Witness 3 World Premiere at Tampere Film Festival, Finland. Photo credit: Laura. Jetten
Call for Proposals: Witness 4 Short Film Training series
The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF) and the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) invite early-career Arctic Indigenous filmmakers to apply for the fourth edition of The Witness Short Film Series. This premier training and production initiative pairs expert mentorship and funding with a fully curated, immersive filmmaking lab and international festival experience at the interfilm 42 International Short Film Festival Berlin in Berlin, Germany, from November 10–15, 2026. Selected participants will receive specialised training to develop and produce a 3–5 minute short documentary exploring their unique perspectives and experiences of climate change.
This project is made possible with the generous support of the Indigenous Screen Office.
Creative Focus: Sound & Arthouse Form
Witness 4 challenges directors to push artistic boundaries in climate-change focused short documentaries. This latest cycle spotlights artist-driven, non-conventional, and arthouse-leaning short documentaries, with a core focus on sound design conceptualization and implementation.
Eligibility
This initiative is open to Indigenous filmmakers from the global Circumpolar Arctic (e.g., Canada, Sápmi, Greenland, Alaska). Eligible applicants must either currently reside in the Arctic or belong to an Arctic Indigenous Community/Nation.
Previous Witness program participants are eligible to apply again for this cycle.
Because the in-person component in Germany is a mandatory part of this training initiative, all applicants must hold a valid passport (with minimum six months validity from the workshop dates) and be legally able and physically willing to travel internationally to Germany in November 2026.
Program Commitment & Timeline
The program runs from August 2026 through February 2027. Selected participants (maximum four directors working with two mentors) must commit to both phases:
- Flexible Online Mentorship & Production Workshops (August 2026 – February 2027): Launches with flexible online workshops and one-on-one virtual mentorship. Following the interfilm Berlin festival, mentors will guide you online through production and post-production until final film completion at the end of February 2027.
- In-Person Festival & Filmmaking Lab (Fixed Dates: November 9 – 16, 2026): Travel to Germany for a fully-funded, intensive week. You will split your time between bespoke, hands-on filmmaking workshops designed exclusively for our cohort and attending industry events, masterclasses, and screenings at interfilm Berlin.
- Mandatory Travel Windows: All selected participants must arrive in Berlin on November 9, 2026, and depart on November 16, 2026, without exception. Because full programming runs from the morning of November 10 through the night of November 15, please account for extra travel days before the 9th and after the 16th depending on the flight schedules and transit times from your home location.
About interfilm Berlin: Founded in the 1980s, interfilm is an Academy Award®-qualifying international short film festival. Its InterForum branch serves as a major European hub for industry exchange, masterclasses, and networking panels connecting emerging talent with global industry professionals.
Why apply?
- Receive a training grant to produce a 3–5 minute short microbudget documentary.
- Get direct mentorship from working Indigenous cinema professionals throughout production.
- Exclusive Berlin Filmmaking Lab: Participate in exclusive, practical filmmaking workshops on-site in Berlin to hone your craft.
- Festival Accelerator Access: Attend industry panels and screenings at interfilm Berlin to accelerate your global network and career.
- Potential Cohort Premiere: Travel together as a group to the official world premiere of the Witness 4 series once completed (date and location TBD).
- Gain translatable skills via specialised workshops covering:
- Creative documentary development.
- Creative cinematography, lighting, sound implementation, and editing.
- Production management (budgeting, scheduling, contracts).
- Ethical protocols for filmmaking in Indigenous communities.
- Climate change witnessing and environmental storytelling through a cultural lens.
- Global co-production and international impact strategies.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: Friday, July 24, 2026
How to Apply
Please submit the following:
- Film Concept (Max 150 words): A brief pitch of your 3–5 minute short film idea focusing on climate change’s impact on your Indigenous community. Because this cycle features a distinct creative focus on sound design and arthouse form, your pitch should explicitly reflect a non-conventional, artist-driven, or poetic approach rather than a standard television-style narration.
- Intent Statement (Max 100 words): Why do you want to participate in this specific cycle of the Witness program?
- Professional CV / Resume
- Bonus Question (Optional – 2–3 sentences): What is one of your favorite films, and why?
Submissions and inquiries:
Arctic Indigenous
Screenwriting workshop 2024–2025 – Extended application deadline!
