Yukon Media Development has announced continued support for Whitney Horne (Telsin, Yukon) as she begins phase 2 of the National Screen Institute’s IndigiDocs program with her film, The Longest Canoe Race. The program provides customized training and mentorship to Indigenous filmmakers with an idea for a short documentary film.
The Longest Canoe Race observes canoeing as sport and an Indigenous way of life, to address deep inequities present in Canadian society; recognizing an all-Indigenous canoe team who paddled in 1966-1967 canoe races, today facing erasure from history.
“This initiative will create new opportunities for up-and-coming Indigenous filmmakers to build on their skills and take their work to the next level. I want to congratulate all of the filmmakers involved in the program and celebrate Yukon’s own Whitney Horne for her film The Longest Canoe Race,” says Yukon Minister for Economic Development, Ranj Pillai. “Our government is happy to support the NSI IndigiDocs program through Yukon Media Development. I look forward to seeing the completed films.”
Whitney’s training began in late February 2021. Eight filmmakers participated in six weeks of online classes to learn about writing, directing and producing. They created a market-ready film proposal which they then pitched to a jury for phase 2 consideration.
“Phase 1 helped Whitney work through and develop her documentary ideas, resulting in a body of work that is ready to be brought to life on screen,” says NSI IndigiDocs program manager Kaya Wheeler. “This project is a great example of Whitney’s dedication and creativity as a filmmaker. We are thankful to Yukon Media Development for helping Whitney on this journey.”
Phase 2 training focuses on gaining firsthand experience in documentary filmmaking from development to pitch, to production, to packaging and delivery. Participants will work in their own community, following their own community’s COVID-19 protocols, as they develop their documentaries.
“Being part of NSI IndigiDocs not only advanced my film concept to the next stage, but also allowed me to grow my skills as an emerging filmmaker and creative professional, while overcoming challenges of operating my studio in a northern community,” says Whitney. “I am humbled to work alongside tremendous talent in the first cohort, and very excited to move into phase 2 with support to make and share my film The Longest Canoe Race.”
Working with mentors and advisors, phase 2 participants will work through each step of the production process, with post-production services provided by the National Film Board (NFB). The National Screen Institute’s associate faculty, mentors and colleagues contribute their time, expertise and advice to all participants as they advance through training. We are grateful for their support and contribution to the program.
The following students join Whitney in phase 2 to further develop and produce their own documentaries:
Brandon Wilson (Calgary, AB) – Heart of a Nation
Heart of a Nation is a participatory and visual look at the sacred and healing power water and land holds for members of the Fort McKay First Nations, told through the perspective of Cree member Brandon Wilson. Wilson weaves a complex story of loss, identity and struggles of growing up as an Indigenous person in an environment marked by colonial legacy.
In Winnipeg’s North End, a mother endeavours to provide basic and culturally-based food for her family and relatives amid the barriers of transportation, economics and no full-scale grocery stores in the area.
Kim Stadfeld (Toronto, ON) – Flora Bear Story
To understand her family roots, Kim searches for truth and answers about her Indigenous grandmother Flora Bear’s life.
Completed films will feature in an exclusive one-hour special broadcast on APTN. Individual films will appear on documentary Channel, CBC Gem, nfb.ca, nsifilms.ca and APTN lumi. Previous NSI IndigiDocs films including Lost Moccasin, Keep Going My Daughter, When the Children Left, As the Smoke Rises and êmîcêtôsêt: Many Bloodlines are now streaming on CBC Gem.
About the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI)
Propelled by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations, board members and staff, the National Screen Institute supports creators from across Canada to tell unforgettable stories. Through industry-informed training and mentoring in film, television and digital media, NSI students and alumni find their voice and place on the global stage, inspiring us to shape a better world.
The National Screen Institute is committed to training participants from a diverse community of voices including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, women-identifying, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+), people with disabilities, those outside large urban centres, those from regional and remote areas and various religious groups.
About Yukon Department of Economic Development
Yukon Media Development is a unit of the Department of Economic Development. Our mandate is to develop a thriving, prosperous and diversified Yukon economy to enrich the quality of life of all Yukoners. Our investments support sustainable job creation for Yukoners, innovative approaches to existing and new industries, increased investment opportunities, market expansion outside Yukon, and business and industry growth.
The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI), and an independent jury, have selected four filmmakers to advance to phase 2 of the NSI IndigiDocs training program.
Whitney Horne (Teslin, YK), Brandon Wilson (Calgary, AB), Marsha Knight (Winnipeg, MB) and Kim Stadfeld (Toronto, ON) will each receive a cash award of up to $16K and approximately $10K of in-kind services towards the production of a 10-minute documentary film. They will each be paired with an industry mentor to guide them through the production process.
NSI IndigiDocs provides up to eight Indigenous filmmakers with customized training and mentorship to develop an idea for a short documentary film.
Phase 1 began in late February 2021. Eight filmmakers participated in six weeks of online classes to learn about writing, directing and producing. They created a market-ready film proposal which they then pitched to a jury for phase 2 consideration.
The phase 2 filmmakers are:
Whitney Horne (Teslin, YK) – The Longest Canoe Race
The Longest Canoe Race observes canoeing as sport and an Indigenous way of life to address deep inequities present in Canadian society; recognizing an all-Indigenous canoe team who paddled in 1966-1967 canoe races, today facing erasure from history.
Brandon Wilson (Calgary, AB) – Heart of a Nation
Heart of a Nation is a participatory and visual look at the sacred and healing power water and land holds for members of the Fort McKay First Nations, told through the perspective of Cree member Brandon Wilson. Wilson weaves a complex story of loss, identity and struggles of growing up as an Indigenous person in an environment marked by colonial legacy.
In Winnipeg’s North End, a mother endeavours to provide basic and culturally-based food for her family and relatives amid the barriers of transportation, economics and no full-scale grocery stores in the area.
Kim Stadfeld (Toronto, ON) – Flora Bear Story
To understand her family roots, Kim searches for truth and answers about her Indigenous grandmother Flora Bear’s life.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to bring my maternal grandmother’s story to the screen with the generous support of the National Screen Institute and the NSI IndigDocs sponsors,” says participant, Kim Stadfeld. “I’m excited to put into practice all that I learned in phase 1. This education has been invaluable, and I’m thrilled to be part of phase 2 to produce and share the Flora Bear Story.”
Phase 2 training focuses on providing firsthand experience in documentary filmmaking from development to pitch, to production, to packaging and delivery. Participants will work in their own community, following their own community’s COVID-19 protocols, as they develop their documentaries.
“We are excited to guide these four filmmakers as they begin the production process of their documentaries,” says Kaya Wheeler, NSI IndigiDocs program manager. “Each filmmaker’s dedication and passion was clear throughout phase 1, and we look forward to seeing the same energy as we move into phase 2.”
Working with mentors and advisors, participants will work through each step of the production process, with post-production services provided by the National Film Board (NFB). The National Screen Institute’s associate faculty, mentors and colleagues contribute their time, expertise and advice to every participant who moves through this course. We are grateful for their support and contribution to the program.
Completed films will feature in an exclusive one-hour special broadcast on APTN. Individual films will appear on documentary Channel, CBC Gem, nfb.ca, nsifilms.ca and APTN lumi. Previous NSI IndigiDocs films including Lost Moccasin, Keep Going My Daughter, When the Children Left, As the Smoke Rises and êmîcêtôsêt: Many Bloodlines are streaming now on CBC Gem.
About the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI)
Propelled by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations, board members and staff, the National Screen Institute supports creators from across Canada to tell unforgettable stories. Through industry-informed training and mentoring in film, television and digital media, NSI students and alumni find their voice and place on the global stage, inspiring us to shape a better world.
The National Screen Institute is committed to training participants from a diverse community of voices including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, women-identifying, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+), people with disabilities, those outside large urban centres, those from regional and remote areas and various religious groups.
