ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND (AIFF)
The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund is an international collaboration, with partners in the whole Circumpolar Arctic. Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Sápmi and Russia. The aim for the foundation is to promote high quality Arctic Indigenous peoples Film Projects and co-productions that enhance indigenous peoples cultures, languages and societies.
AIFF activities focus on capacity building, climate, environment, indigenous land rights and indigenous knowledge. The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund will be established under the International Sámi Film Institute in Norway.
AIFF activities focus on capacity building, climate, environment, indigenous land rights and indigenous knowledge. The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund will be established under the International Sámi Film Institute in Norway.
AIFF PARTNERS
Sundance Film Institute, USA
Canada Media Fund, Canada
Nunavut Film Development Corporation, Canada
Greenland Film Makers – FILM.GL, Greenland
Archy – Promotion & Filmmaking in Yakutia, Russia
International Sami Film Institute, Sápmi, Norway
ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND WILL:
• Support development of indigenous film projects in the whole Arctic.
• Invest in all film productions that enhance the indigenous peoples cultures and languages.
• Encourage co‐production by building a sustainable film industry in the Arctic with special emphasis on indigenous peoples cultures.
• Build competence in the Arctic film region by strengthening collaboration between film institutions, companies, producers and universities.
The establishment of an Arctic Indigenous Film fund is crucial now, because the Arctic is in focus in the development of the global economy, due to climate change. The increased interest of the world’s business developments in the circumpolar Arctics, require that the voices of the indigenous peoples in the Arctic are heard. Indigenous cinema represents freedom of expression, and strengthens the rights of indigenous peoples living in the Arctic.
• Invest in all film productions that enhance the indigenous peoples cultures and languages.
• Encourage co‐production by building a sustainable film industry in the Arctic with special emphasis on indigenous peoples cultures.
• Build competence in the Arctic film region by strengthening collaboration between film institutions, companies, producers and universities.
The establishment of an Arctic Indigenous Film fund is crucial now, because the Arctic is in focus in the development of the global economy, due to climate change. The increased interest of the world’s business developments in the circumpolar Arctics, require that the voices of the indigenous peoples in the Arctic are heard. Indigenous cinema represents freedom of expression, and strengthens the rights of indigenous peoples living in the Arctic.
The Indigenous Arctic Film Circle and the Indigenous Film Circle are pilot projects for the establishment of an Arctic Indigenous Film Fund.
ARCTIC FILM CIRCLE
ISFI has initiated the network and co‐ production platform Arctic Film Circle to provide resources for indigenous filmmakers in the Arctic. The aim is to foster competence, development, co‐production and distribution of indigenous Arctic cinema. Partners in Canada, Alaska and Greenland have joined Arctic Film Circle. Five indigenous short films from Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Sápmi are in production.
INDIGENOUS FILM CIRCLE
International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI) initiated a global network of prominent indigenous filmmakers and supporting organizations to help foster and promote the growth in indigenous storytelling through film. One of the main objectives of this new network, titled “Indigenous Film Circle” was to advise and facilitate an international film scholarship, “The Indigenous Film Fellowship” (IFF) that partners emerging indigenous film talent with notable and distinguished filmmakers worldwide in a two year program aimed at developing strong and compelling scripts and preparing solid marketing and financing plans before going into production.
Both the Indigenous Film Circle and Arctic Film Circle fulfilled the ISFI’s mission to strengthen the indigenous film network while also helping support and develop strong new talent within the film industry through the creation and growth of a permanent network for indigenous filmmakers and supporting partners globally.
Indigenous Arctic Film Fund supports emerging Arctic indigenous film talents and co-productions. And by this support the growth of a professional network of competent filmmakers in the region.
Both the Indigenous Film Circle and Arctic Film Circle fulfilled the ISFI’s mission to strengthen the indigenous film network while also helping support and develop strong new talent within the film industry through the creation and growth of a permanent network for indigenous filmmakers and supporting partners globally.
Indigenous Arctic Film Fund supports emerging Arctic indigenous film talents and co-productions. And by this support the growth of a professional network of competent filmmakers in the region.
IMPLEMENTATION:
• The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund supports, promotes and unifies Arctic filmmakers.
• AIFF is main funder of Arctic Indigenous film projects, from screenwriting to production and marketing.
• AIFF is providing the best technology and new innovations in the filmindustry for the Arctic Indigenous filmmakers.
• AIFF is providing the best film education possibilities for indigenous filmmakers through indigenous film and education networks
• AIFF is main funder of Arctic Indigenous film projects, from screenwriting to production and marketing.
• AIFF is providing the best technology and new innovations in the filmindustry for the Arctic Indigenous filmmakers.
• AIFF is providing the best film education possibilities for indigenous filmmakers through indigenous film and education networks
ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND FINANCIAL GOALS
The Arctic Indigenous Film fund will be a self‐sustaining organization that produces returns on investments, which will support Arctic Indigenous film production. Investments in film productions can increase as the fund becomes larger and returns can create support for film activity. The budget shows the costs for the first three years of the film fund.