Call for Proposals
The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF) and International Sami Film Institute (ISFI) invite writers with Arctic Indigenous origins to participate in our year-long workshop program.
This workshop program will include monthly sessions with a focus on developing strong storytelling skills and producing extended treatments and first draft scripts. Participants will benefit from the guidance of renowned mentors and guest speakers, including filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, and directors. Sessions will take place mostly online but we will meet also once in Kautokeino, Norway.
The goals are
- to learn how Indigenous storytelling traditions can inspire your script-writing process.
- to understand the basics of film narratives and character development in your own film story
- to provide methods for developing ideas into treatments and scripts
In the end of the workshop the participants will have a strong story, and they will each have an extended treatment and 1st draft script.
Mentors
The sessions will be led by professionals in the film industry.
Leader of the Course: Liisa Holmberg – Director of the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund
Kate Leys – international script and story editor, England
Bird Runningwater – producer / director from Los Angeles
Amanda Kernell – screenwriter / director, Sápmi
Suvi West – screenwriter / director, Sápmi
Gail Maurice – screenwriter / director, Canada
Nils Gaup – screenwriter / director, Sápmi
Åse Katrin Vuolab – screenwriter / director, Sápmi
Jörgen Hjerdt – screenwriter, Sweden
Key Dates:
- Call ended!
- Workshop Duration: October 2024 – September 2025
Application Process:
Eligibility: Arctic Indigenous writers with some experience and work produced for film, TV, theatre, or audio.
To apply, please submit
- a brief one-page story idea
- a short statement telling us why you’d like to take part in the workshop and what you hope to gain from it
- a sample of your script which has been produced
- CV
Ten participants will be selected by the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund.
For further information, please contact:
| Program | |
|---|---|
| Sessions 1–6 October 2024 – March 2025, online | Focus on writing a treatment Themes: storytelling tradition, writing an oral story to commercial or independent film script, film idea to synopsis / treatment, characters, feedback |
| Session 7 April 2025 | Kautokeino Workshop In-person session Organized with Kate Leys, Amanda Kernell, Suvi West, Nils Gaup, Åse Katrin Vuolab, Jörgen Hjerdt |
| Sessions 8-12 April – September 2025, online | Focus on writing a screenplay |
Production Support and Funding
The application starts in winter 2025. We will offer grants for
- Scripts
- Development
- Production
More information coming, stay tuned!
Still from Red-Shaded Green. Courtesy of Aurinko Film.
Call for Proposals: Witness Series
The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF), Telefilm Canada, and the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) invite early career Arctic Indigenous filmmakers to apply for the third edition of The Witness Short Film Series, a training program designed to support Arctic Indigenous storytellers through hands-on workshops, mentorships, and production.
This training initiative is open to Indigenous people only from the global Circumpolar Arctic. Eligible applicants may either live in the Arctic or be from a community/nation based in the Circumpolar Arctic (e.g. Canada, Sápmi, Russia, Alaska, Greenland, etc.).
Why apply?
- Participate in workshops covering:
- Documentary Storytelling – Crafting compelling narratives and developing an authentic point of view.
- Filmmaking – Hands-on training in cinematography, lighting, sound, and smartphone filmmaking techniques.
- Producing & Production Management – Budgeting, scheduling, contracting, and managing a documentary project.
- Impact Producing & Audience Engagement – Strategies for maximizing the reach and influence of your film.
- International Co-Productions in Indigenous Contexts – Exploring global collaboration opportunities for Indigenous filmmakers.
- Pathways & Protocols for Filmmaking in Indigenous Communities – Ethical storytelling and respectful collaboration with Indigenous communities.
- Climate Change Witnessing from an Indigenous Perspective – Exploring environmental storytelling through a regional and cultural lens.
- Receive mentorship from experienced Canadian Indigenous filmmakers.
- Collaborate with a returning Witness participant who will serve as your producer.
- Secure a training grant to produce a 3-5 minute short film.
Key Dates
- Call ended.
How to Apply
Please submit the following:
- A 150-word description of your 3-5 minute short film idea on climate change’s impact on your Indigenous community.
- A 100-word statement on why you want to participate.
- Your CV / resume.
- Bonus Question (Optional): What is one of your favourite films, and why? (2–3 sentences)
Submissions and inquiries:
