Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

Four new films in this week’s NSI Online Short Film Festival from directors Alayna Silverberg, Anna Cooley, Matt Holland, and Alex Loubert and Zach Ramelan.

Static Alex

Static Alex | Sci-fi/Horror, 8:21, English, BC, 2017 | Director: Alayna Silverberg

Alex has acquired the unpredictable super power of static electricity. Between high school and her absent father, she can’t keep her emotions in check or her powers from growing.

Sleepwalker

Sleepwalker | Experimental, 5:00, No dialogue, AB, 2017 | Director: Anna Cooley

Lily must defeat the demons that lurk in her nightmares if she is to save herself and the woman she loves.

Malignance

Malignance | Sci-fi/Horror, 25:32, English, SK, 2016 | Director: Matt Holland

It’s been years since Merle has visited the cabin where he spent much of his childhood. The cabin’s the same as he remembers, but there’s something different about the woods.

Companionship

Companionship | Sci-fi/Horror, 16:30, English, ON, 2016 | Directors: Alex Loubert, Zach Ramelan

An over-worked and under-loved woman tires of the dating scene and tries using a new dating app which promises its users that they will “never be alone again.”

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The NSI Online Short Film Festival is made possible through the support of Festival Partner Telefilm Canada; Supporting Sponsors Entertainment One, Super Channel, Corus Entertainment, Blue Ant Media, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and Breakthrough Entertainment; Award Sponsors A&E Television Networks, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation; Corus Entertainment and Blue Ant Media; and Industry Partner the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

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The fifth and final season of Rezolution Pictures’ Mohawk Girls, from Tracey Deer (NSI Storytellers, Featuring Aboriginal Stories Program), Cynthia Knight (NSI Drama Prize), and Catherine Bainbridge and Christina Fon (both NSI Global Marketing), is currently in production.

Production is taking place in Montreal and Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec, with new episodes set to air on APTN in fall 2017.

The fourth season of Mohawk Girls was nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards, including best comedy series and best writing in a comedy series.

The series is created and executive produced by Tracey Deer and Cynthia Knight, with Tracey directing and Cynthia acting as head writer. Rezolution’s Catherine Bainbridge and Christina Fon serve as producers/executive producers.

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Four Faces of the Moon, an animated short doc from Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett (NSI IndigiDocs), is now available to watch on CBC Short Docs.

The film follows the journey of an Indigenous photographer as she travels through time. She witnesses moments in her family’s history and strengthens her connection to her Métis, Cree and Anishinaabe ancestors.

The film contains no English language, relying on sound, image and Indigenous voice to tell the story. This multi-layered approach to storytelling may leave you with more questions than answers: it is an invitation to look into your own understanding of history, legacy and the importance in knowing who you are and where you’re from.

Four Faces of the Moon premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016.

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Several NSI grads are participating in a series of filmmaking panels run by the Indigenous Filmmakers Association tomorrow in Winnipeg.

The event will be held at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church and kicks off at 11 a.m.

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., film and culture panel

Hosted by Amanda Kindzierski (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs) with panelists: JJ Neepin (NSI IndigiDocs), Adeline Bird, Charlene Moore (CBC New Indigenous Voices)

1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., Indigenous actors panel

Hosted by Ryan Black with panelists: Ashley Chartrand, Sky Pelletier, John Cook, Diane Isfeld

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., producing vs. directing panel

Hosted by Justina Neepin (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs) and Roger Boyer (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs, NSI Storytellers)

Entry is free but donations are gratefully accepted at the door.

The Indigenous Filmmakers Association is a non-profit collective group of indigenous filmmakers working to grow the indigenous film community in Winnipeg and Manitoba.

The post Indigenous Filmmakers Association panel discussions in Winnipeg, June 20 appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

Writer Josh Saltzman’s award-winning anthology Strange Yarns is being woven into a series of bone-chilling short films and Wattpad is looking for filmmakers with a taste for the macabre to help.

Submit a 60-second video pitch for your idea – inspired by a pre-selected strange yarn – and convince Wattpad’s 55 million loyal users which adaptations deserve to be short films.

Over four weeks you’ll be charged with engaging fans and building an audience. This horde of fans then votes for their favourite projects, influencing which ones advance.

Six filmmakers will be given up to $6K US (in production funds) each to create a six-minute short film.

Deadline to submit your video pitch is July 9, 2017.

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An over-worked and under-loved woman tires of the dating scene and tries using a new dating app which promises its users that they will “never be alone again.”

Creative team

Writers: Alex Loubert, Jordan Gray
Directors: Alex Loubert, Zach Ramelan
Producer: Anna Jane Edmonds

Filmmakers’ statements

Alex Loubert: For me, this film was all about taking my next steps in the evolution of my cinematic career. I have worked as a PA, an AD and an actor, and I decided to take my fate into my own hands and start making my own content. This was a labour of love, a creation with many mothers and fathers and I was thrilled to be part of it.

Zach Ramelan: For years science fiction has captivated me because of its ability to predict and exaggerate our future society. So, when Alex Loubert approached me with Companionship I immediately signed on, intrigued by the universe we were going to build together.

Each step of the way I was completely blown away by the hard work and dedication our creative team provided. Any idea felt achievable, from creating massive visual effects on billboards to designing a futuristic apartment. This movie is a fine example of collaborative creativity conquering any obstacle in its way, and that’s what film is all about.

To me, Companionship is more than just a film, it is a universe of possibilities. Every time I watch the movie, I make up new technology, characters and stories in that reality. It’s a fun world to explore, and I’m so damn happy I got to play in it.

About Alex Loubert

Alex Loubert is an actor, writer and director. This is the first film in which he has combined all three of his passions into one film.

About Zach Ramelan

Zach Ramelan is an award-winning independent filmmaker from Ontario. From the age of 17, Zach has pursued his passion as a full-time filmmaker through editing and directing.

He has created several awarding-winning short films, music videos and feature films. His music videos have enabled him to collaborate with international artists such as Sixx AM and FlyLeaf.

After the success and global distribution of his feature film, Dead Rush, Zach is looking forward to working on his next big project.

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