News & Events
IIDF Graduate Marie (Prince) James Coordinates the Vancouver Media Arts Festival November 2011
Marie James and a group of dedicated media arts industry professionals are working diligently to give the Lower Mainland the opportunity to enjoy Indigenous films right here in Vancouver at thier first Media Arts Festival hosted by the newly established Vancouver Media Arts Festival. The fesitval runs November 10 -13, 2011. Check out their link on Facebook for more information or call 604-689-9896 W2 Community Media Arts. They are also looking for volunteers and donations. Please come out to support this incredible festival. See you there.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vancouver-Indigenous-Media-Arts-Festival/228636023815912
Health Nutz Set to Start Season 2 Hires 2 IIDF Student Interns
November 2011, Health Nutz will be in Production for the month of November at Bridge Studios and has hires Rose Stiffarm and Damien Eagle Bear as Production Assistant interns. Jason Friesen, Director, Producer and IIDF graduate has always supported emerging artists, particularly IIDF students and graduates. The IIDF program recognizes his emense contribution toward providing training opportunities to emerging artists.
Down 2 Earth Offers Aboriginal Training Internship Program to IIDF Graduates
Barbara Hager and Renae Morriseau offer a12 week paid internship, mentoring workshops and documentary boot camp to IIDF graduates Damien Bouchard, Caitlyn Pantherbone and Jaysen Cardinal.
Dwayne Beaver, IIDF Faculty Member Wins 2011 Gemini Award for Best Direction in a Reality Program or Series
August 3, 2011 Dwayne Beaver received a Gemini award for episode 5 of Conviction Kitchen at the Toronto gala awards.
IIDF 2011 Screening and Silent Auction, proceeds this year to go toward the newly formed Stacy Asp IIDF Award Bursary.
June 7, 2011 5:30 - 9:30 pm at the Birch Theater at Capilano University the IIDF graduates will screen their final projects and pay tribute to their beloved fellow student Stacy Asp. The screening will be filmed by the Motion Picture Arts students. During the intermission there will be an open mic videoed where students and faculty may share a few words of tribute for Stacy's family. Stacy was loving, generous and kind, she stood out in IIDF as an immensely talented filmmaker. Stacy passed away suddenly in early May of this year. IIDF students and Film Centre faculty were heartbroken. Check out the Stacy Asp Award Bursary donation page for information on how to donate: http://www2.capilanou.ca/programs/indigenous-digital-film/silent-auction-donations.html
IIDF Graduate Paul Stanley has passed away
Paul Stanley had a long successful career in the entertainment industry as a musician, singer and actor. He acted in a movie with Chief Dan George in the 70s, he continued a successful acting career all the way to present day, a couple of his most recent movies were New Moon and APTN short Inspirit. Paul took the IIDF Program, then known as the Aboriginal Film & TV Program in 2002. He will be greatly missed.
Inside the IDF Studio contest is set to launch December 2010
December 17, 2010 the 12 Inside the IDF Studio production shorts will be uploaded to the Digital Drum website: http://www.digitaldrum.ca/ The public is invited to watch all 12 shows and to vote on their favorite show. Voting begins January 21, 2011. The IIDF graduate and student participants come from accross Canada. The winners will be announced February 3, 2011. The winning shows will be aired on APTN.
Jason Friesen IIDF Graduate donates $500 toward the development of an IIDF bursary
October 2010, Jason Friesen's production company Chasing Pictures has recently donated funds that will help an IIDF student. "The IIDF program helped me gain practical skills and also helped me to build confidence to pursue my dream." Jason also hired two IIDF students as paid interns on his APTN TV series Health Nutz as part of the production crew. Damien Bouchard and Caitlyn Goulet Pantherbone gained valuable experience under Jason's direction.
Loretta Todd former IIDF Faculty Member and IIDF Advisor hires IIDF Graduates
June - August 2010, Loretta Todd believes in mentoring emerging Indigenous filmmakers. Loretta hired: Judson Pooyak, Cheyanna Kootenhayoo, Len Lindstrom & Jay Cardinal Villeneauve as paid interns on her production team for her children's TV series, Nehiyawetan (Let's Speak Cree).. She also donated her TV series set, to the IIDF program, after they wrapped .
IIDF Graduate Andrew Genaille screens his latest show Two Indians Talking at the VIFF
October 2010, Andrew Genaille writer of Two Indians Talking was scheduled to screen his show twice at the 2010 Vancouver International Film Festival. A third screening was added because of the popularity of his show. Two Indians Talking is a comedic drama feature that addresses social issues and stereotypes that First Nations people are facing in today's society. Justin Rain and Nathaniel Arcand delivered riveting performances.
IIDF Graduate Myron Lameman Scheduled to Screen at ImagineNative Film Festival
October 2010, Myron Lameman's latest short, Blue in the Face, is scheduled to screen at the Imagine Native Film Festival. Blue in the Face is part of a collection of 12 shows that the IIDF program produced as part of the Inside the IDF Studio contest for APTN.
IIDF Students Film Filmmakers at the VIFF
September 30 - October 15, 2010, IIDF students were invited to film the Q & A and interviews with the VIFF guest filmmakers. This is the first time students have filmed as part of the VIFF event. IIDF is grateful for this opportunity for the IIDF students.
IIDF Students and Coordinator teach film to youth at the Dreamcatcher Shuswap Conference
October 8, 9 & 10, 2010, IIDF graduate Claudia Manuel, IIDF students Caitlyn Goulet Pantherbone, Damien Bouchard, Brandy McCallum, Douglas Joe and IIDF Program Coordinator, Doreen Manuel instructed digtial film to the participants of the Dreamcatcher Shuswap conference participants on the Adams Lake First Nations band in Chase BC October 15, 16 & 17, 2011.
2010 IIDF Student Screening & Silent Auction
June 20, 2010, This year the IIDF Student Screening took place at the Rio Theater, 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver BC 1 - 6 PM. We held our first annual silent auction raising $858, with proceeds going toward an IIDF Student Bursary. One of the greatest challenges that IIDF students face is funding issues. IIDF would like to thank the very generous silent auction donors: Vancouver International Film Festival; Lorne Lapham Sales and Rentals; Provision Video Sales & Rentals; Holiday Inn Downtown; Skahiish Esso; Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society; Aboriginal Peoples Television Network; Great Bear Fashions; Tania Willard; Art Manuel & Nicole Schabus; Wayne Lavallee; Union of BC Indian Chiefs; National Film Board; Loretta Todd; Tulalip Resort and Casino; Fifth Avenue Cinema; and Doreen Manuel. IIDF would also like to thank all of the people who donated to the IIDF bursary by bidding on silent auction items.
IIDF will Deliver a 1 week intensive film course July 5-9, 2010
The Intensive Media Program, is a one week course, offered through the Capilano University Continuing Education Department. The course is funded through the Coastal Corridor Consortium, which works to improve participation and success for Aboriginal Learners. The course will offer instruction in story development, camera, sound, lighting and editing. Students will work in groups to produce 4 shows. The screening will take place on campus on June 10, 2010. Stay tuned for more information.
APTN signs a contract with IIDF to produce 12 shorts for IIDF APTN Contest - Inside the IDF Studio
Twelve IIDF graduates have the opportunity to write and direct a short show for the Inside the IDF Studio APTN contest. Contest entries come from: Jaysen Cardinal Villeneuve, Odessa Shuquaya, Tom Isaac Came, Myron Lameman, Mike Auger, Len Lindstrom, Leeland Askew, Beric Manywounds, Judson Pooyak, Claudia Manuel, Jackson Crick and Cowboy Smithx. The fictional stories are comedies, drama, science fiction and music video. Capilano University Costume Department, Motion Picture, Cinematography and IIDF students as well as Blanche MacDonald Make-up students all participated in the shows. The shows will be uploaded to the Digital Drum website for the public to vote on. Stay Tuned for more information.
The Community Offers Words of Support to IIDF
"The IIDF program has done a great job of building capacity in the indigenous visual storytelling community. IIDF students such as Jason Friesen, Kristie Assu and Jay Cardinal Villeneuve are just a few people who have gone to work as, or with, content creators for APTN. At the time of APTN's launch in 1999, there were fewer than 10 aboriginal independent producers that could supply programming to the network; as of this year there are over 80. This multifold expansion in capacity in greatly supported by programs such as IIDF." APTN Manager of Programming, Western Region, Marty Ballentyne
"Not only does the program assist in building skills for the graduates to pursue careers related to film broadcast communications, it provides graduates with invaluable skills and knowledge that they can bring back to their communities. The graduates can use these skills to assist communities to preserve indigenous languages and cultures through new digital media." First Nations Summit, Grand Chief Edward John, Dan Smith, Grand Chief Doug Kelly
"It is the firm position of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs that the Indigenous Independnet Digital Filmmaking program is an innovative program for Indigenous peoples to learn and gain first hand experience in the digtial medium." Union of BC Indian Chiefs President, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
"This is a unique and invaluable program that provides Aboriginal people with the skills and expertise to participate in the film and television industry. It also provides the training to produce meaningful coverage of current affairs and documentaries that are timely for the Aboriginal community. This program also provides an educational venue for the non-Aboriginal community to learn more about the issues of today and a more realistic perspective of the true history of First Nations in Canada." Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society Executive Director, Susan Tatoosh
NBC Offers IIDF 2010 Internships for IIDF Students
NBC has offered a paid internship position for the 2010 summer months to IIDF student, Caitlyn Pantherbone.
2010 Aboriginal Pavilion Video Producers Work With IIDF
James Lanier and Marie Clements team up with IIDF to video the images that will be used in the multimedia dome that will be part of the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion. IIDF graduate Judson Pooyak and IIDF student Jonathan Antoine were part of the video crew. The video taping was conducted in the Capilano Film Centre Studio and on location at Musqueam First Nation.
IIDF Graduate Justine Wallace works the Canadian Country Music Awards
Corkscrew Media contacted IIDF to assist with assembling a First Nations crew to work behind the scenes on the second unit crew for the Canadian Country Music Awards. Justine Wallace was hired as the Production Coordinator.
Len Lindstrom Global Internship Completed Successfully
Len Lindstrom has returned from Calgary were he was placed in an internship with Global in the News Department. The highlight of his placement was covering the Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly during the National Chief elections.
Two IIDF Students Successfully Complete their NBC Internship
Cheyanna Kootenhayoo and Tobie Caplette returned to IIDF with new skills and a wealth of industry experience upon completion of their NBC internships on the sets of Psych and Caprica. Monday, September 28, 2009 APTN National News broadcasted a story about Cheyanna Kootenhayoo’s experience with NBC.
IIDF Graduate Jason Friesen Successfuly Completes Pilot for APTN
Director/Producer and IIDF graduate Jason Friesen videod his latest production, Health Nutz, an APTN pilot during the month of August 2009 in Vancouver BC. Jason hired two IIDF students, Len Lindstrom and Tracey Moore as interns on his crew.