training program arkistot

The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF), in partnership with Telefilm Canada and the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), is excited to announce the third edition of the Witness Short Film Series. This professional training and mentorship program is designed to support early career Arctic Indigenous filmmakers from across the Circumpolar North, including Canada, Sápmi, Russia, Alaska, and Greenland.

The program offers a unique opportunity to develop skills in documentary storytelling, cinematography, production management, and impact producing. Participants will receive hands-on training and mentorship from experienced Indigenous filmmakers, explore ethical filmmaking practices, and gain insights into international co-productions. Selected filmmakers will be awarded a training grant to produce a 3–5 minute short film exploring climate change from an Indigenous perspective.

Applications are open now!

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 28, 2025. For more details and application guidelines, read the call for proposala here.

For Applicants

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:

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