The BIPOC TV & Film Insider

Get ready for the lowdown on all things BIPOC TV & Film with our no-nonsense newsletter – the BIPOC TV & Film Insider: your passport to stay connected, informed, and empowered.

 

What to expect in the second edition of our bi(ish?)-monthly newsletter: what we’ve been working on with programming and advocacy initiatives, upcoming events + opportunities, ongoing callouts, industry news and a little bit of that BIPOC TV & Film charm. 

We last spoke in November, and safe to say: we’ve definitely been busy. Let’s play some catch-up.

In November, BIPOC TV & Film staff, Yazmeen (Advocacy) and Ashutosh (Events) participated in a discussion during the RPFF’s Living with an Arts Wage Panel along with Betty Xie, Maryam Remtulla and Alice Wang. We got some great tips about organising weekly to yearly schedules to avoid burnout and advice about knowing when to allocate funds to upcoming productions versus future projects. 

 

Breaking the 4th Wall Season 1 Finale. After countless sessions sitting with rising and established Canadian creatives in film + TV, Breaking the 4th Wall has wrapped up its first season with its 5th episode featuring Vinay Virmani. In this episode, Virmani talks about his career moves, the social impact he is proud to have made and the importance of balancing your craft with your business goals. His tip: Write what you know!

 

 Listen to Breaking the 4th Wall wherever you get your podcasts.

Bill C-11 Roundtable Event. On January 25, our ED Kadon Douglas joined the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD U, along with moderator Elamin Abdelmahmoud (host of CBC’s Commotion) and a panel of industry leaders — Kerry Swanson (Indigenous Screen Office) and Sally Lee (CISF for BPOC Creators) — to reflect on their experiences at the recent C-11 hearing and discuss ways forward to ensure meaningful engagement and outcomes. 

 

We recently announced the participants of ELEVATE, our new part-time business development incubator for BIPOC-owned Canadian production companies, in partnership with National Screen Institute and Paramount+ and support from Telefilm Canada, CMF, and Ontario Creates.  Congratulations to Anaëlle Béglet (Autres Histoires), Marie Clements (MCM2), Alison Duke (OYA Media Group) and Shant Joshi (Fae Pictures). Meet the participants here.

Meet our Prime Time 2024 Delegation! As part of our Festival and Market Access and through the support of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), we happily sent 6 filmmakers to CMPA 2024 Prime Time conference. Congratulations to Mona Hersi, Ryan Moccasin, Thea Loo, Jason Ip, Laura Friedmann and Maisaa Houri. 

 

You probably also spotted Kadon attending sessions, along with our board members facilitating sessions: Jenn Paul (“How producers can achieve hair and makeup equity for BIPOC performers on set" with Lisa Michelle Cornelius, and “Data matters: How to use demographic reporting to increase diversity and inclusion on screen”) and Margaret Lewis ("How to navigate the financial impact of changes in media buying and selling").

Rising Voices Canada has officially started!  BIPOC TV & Film, Indeed, Hillman Grad and TIFF are delighted to announce Mitchell LeBlanc, Janet-Rose Nguyen, Tochi Osuji, Sara Rangooni, and Shanele Soares as the talented filmmakers set to participate in the inaugural Rising Voices Canada program. 

January wrapped up with an exclusive launch party to celebrate the five filmmakers making up the inaugural cohort. The program kicked off with a full-day workshop in Toronto to introduce the program content, have 1-on-1 sessions with their mentors, and get to know this year's cohort with Hillman Grad (Rishi Rajani and Justin Riley), BIPOC TV & Film (V.T. Nayani, Shibi Shetty), Indeed and TIFF. 

European Film Market (EFM) is underway, and we’ve got a few representatives from BIPOC TV & Film participating in the market and festival. Congratulations to Amir Zagara and Murry Peeters, who were selected for the 2024 EFM Fiction Toolbox program (for their projects A GOOD DAY WILL COME and WOMAN MEETS GIRL, respectively), and Kamika Bianca Guerra-Walker, who received EFM and Berlinale accreditation. Make sure you say hi if you spot them!

