby Mitchell-Adams, Dreamcatcher Studio
Denis Paquette, RealWorld Media
Tim Riedel, Michif Koonteur
Claudia Skunk, Makwa Creative
Darcy Waite, Turtle Mountain Media
Christopher White, Otipemisiwak Productions
Roxann Whitebean, Whitebean Media Arts
Meet all the participants and read their bios here.
Announcing the 2024 Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum Participants
TORONTO (Tkaronto), April 25, 2024 - The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF), with founding partners the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), Canada Media Fund (CMF), supporting partner APTN, and with presenting partner Rogers Communications, announced today the 2024 Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum participants. The fifteen participants will be presenting to a panel of leading media funders and potential collaborators and industry delegates on Sunday, June 9, 2024 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (405 Spray Ave., Banff) as part of the 45th edition of the Banff World Media Festival.
The 2024 ISS - Pitch Forum participants are:
Unscripted/Documentary
Kerriann Cardinal - Sweetgrass Stories
Jim Compton - Wabung Anung Films
Kira Doxtator - Senklip Productions
Tera McDonald - Kalawikk Diversity
Moniquea Marion - Slaw Paw Productions
Scripted Comedy
Norm Coyne - Barker Street Cinema
Marshall Leigh George - Kettle Point Productions
Stephen Gladue - Luksilyoo Productions
Ryan Moccasin - The Feather Entertainment
Jérémie Wookey - Wookey Films
Scripted Drama
Ryan Atimoyoo - Gear Room Productions
Gerald Auger - 4 Directional Studios
Berkley Brady - Joe Media Group
Saxon de Cocq - 3 Story Pictures
Rylan Friday - Terror Fox Productions
Meet all the participants and read their bios here.
Call for applications is open for the 3rd edition of the Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum
Rogers joins as Presenting Partner with Founding Partners Indigenous Screen Office and Canada Media Fund
TORONTO (Tkaronto), February 26, 2024 - The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) announces the return of the Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum (ISS), and welcomes Rogers Communications as a new multi-year presenting partner. The company joins founding partners, the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF). Applications open today for the third edition of the ISS Pitch Forum, which will take place on Sunday, June 9, 2024 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, kicking off the 45th edition of the Banff World Media Festival.
"ISO is pleased to announce our continued support of the ISS Pitch Forum. We are committed to empowering Indigenous storytellers to present their stories at this important global market and to develop meaningful connections within the industry. We are so happy to welcome Rogers Communications to the circle as a presenting partner of the ISS Pitch Forum." Kerry Swanson, CEO of ISO.
"The ISS Pitch Forum is an essential platform for showcasing Indigenous storytellers, ensuring they get the recognition that is long overdue and that their stories stand out within the broader Canadian media landscape. The Pitch Forum has flourished over the last two years thanks to our partnership with the ISO, and we are pleased to welcome Rogers as a presenting partner this year. Their involvement highlights the necessary and growing support for Indigenous projects at home and globally," said Valerie Creighton, President & CEO of the Canada Media Fund.
"We are really excited to expand our partnership with the Banff World Media Festival by supporting the Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum," said Robin Mirsky, Director, Rogers Group of Funds. "We are committed to providing opportunities for Indigenous creators to bring their ideas to the national stage by supporting the ISS in their mission to increase access to the industry and remove barriers to funding."
"We are delighted to welcome Rogers as a new partner alongside our founding partners, the ISO and the CMF in providing a platform to support Indigenous storytellers. The ISS has already contributed to the development and distribution of Indigenous projects presented during the Pitch Forum. We are delighted that with the help of our partners, we can continue to grow the ISS to offer Indigenous creators access to top industry professionals, the ability to forge industry partnerships, and to develop and garner strategic partnerships to further their projects. We also welcome back our ISS Advisory Board and ISS Producer Rachel CrowSpreadingWings to our event production team," said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival.
Fifteen (15), Indigenous producers/creators present their projects in a series of mainstage pitch sessions, to a panel of leading industry buyers, and to an audience of industry delegates. Running adjunct to the renowned Banff World Media Festival (BANFF), one of the world's most important gatherings of entertainment industry executives, the ISS seeks to amplify the work of Indigenous creators and producers and their film/TV/web series projects across the Canadian global marketplace.
The half-day event includes pitches in the genres of Documentary/Unscripted, Scripted Drama, and Scripted Comedy. Pitch applicants are adjudicated by an expert jury and drawn from the 'Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative' (a program that brings up to 100 racialized producers to the festival each year), and the 'CBC-APTN Early Stage Scripted Development Program for Indigenous Creators in association with the ISO', as well as an open call for applications.
Interested candidates are invited to apply by March 7, 2024 at 3 PM ET. Please see eligibility and submission guidelines.
The ISS Pitch Forum participants will receive a full pass to the Banff World Media Festival, a travel stipend, industry mentorships, and customized networking opportunities with top industry professionals. ISS participants will have access to the full complement of structured and unstructured networking, receptions, and curated sessions at the festival. All delegates of BANFF 2024 will have access to the Indigenous Screen Summit and Pitch Forum. There will be no additional cost to attend.