A Film Panel and Screening in New York – Witnessing Climate Change

Join us for an evening of insightful screenings and a panel discussion exploring how Arctic Indigenous peoples have battled against climate change through films and other media from the perspective of Free, Prior and Informed Consent. The event will take place at Scandinavia House in New York on April 18, 2024.

Arctic Indigenous peoples have a rich storytelling tradition that is still vivid and active. The stories have played an essential role in maintaining sustainable living in the Sámi and other Indigenous people’s traditional living areas — by being in charge of their narratives, these communities create a new future for their peoples. That’s why all Indigenous peoples must have the ultimate right to tell their own stories about climate change in the Arctic tipping points, including ice caps melting, permafrost collapsing, ocean changes and vanishing of the snow.

The film panel’s discussion will be moderated by Jason Ryle, Canada and AIFF’s CEO Liisa Holmberg , Sápmi. Our esteemed panelists include

  • Sadetlo Scot, a renowned Film Director from Canada
  • Emile Hertling Péronard, a Film Producer from Inuk, Greenland
  • Anna Hoover, a Film Director from Unangax, USA
  • Kati Eriksen, a Film Director from Sámi, Finland

The screenings will feature impactful documentaries and short films:

  • Marcus Amerma (2023) | Documentary | Director: Anna Hoover (Alaska)
  • Edaxàdets ´Eete – We Save Ourselves (2023) | Witness short film | Director: Sadetlo Scot (Canada)
  • The Past And The Future Of The Arctic (2023) | Witness short film | Director: Hans Pieski (Sápmi)
  • Home River (2023) | Documentary | Directors: Kati Eriksen & Scott Thorthon (Sápmi)
  • Entropy (2023) | Documentary | 10 min. | Director: Inuk Jörgensen (Greenland)

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about climate change through the lens of Arctic Indigenous storytelling.

RSVP to secure your spot at the event. Reserve the free tickets here.

Location

Scandinavia House
58 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Time

April 18, 6–8 PM.

Nine Arctic Indigenous Filmmakers Selected for Witness 2024 Film Training and Mentorship Program

The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF) and Telefilm Canada proudly announce the selection of nine Arctic Indigenous filmmakers for the second round of the Witness film training and mentorship program. Witness aims to empower Indigenous voices across Arctic communities to create impactful short films exploring the effects of climate change.

The selected filmmakers and their projects are:

  1. Ashley Qilavaq-Savard and Jennifer Kilabuk (Inuit, Canada) – Project: Intergenerational Climate Activism
  2. Princess Daazhraii Johnson (Neets’aii Gwich’in, United States) – Project: This is a Story About Salmon
  3. Marc Fussing Rosbach (Inuk, Greenland) – Project: Our Ancestors’ Secrets
  4. Johannes Vang (Sámi, Norway) – Project: Red-Shaded Green
  5. Elin Marakatt (Sámi, Sweden) and Sara Beate Eira (Sámi, Norway) – Project: Untitled [Cloudberry]
  6. Eriel Lugt and Carmen Kuptana (Inuvialuit, Canada) – Project: Untitled

These filmmakers were chosen for their compelling proposals and dedication to shedding light on the impacts of climate change within their communities. Witness 2024 will provide them with workshops, training grants, and mentorship from esteemed Canadian Indigenous filmmakers Darlene Naponse and Jason Ryle.

The films produced during the program will premiere at the Indigenous Film Festival Skábmagovat in Inari, Finland, in January 2025.

“We are thrilled to welcome these diverse Arctic Indigenous filmmakers to Witness 2024,” said Liisa Holmberg, CEO of AIFF.

“Their unique perspectives and storytelling abilities will undoubtedly contribute to meaningful conversations and highlight Indigenous leadership surrounding climate change in Arctic communities.”

“The Witness program is a professional development opportunity that allows Arctic Indigenous filmmakers to share how climate change is affecting their communities, to tell their own stories, and to meet and work with an international network of Indigenous filmmakers,” remarked Adriana Chartrand, Lead, Indigenous Initiatives & Content Analyst at Telefilm Canada.

Collaborators of the Witness program: