The Montreal International Documentary Film Festival (RIDM) has set the opening and closing films for its 27th edition from Nov. 20 to Dec. 1.
Tobias Nölle’s Preparations for a Miracle (Flare Films) will open RIDM on Nov. 20 with its Canadian premiere. It is described as a hybrid between an activist documentary and a science fiction film about an android from a future where humanity no longer exists.
Closing the festival on Dec. 1 is the Quebec premiere of Kim O’Bomsawin’s Ninan Auassat: We, the Children, produced and distributed by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). The documentary focuses on three groups of young people from the Atikamekw, Eeyou and Innu nations.
CBC, APTN and ISO select two for early stage development program
CBC, APTN and the Indigenous Screen Office have chosen two projects for the CBC-APTN Early Stage Scripted Development Program for Indigenous Creators.
The program is designed to support emerging creators with projects in the pre-development stage.
Receiving support are Cree creator Darcy Waite’s comedy Gimli Golf and Country, produced by Turtle Mountain Media in Winnipeg; and Métis creator Mike Gosselin’s drama Burnt Wood, located in Port Coquitlam, B.C.
The program runs from September to the end of March 2025.
Five local producers to be feted at SJIWFF
Five Newfoundland producers will be honoured at the first Trailblazer Awards as part of the 35th edition of the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF).
The ceremony will take place on the festival’s opening day (Oct. 22) and celebrates women that have been a key part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s film production.
The producers include the NFB’s Annette Clarke (Seguridad); Morag Loves Company’s Barbara Doran (Newfoundland at Armageddon); Rock Island Productions’ Rosemary House (Hold Fast); Rink Rat Productions’ Mary Sexton (Maudie); and Sara Frost Pictures’ Allison White (Sweetland).
PacifiCan contributes $720,000 to storytelling tech expo Signals
The Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) has committed $720,000 in funding for creative tech association DigiBC to present the Vancouver-based Signals exhibition.
Signals explores the intersection of art and technology in mediums such as film and video games and highlights the work of Canadian and Indigenous artists. The expo is co-presented by DigiBC and the Vancouver International Film Festival, and assists emerging talent in the creative technology sector through networking, mentoring and job matching.
PacifiCan funding will support Signals programming for three years. Over that time it is expected to attract 12,000 attendees.
“By supporting innovation in video games, XR, virtual production, and AI, this funding will foster stronger connections between local studios, industry leaders, and international partners,” said Loc Da, DigiBC executive director and Signals co-founder and co-curator o in a statement. “This collaboration will help nurture the talent and innovation required to develop world-class ‘made in B.C.’ digital content, driving the province’s competitive edge in the global interactive media industry.”
By Jamie Casemore and Nicholas Sokic
Image courtesy of RIDM