 

We've recently transitioned to a new and dynamic community platform, and we want you to join us! This platform has been designed to foster meaningful connections, facilitate insightful discussions, and provide exclusive opportunities tailored to our members. Think of it as a cross between a discussion forum (for industry news and advice), a job portal, and an event board. Though BIPOC TV & Film is an active member of this community, our vision is that its members will proactively engage with each other. 

Recap on Modernizing the Broadcasting Act.  On Friday, November 24, BIPOC TV & Film attended the CRTC hearings in Gatineau, represented by executive director Kadon Douglas, producer Shant Joshi, and advisor Lisa Valencia-Svensson. Pride doesn’t even begin to describe how we felt while watching the livestream of their presentation. Thank you to the three for their captivating words, to Yazmeen Kanji for her dedication and hard work in preparing both our submission and hearing presentation, to our advisors, and to you for your ongoing support. 

Update on Modernizing Copyright Policy for AI. ACTRA joined DGC in a testimony to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology in Ottawa, which is currently studying AI-focused legislation Bill C-27.

 

 

 

The Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) have recently published recommendations on Generative AI and on Bill C-27, that emphasize protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions, adding that, in compliance with the Copyright Act, there should be transparency requirements for data used in AI systems. 

REMC Urges Protection of Free Expression in Response to Gaza Crisis in a recent statement co-signed by ourselves and our partner organisations. 

A similar statement by the Documentary Organization of Canada in December addresses the disproportionate silencing of documentary creators in support of Palestinians.

CRTC Workshops on Defining Canadian Content was on February 13. We were invited to attend the private workshop meant to advise the CRTC on how to best prepare for the public proceedings about the definition of CanCon. We were given a guide in preparation for the workshop, and though we won’t be able to share it directly with our community, we will be using the prompts within to guide our own consultations with our community. Stay tuned for these consultations and be ready to participate. 

 

 

The CRTC has requested recommendations for participants in upcoming workshops in Halifax, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Calgary. If you are interested in attending these in-person workshops, email advocacy@bipoctvandfilm.com

Telefilm Canada shares ongoing calls for entry to festivals and markets available for Canadians, including the MIPTV 2024 Canada Pavilion. 

Applications are now open for the WBD Access x Canadian Academy Directors Program and Writers Program. These ongoing initiatives focus on experienced Canadian writers and directors from underrepresented communities (specifically Indigenous, Black, people of colour, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+, and Francophone members of the aforementioned communities).

 

The deadline to apply for the Directors program is February 26 at 5PM local time and the Writers program is March 22 at 5PM local time.

Check out our monthly industry posts, or join our Community Hub for industry opportunities, job posting, general updates and discussions!

This February, we are hosting a special screening event with MUBI. This special evening event is all about love as we watch MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY by Barry Jenkins, which will be pre-screened by LOVE IS YOU by our very own Latitia Osbourne. The event has officially been sold out. Thank you to those who have given their support. 

 

Hot Docs will again host their annual free livestream of the 96th Academy Awards on March 10. Before then, you can catch all five Oscar nominees for Best Documentary Feature Film on the big screen at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, running from February onward. [all donations go to BIPOC TV & Film]

Telefilm Canada recently conducted a national study, Canadian Movie Consumption – Exploring the Health of Feature Film in Canada, to explore the current state of feature film consumption, providing an understanding of overall consumption patterns, media sources used by audiences, their decision-making process, genre preferences, barriers to watching more movies, and their theatrical moviegoing habits, as well as perceptions of Canadian content. Access the main takeaways and full report here. 

Rogers and the Black Screen Office (BSO) announced the investment of $900,000 over the next three years to continue supporting the Rogers-BSO Script Development Fund, a total investment of $1.65 million since it launched in 2021. The fund is administered by the Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators (CISF).  

The much-anticipated series For the Culture with Amanda Parris and Anar Ali’s Allegiance are now streaming on CBC Gem.

Want first-hand access to our news sources? Visit our Resource page to stay connected and informed within the same network as BIPOC TV & Film. We highly recommend subscribing to these organizations to stay up-to-date on upcoming and ongoing initiatives, programs and events! 

Your contribution to BIPOC TV & Film empowers emerging talent, fuels accessible workshops, and amplifies diverse stories, fostering an inclusive screen industry. Donate your time or become a donor today!

— Mark Anthony Ramitt, writer | Kids' TV Writing Alum 2022