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Banff World Media Festival.
Go to Banff World Media Festival 2025
Timed on Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day – a day to celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples – this day-long event aims to facilitate conversation and empower the goals of Indigeous media industry professionals in Canada and from around the world.
Available to BANFF delegates with a CONTENT PASS or MARKETPLACE PASS.
opening remarks and acknowledgements
1:00-1:15 p.m. EDT
Address from storyteller and youth leader Daryl Kootenay, of the Stoney Nakoda of Morley, from the heart of the Banff World Media Festival.
Introduction by Jesse Wente, Executive Director at The Indigenous Screen Office and Chairperson of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Message of support from Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, Canada Media Fund I Fonds des médias du Canada and member of the BANFF Foundation Board of Directors recognizing the unique circumstances of the Indigenous production.
a cultural conversation: the future of Indigenous broadcasting and streaming
1:15-2:00 p.m. EDT
Indigenous broadcasting plays a growing role in the global media landscape, empowering and contributing to self-determination, narrative-sovereignty and the internationally recognized right of Indigenous peoples to establish their own media in their own languages. Join this gathering of international broadcasting executives – many representing channels that serve audiences in Indigenous languages – for a broad conversation on resources, systemic obstacles, the power of co-production and how they hope to harness new technology and emerging platforms to increase accessibility.
speed networking - in partnership with Heritage Canada
2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT
A place for all delegates including producers, directors, writers, broadcasters, streamers and industry organizations ready to network and meet with the international Indigenous screen community in attendance. This session facilitates randomly matched one to one three-minute speed meetings and unlimited virtual tables for spontaneous conversations in small groups or grab a table with someone you just met for a more in depth conversation. Mark your calendars and please join us for an unprecedented networking opportunity.
storytellers - nations to nations: Canadian Indigenous stories on a global stage
4:00-4:45 p.m. EDT
This is an exciting time for Canadian Indigenous content. Join this gathering of creators for a conversation about how international and domestic markets are responding to their latest work, across all platforms. Where do they see opportunities? What are the new pathways of collaboration? How are changes in the global media ecosystem opening up possibilities? And what can Canada do to become a leader in the development of Indigenous content?
master class - reservation dogs
5:00-5:45 p.m. EDT
A conversation with the stars and creative team of FX’s Reservation Dogs, a new half-hour comedy that follows the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma who steal, rob and save in order to get to the exotic, faraway land of California. Created and executive produced by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the series boasts the first-ever all-Indigenous creative team, represented by every writer, director and series regular.
thank you to our advisors
Monika Ille, CEO, APTN
Melanie Hadley, Program Director, WarnerMedia
Kerry Swanson, Associate Director, Indigenous Screen Office
Jesse Wente, Director, Indigenous Screen Office
Jason Ryle, Producer, Curator, Project Manager, Consultant
Naomi Johnson, Executive Director, imagineNATIVE
Adriana Chartrand, Institute Manager, imagineNATIVE
Thank you to the BANFF Grand Patrons
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