imagineNATIVE Film Festival

Industry Series Sponsored by

HaroldGreenburg

Thursday October 15
New (Media) Ways to Tell and Fund Our Stories
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 15 2009 10:00AM - 11:45AM

Who said tradition is in the past? This panel focuses on the ongoing evolution of Indigenous storytelling and the new technological media currently being harnessed by both urban and rural artists. Using interactive production practices, Web sites, virtual reality portals and mobile technology, our panel will provide insight on how artists can fulfill their creative visions in new ways and for new audiences, and how traditional funding bodies can help assist in getting new media projects off the ground.

Moderator: Cheryl L'Hirondelle
Inter/multidisciplinary Artist and Musician

Lisa Baylin
Project Manager, Bell New Media Fund, Cogeco Fund, Independent Production Fund

Kat Cizek
Documentary and Media Maker,
NFB Filmmaker-in-Residence

Jason Lewis
Digital Media Artist, Software Designer,
Founder, Obx Laboratory for Experimental Media

Archer Pechawis
New Media Artist, Director, Horse

Harold Greenberg Screenwriting Workshop: Creative Solutions for a Successful Script
Al Green Theatre
Oct 15 2009 12:00PM - 1:45PM

Lead by multi-award-winning screenwriter Karen Walton, this workshop explores the dramatic screenwriting process from idea to finished script, the challenges of developing the piece into a produced work, and tools to creatively critique and advance a script to completion. Using the experiences from both our presenter and attendees, the workshop aims to foster artistic comradery and creative solutions to bringing a great idea to the screen.

Karen Walton is multiple-award-winning screenwriter whose credits include Canadian cult horror-film hit Ginger Snaps; the Gemini Award-winner for Best Writing for the television movie The Many Trials of One Jane Doe; and episodes for dramatic series such as Showtime’s flagship “Queer As Folk” USA, “The Eleventh Hour,” “What It’s Like Being Alone,” “Straight Up,” “Drop the Beat” and “The City.” Karen was named one of Variety magazine’s Top Ten Writers to Watch in 2000, and her accolades include awards from the Toronto International Film Festival, the Canadian Comedy Awards and the Gemini Awards. Karen is a graduate of the Feature Film Screenwriting Residency programme at the Canadian Film Centre, and is currently working on scripts with some of the world’s finest young directors and producers, including Mike Dowse, John Hazlett and Jean-Marc Vallée.


Youth Craft Workshop: Animation for Teens
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
Oct 15 2009 12:30PM - 3:00PM

The National Film Board Mediatheque, in partnership with imagineNATIVE, is proud to offer an exclusive, hands-on animation workshop for teens. Students will have the opportunity to create a short film that explores the theme of self acceptance while experimenting with stop-motion animation using mixed media.


Meet the Buyers: The Inside Scoop
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 15 2009 2:00PM - 3:45PM

Featuring visiting international and Canadian buyers attending this year’s imagineNATIVE Festival, this panel gets down to business to find out exactly what Buyers do and how they work with filmmakers—what programming they are looking for, how much they will pay, what rights they want to secure, where distribution is headed and how it is changing in the digital age. Ending with an informal “meet n’ greet,” this is a great opportunity to learn and ask questions about maximizing your film’s longevity, and revenue for your next work.

Moderator: Jason Ryle, Writer, Director, Programmer, imagineNATIVE Board (Chair)

João Garção Borges, Programmer and Buyer, ONDA CURTA (Short Wave), RTP2 (TV Public Service of Portugal) (www.rtp.pt) (Portugal)

Jeff Forster, VP Production and Station Enterprises, Detroit Public TV Detroit (USA)

Georgiana George Lee, Assistant Director, Native American Public Telecommunications, Inc. (www.nativetelecom.org) (USA)

Kelrick Martin, Commissioning Editor, National Indigenous Television Ltd. (Australia)

Milka Pavlicevic, Executive Producer, ZDF (www.zdf.de) (Germany)

Susan Petersen, VP Global Film Sales & Business Development, Shorts International New York (USA)

Desiree Single, Manager of Programming, Central Region, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (www.aptn.ca) (CANADA)

Shirley Sneve, Director of Radio and Television, Native American Public Telecommunications (www.nativetelecom.org) (USA)

Click Here for full details about our attending buyers

Friday October 16
ROCK YOUR DOC! Documentary Pitch Competition
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 16 2009 10:00AM - 11:15AM

Come to learn, or better yet, pitch your short or feature documentary ideas to an audience of commissioning editors and acquisitions executives from the major Canadian broadcasters! Pitches have been pre-selected by the imagineNATIVE Programming Committee and pitch team representatives have received a free one-day intensive pitch training session from industry professional Deborah Day. If time permits, Wild Card pitches will be accepted from the audience. Wild Card pitches are not eligible for the award. The Documentary Pitch winner will win a one-month use of CBC Newsworld’s SONY HDV Camera, and new this year, a $2,500 Gift certificate from William F. White International. The winner will be announced at the Closing Night Awards on October 18th.

