VIWFF Summer Fest
In August 2022, we proudly presented VIWFF’s Summer Fest, a two-day celebration of the Best of Fest and Best of BC Shorts from the 2022 festival featuring in-person screenings and events.
VIWFF 2022 Festival Trailer
A First Farewell
Set in an Uyghur village in northwestern China, A First Farewell is an award winning film told through the eyes of a young boy. The depth and delight of his relationships to friends and family are movingly captured, as is their slow and unstoppable unravelling as the people chase ‘a better future’. An important film told by a filmmaker raised in the area.
Black Conflux
The lives of a promising, disillusioned, teen and a self-loathing outcast are intertwined in this well-crafted, haunting, film. Set in suburban Newfoundland in 1987, the story explores growing up isolated in a world of toxic masculinity. Compelling performances deliver the story. Selected as one of TIFF’s Top Ten for the year.
Program Two
Program Three
Program Four
Topics
How do we create authentic and inclusive content?
Creating structural change through community building
The responsibility that comes with telling stories
How can we envision the future and honour the past?
Eligibility and why it’s important to the community
Supporting Research
Participants are encouraged to read the following research reports ahead of the panel.
Being Seen, Black Screen Office
Building Trust and Accountability, Indigenous Screen Office
Moderated by Dee Abdirahman (they/she) – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist, Liberation Collective
Panelists
Joan Jenkinson
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Black Screen Office
Joan is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Black Screen Office where she works to empower Black Canadians working within the screen industries to thrive and share their stories. She is committed to making sector practices and policies equitable and free of anti-Black racism and to work collaboratively with decision-makers to ensure system-level change.
Joan was Vice-President of Independent Production for VisionTV. She commissioned, developed and executive produced hundreds of hours of award-winning creative content in all genres. For five years, Joan served as Executive Director of Women in Film and Television – Toronto (WIFT-T), where she established professional development training and networking opportunities for women in screen-based media.
Kristy Assu
Director of Funding Programs
Indigenous Screen Office
Kristy is a seasoned professional in the Indigenous film and television industry, specializing in Project Management, Producing, and Program development. With over 16 years of experience, she has produced documentary series covering topics such as clean drinking water in Indigenous communities and Indigenous Arts and Culture.
As a commissioning Producer, Kristy prioritized cultural safety and received the Chloe Award for Community Champion. She played key roles in the acclaimed Haida Language film, SG̲aawaay Ḵ’uuna; Edge of the Knife, which premiered at TIFF and won several awards.
Currently, Kristy is the Director of Funding Programs at the Indigenous Screen office, supporting program strategies and advocating for Indigenous content creators. She is a passionate advocate for Indigenous rights, languages, and culture, working towards representation and inclusion in the industry.
