Arctic Indigenous Film Fund announced
Kautokeino, Norway, March 8, 2018 - The Canada Media Fund, in collaboration with its partners, the International Sami Film Institute, Nunavut Film Development Corporation, Greenland Film Makers and Archy, Russia announced today the establishment of the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF).
The announcement took place at the Indigenous Film Conference at the Sami University of Applied sciences in Kautokeino, Norway. All partners were present to sign the partnership agreement, which will be preserved in a traditional Sami chest. Over 120 representatives from the international film and television industry were present at the conference.
Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF)
The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund is an international collaboration, with partners in the whole Circumpolar Arctic, including Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
The overall goal of AIFF is to support high-quality film and TV productions and co-productions with indigenous peoples in Arctic regions and create new financing models that facilitate audiovisual production by indigenous peoples in the Arctic. AIFF creates a platform for indigenous filmmakers from all across the Arctic to collaborate. The aim is to enhance indigenous communities and create new business opportunities in remote Arctic areas.
AIFF will also actively work to give young indigenous people in the Arctic opportunities to work in the media and digital business in their own communities.
The establishment of an Arctic Indigenous Film fund comes at an important time; with the Arctic being the focus of much global attention due to the effects of climate change. The increased interest by the global business community in the Circumpolar region, requires that the voices of the Indigenous peoples in the Arctic are heard. Indigenous cinema represents a celebration of Indigenous artistic expression, strengthens the rights of Indigenous peoples living in the Arctic and creates new business opportunities for Northern producers.
The main activities of the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund are to support development of high quality Indigenous film/TV productions, support production of high quality Indigenous film/TV productions, encourage and create new platforms for Arctic co-productions, and help produce culturally-relevant film and TV series. The fund will also build a network between film institutions, companies, producers and Universities, thereby strengthening business and competitive advantages; organize film and TV education for young Indigenous talents; and lead common projects and programs with partners.
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More information:
Canada Media Fund
André Ferreira
Communications Manager
416-554-2768
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca
International Sami Film Institute
Anne Lajla Utsi
(+ 47) 907 55574
Greenland Film Makers - FILM. GL
Emile Hertling Péronard
(+45) 26 79 96 54
