Acclaimed NSI IndigiDocs films premiere on APTN

Press Release

The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) announces the world premieres of two, one-hour short documentary specials on APTN, featuring films made through the 2019 and 2020 editions of NSI IndigiDocs.

NSI IndigiDocs is a part-time, online program offering customized training for Indigenous filmmakers to transform a film idea into a short documentary.

The four films from 2019 and 2020 will air as part of a showcase on January 16 and 23, respectively. Check your local listings for times.

NSI IndigiDocs has helped develop the skills of over 60 Indigenous storytellers over eight editions. Documentaries created through the program have screened at prestigious festivals like imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Wairoa Māori Film Festival (New Zealand), LA Skins Fest (Los Angeles) and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Many of these films have received accolades including selection to TIFF Top 10 shorts list (êmîcêtôsêt-Many Bloodlines), Audience Choice Short Film and Manitoba Best Short Film, Reel Pride Film Festival (Gift to Give) and Best Documentary Short Film, Screen Power Film Festival (As The Smoke Rises).

January 16, 5:30 p.m. CT / films from the 2019 edition of NSI IndigiDocs

êmîcêtôsêt-Many Bloodlines – produced by Alex Bailey, directed by Theola Ross

• A Cree filmmaker and her white partner document their pregnancy and journey to parenthood. From the search for an Indigenous donor and midwife to their concerns about raising a child as an interracial queer couple, the joy of having a child together gives them the courage to overcome any obstacle.

Don’t Panic We Still Have Bannock – produced by Troy Watts, directed by Chantell Shaw

• An exploration of the relationship Indigenous people have with the popular food, bannock – and a journey back in time to discover recipes from before contact with Europeans.

My Mother, My Rock – produced and directed by Kelly Roulette

• A daughter’s final promise to her dying mother comes true but the outcome is surprising and otherworldly.

As The Smoke Rises – produced by Jennifer Ille, directed by Sharon Heigl

• Elder Viviane Rose Sandy from Williams Lake Band tells her personal story of how she was taken from her culture after being sent to residential school and how her life took a turn after being reunited with her traditions.

January 23, 5:30 p.m. CT / films from the 2020 edition of NSI IndigiDocs

Gift to Give – directed by Erica Daniels

• The story of the relationship between a Two-Spirit daughter and her father, and the nuances in their relationship of acceptance and deep love. The story is told through the lens of the daughter, Vanessa, who has decided to give her kidney to her ailing father, Kenneth, in the hopes of saving his life.

ƛaʔuukʷiatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht) Dugout Canoe – directed by Steven Davies

• After working as a clearcut logger in the Clayoquot Sound, master carver and land defender Joe Martin reconciles his past by revitalizing the ancestral knowledge and artistic practice of the traditional Tla-o-qui-aht dugout canoe.

Tails on Ice – directed by Miranda Currie

• The personal story of Miranda’s sled dog, Ellesmere, as she sets off on her first training expedition and rite of passage. Ellesmere must learn survival skills from the matriarchs that came before her in order to not only earn, but to also defend her position in the dog pack.

Indigenous Dads – directed by Peter Brass

• Four Indigenous dads candidly discuss their fears and hopes in raising their kids in today’s world.

These students were generously supported through NSI IndigiDocs by: Program Partners APTN, Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and RBC Emerging Artists Project; Indigenous Training Programs Partner Directors Guild of Canada (DGC); Boot Camp Presenting Sponsor Manitoba Film & Music; Strategic Sponsor documentary Channel, Supporting Sponsors Telefilm Canada, Super Channel, CBC Gem, Corus Entertainment and A&E Networks; Provincial / Territorial Sponsors Manitoba Film & Music, Creative BC through the Daryl Duke and William Vince Scholarship Fund, Northwest Territories Film Commission, Creative Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA), Industry Partner the National Film Board of Canada; Industry Supporters imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and Service Sponsors Line 21 Media and iSplice Films. NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.

About APTN

APTN launched in 1999 as the world’s first national Indigenous broadcaster, creating a window into the remarkably diverse mosaic of Indigenous Peoples. A respected non-profit and charitable broadcaster, it’s the first of its kind in North America. The network is Sharing Our Stories of authenticity in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages to nearly 10 million Canadian subscribers. With over 80% Canadian content, APTN connects with its audiences through genuine, inspiring and engaging entertainment on multiple platforms.

About National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI)

Propelled by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations, the National Screen Institute supports diverse 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, 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.

Media enquiries

Joëlle Saltel
Manager of Communications, APTN
(431) 557-9909
[email protected]

Rachel Young
Alumni Outreach Coordinator, National Screen Institute
[email protected]

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