Canada Bridges has been working alongside Trevor Solway and our friends in Siksika over the last year to support a very exciting new youth initiative called the Napi Film Collective. The Napi Film Collective is a reserve-based Filmmaking club which aims to empower younger generations through the production of indigenous films made by indigenous film makers. Filmmakers and actors from all experience levels and ages are welcome to join and the collective is also open to non-Indigenous allies. Currently the collective has 18 members and are actively recruiting youth interested in filmmaking, acting or learning something new to join the initiative. The collective incorporates an informal mentorship model which allows those with experience in filmmaking to teach those with less experience, with the hopes of creating a self-sustaining learning model within the group.
The club wrote, directed and produced their first film called “Tales of the Rez” over the summer and had the first screening at the Run as One Festival in Siksika, which was a big success! Since the festival the film has screened at Mount Royal University, and University of Calgary and was recently accepted to screen at LA Skins Festival in Hollywood and the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco! Way to go!
The collective is currently recruiting youth and new members and are planning for our next film in mid-November!!!