Moderator: Deborah Day
Director, Producer, Co-Founder of Canadian Accents
(www.canadianaccents.ca)

Naomi Boxer
Documentary Programmer, TVOntario
(www.tvo.org)

Charlotte Engel
Production Executive, Documentary and Alternative Programming, CTV Limited
(www.ctv.ca)

Sarah Jane Flynn
Director, Factual Content, Canwest Broadcasting
(www.canwest.com)

Andrew Johnson
Commissioning Editor and Senior Producer, “The Lens,”
CBC Newsworld
(www.cbc.ca/thelens)

DRAMA QUEEN! Pitch Competition for Dramatic Works
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 16 2009 11:30AM - 12:45PM

Get your idea heard by the people who can make it happen! This is your opportunity to pitch your idea for a short, feature or series drama to broadcasters who will provide valuable feedback for your work. Pitches have been pre-selected by the imagineNATIVE Programming Committee and pitch team representatives have received a free one-day intensive pitch training session from industry professional Deborah Day. If time permits, Wild Card pitches may be accepted from the audience. Wild Card pitches are not eligible for the award. The Drama Pitch winner will take home a $5,000 Development Deal from Aboriginal Peoples’ Television Network (APTN), and new this year, a $2,500 Gift certificate from William F. White International . The winner will be announced at the Closing Night Awards on October 18th.

Moderator: Deborah Day
Director, Producer, Co-Founder of Canadian Accents (www.canadianaccents.ca)

Trish Williams
Manager, Development & Productions, CTVglobemedia (www.ctv.ca)

Stephen Finney
Production Executive, Drama Content, Canwest
Broadcasting (www.canwest.com)

Desiree Single
Manager of Programming, Central Region, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (www.aptn.ca)

Robin Neinstein
Executive in Charge of Production, Drama, CBC Television (www.cbc.ca)

Buyer/Producer Micro Meetings - NEW!
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 16 2009 1:15PM - 3:15PM

NOTE: This session is open to Festival Delegates only—your pass will be required for admittance

NEW! Filmmakers attending the Festival with a film, a roster of titles ready for distribution, or seeking funding for a project in development, can apply pre-Festival for scheduled, one-on-one meetings with the attending Buyers, Broadcasters and Festival Programmers. Festival delegates who have missed the deadline for applications are welcome to attend the MEET THE BUYERS session on Thursday, October 15th to sign up for the remaining Micro Meeting slots. An amazing opportunity to talk about your work and start business relationships with some of the industry’s key players!

Moderator: Daniel Northway-Frank, Programming Coordinator, imagineNATIVE

Attending Buyers, Broadcasters and Festival Programmers:

João Garção Borges, Programmer and Buyer, ONDA CURTA (Short Wave), RTP2 (TV Public Service of Portugal) (www.rtp.pt) (Portugal)

Naomi Boxer, Programmer, TVOntario (www.tvo.org)

Erin Burke,
Program Manager, CFC Feature Film Project (www.cfccreates.com)

Charlotte Engel, Production Executive, Documentaries & Alternative Programming, CTV Inc. (www.ctv.ca , www.bravo.ca )

Jeff Forster, VP Production and Station Enterprises, Detroit Public TV Detroit (USA)

Georgiana George Lee, Assistant Director, Native American Public Telecommunications, Inc. (www.nativetelecom.org) (USA)

Andrew Johnson, Commissioning Editor & Senior Producer, "The Lens" CBC Newsworld (www.cbc.ca/thelens , www.cbc.ca/docs) (Canada)

Kelrick Martin, Commissioning Editor, National Indigenous Television Ltd. (Australia)

Kathleen Meek, Manager, Canadian Independent Production, The Movie Network – Astral Media (www.themovienetwork.ca) (Canada)

Milka Pavlicevic, Executive Producer, ZDF (www.zdf.de) (Germany)

Susan Petersen, VP Global Film Sales & Business Development, Shorts International New York (www.shortsinternational.com) (USA)

Desiree Single, Manager of Programming, Central Region, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (www.aptn.ca) (CANADA)

Shirley Sneve, Director of Radio and Television, Native American Public Telecommunications (www.nativetelecom.org) (USA)

Saturday October 17
Mentorship & Training Mash-Up
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 17 2009 10:00AM - 11:30AM

Where and how can you develop your skills as an Indigenous filmmaker? How do you find a mentor? Come hear not only from program producers, but also filmmakers who have been through some of North America’s best training and mentorship programs to shed light on the process – from application tips to how mentorships and training programs have helped their careers. Put your career development on the fast track with this engaging panel!

Moderator: Shane Belcourt
Writer/Director/Musician

Adam Garnet Jones
Director, Go Get Dad, Wave a Red Flag

Lisa Jackson
Director, Pushing the Line: Art Without Reservations, Savage, The Visit

Liz Janzen
Director of Programming, National Screen Institute

Owl Johnson
Native Initiatives Assistant, Sundance Institute

Sandra Laronde
Director, Aboriginal Arts, The Banff Centre

Tara Woodbury
Manager, Film Programs, CFC Film

Collective Power! The Rise and Rise of Filmmaking Collectives!
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 17 2009 11:45AM - 1:15PM

Break the confines of Do-It-Yourself filmmaking and come learn how organizations and film collectives are creating unique narratives and empowering filmmakers. Featuring an inspiring panel of Canadian and international filmmakers and organizations, come learn how they operate, how to get involved and how to harness the power of community for your artistic vision.

Moderator: Danis Goulet
Writer, Director, Programmer and Arts Administrator
(imagineNATIVE)

Norman Cohn
Co-Founder, Igloolik Isuma’s collective and IsumaTV
(www.isuma.tv)

Ben Donaghue
Executive Director, Liaison of Independent
Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT)

Tina Hahn
Founder, Symetree Media and National Co-Chair,
Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC)

Sterlin Harjo
Director, Barking Water, Three Little Boys

Izabella Pruska-Oldenhof
Filmmaker and Co-Founder, the Loop Collective
(www.loopcollective.com)

Renchin Yonjan
Social Architect by profession and Chief Technical Advisor, Indigenous Film Archive (Nepal)

In Conversation: The Evolution of Indigenous Filmmaking
Miles Nadal JCC, 3rd Floor
Oct 17 2009 2:00PM - 3:30PM

A master-class of masters! Join leading filmmakers and academics for a conversation on the creative process of filmmaking from an Indigenous perspective. How have filmmaking styles changed throughout their careers? Is there an Indigenous narrative? Does each Indigenous community have a style of their own? How has Indigenous filmmaking evolved? What kind and what way have stories been told and are yet to be told? A not-to-be missed panel on the future of Native cinema.

Moderator: Dana Claxton
Artist/Scholar
Dana Claxton is an interdisciplinary artist-curator working with film and video, installation, performance and photography. She has taught with the Indigenous Media Arts Group (Vancouver) and Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design (Vancouver). Her work is held in public collections, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Art Bank of Canada and Caixiforum Fundacio la Caixa, (Barcelona) and has been screened extensivley internationally.

Alanis Obomsawin
Director, Professor Norman Cornett
Alanis Obomsawin, a member of the Abenaki Nation, is one of Canada’s most distinguished documentary filmmakers. She began her career as a singer, writer and storyteller, and made her debut as a filmmaker in 1967 with Christmas at Moose Factory, which she wrote and directed. Since then, Obomsawin has made more than 20 documentaries on issues affecting Aboriginal people in Canada. In 2001, she received the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002. Obomsawin, a Patron of this festival, received its inaugural Milestone award in 2004 for outstanding professional achievement.

Zacharius Kunuk
Filmmaker and Co-Founder, IsumaTV (www.isuma.tv)
Zacharias Kunuk is one of Canada’s most acclaimed directors. He won the Camera d’Or at Cannes 2001 for Isuma’s first feature, Atanarjuat The Fast Runner. He is president and co-founder in 1990 of Igloolik Isuma Productions, Canada’s first Inuit-owned independent production company. Kunuk is the winner of the National Arts Award, National Aboriginal Achievement Award and in 2005 was awarded the Order of Canada.

Jesse Wente
Film Critic and Canadian Feature Programmer, Toronto International Film Festival
Jesse Wente is a broadcaster, film critic and pop culture commentator based in Toronto.
He can be heard every Friday on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning program in Toronto and across Canada covering film, television and the video game industry. Jesse also appears as a regular guest on CBC Newsworld’s News Morning and Weekend Edition. Jesse is a weekly contributor and guest host of Q, CBC’s national arts and culture magazine show and has appeared as a guest on TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies. Jesse recently appeared as one of the commentators in the feature documentary Reel Injun.


Jennifer Podemski
Actor, Producer and President – Redcloud Studios Inc.
Jennifer Podemski is an award-winning, Gemini-nominated actor born and raised in Toronto, Canada. In 1999 when she co-founded the Toronto based film and television production company Big Soul
Productions with Laura Milliken. Together they created and produced many award-winning television and film projects including the Gemini-nominated series Moccasin Flats. In 2004, Jennifer branched out and launched Redcloud Studios, an independent production company that she runs from home,
and has since produced the hit sci-fi drama Rabbit Fall, three seasons of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards and numerous training programs across Canada and the US.


Kanakan Balintagos
Director, BoY
Manila-based filmmaker Kanakan Balintagos (Palaw’an) received international acclaim for his first feature film, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros), including at imagineNATIVE and the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won Best Dramatic Feature in 2006. BoY is his fourth feature film.