ARCTIC FILM PRODUCTION TODAY
There is much focus on the Arctic and cooperation between the countries in this region. Meanwhile the indigenous Arctic people have limited opportunities to express themselves about what is going on in their region through films.
The Arctic is one of the largest in the world with an increasing political, financial and strategic importance. There is much economic and cultural potential for the region, also for indigenous film and arts. The goal is to have Arctic broadcasts covering the entire region for all the indigenous communities. Within the various broadcast companies there are co‐operations, but they have small funds depending on governmental or regional support. There is a lack of laws and regulations within the different countries to stimulate and finance co‐operation.
The situation today is not stimulating any cooperation between the arctic indigenous filmmakers. Rather it’s discouraging cooperation, as it is impossible to make professional independent artistic films cooperations in this region, despite all the political and economic focus on this region internationally.
For this reason there is an urgent need for the indigenous arctic artists filmmakers to work together since they have common interests and stories to tell and they also have the right to be heard and to express themselves also in a more global context. That is why the International Sami Film Institute intends to find partners among the other indigenous groups on the region to establish an ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND where the aim is to encourage indigenous co‐productions.
The Arctic is one of the largest in the world with an increasing political, financial and strategic importance. There is much economic and cultural potential for the region, also for indigenous film and arts. The goal is to have Arctic broadcasts covering the entire region for all the indigenous communities. Within the various broadcast companies there are co‐operations, but they have small funds depending on governmental or regional support. There is a lack of laws and regulations within the different countries to stimulate and finance co‐operation.
The situation today is not stimulating any cooperation between the arctic indigenous filmmakers. Rather it’s discouraging cooperation, as it is impossible to make professional independent artistic films cooperations in this region, despite all the political and economic focus on this region internationally.
For this reason there is an urgent need for the indigenous arctic artists filmmakers to work together since they have common interests and stories to tell and they also have the right to be heard and to express themselves also in a more global context. That is why the International Sami Film Institute intends to find partners among the other indigenous groups on the region to establish an ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND where the aim is to encourage indigenous co‐productions.
THE INTERNATIONAL SAMI FILM INSTITUTE (ISFI)
The International Sámi Film Institute is dedicated to providing Sámi people with the skills and economic opportunities in developing, producing, and distributing Sámi films in the Sámi language. In addition, the aim of the ISFI is to promote cooperation and encourage productions with other indigenous filmmakers and organizations internationally hence the goal of Arctic film cooperation.
The ISFI maintains national responsibilities for the entire Sámi population, independent of region or country with the following aims: the development of films created for Sámi children and youth; visualizing Sámi stories through television and film; to develop and revitalize Sámi culture, language expression, traditional indigenous knowledge and language preservation through multi‐media formats; provide Sámi people the skills and resources for an improved development to produce and screen films in the Sámi language
The ISFI also upholds an international responsibility: ISFI shall work to promote films made and produced by indigenous peoples and elevate cooperation between indigenous film environments around the world. Also to renew and improve upon the qualitative and quantitative measures for Sámi and indigenous film; maintain and strengthen traditional knowledge and languages through film and television; disseminate and create awareness of indigenous knowledge globally to public audiences and to the film industry through the use of multi‐media; promote the artistic skills and creative talent pool of all indigenous filmmakers; develop and improve the funding and distribution platforms for the growing indigenous film industry. The primary aim of ISFI is the development, production of Sámi films and interests in the four countries where the Sámi are living, to consolidate the feeling of affinity among the Sáámi people (Norway, Sweden, Russia and Finland).
The ISFI maintains national responsibilities for the entire Sámi population, independent of region or country with the following aims: the development of films created for Sámi children and youth; visualizing Sámi stories through television and film; to develop and revitalize Sámi culture, language expression, traditional indigenous knowledge and language preservation through multi‐media formats; provide Sámi people the skills and resources for an improved development to produce and screen films in the Sámi language
The ISFI also upholds an international responsibility: ISFI shall work to promote films made and produced by indigenous peoples and elevate cooperation between indigenous film environments around the world. Also to renew and improve upon the qualitative and quantitative measures for Sámi and indigenous film; maintain and strengthen traditional knowledge and languages through film and television; disseminate and create awareness of indigenous knowledge globally to public audiences and to the film industry through the use of multi‐media; promote the artistic skills and creative talent pool of all indigenous filmmakers; develop and improve the funding and distribution platforms for the growing indigenous film industry. The primary aim of ISFI is the development, production of Sámi films and interests in the four countries where the Sámi are living, to consolidate the feeling of affinity among the Sáámi people (Norway, Sweden, Russia and Finland).
PHOTOS: KENNETH HÆTTA (SÁMI BOJA), KARITAS PRODUCTIONS/MKSQMEDIA (THE LAST WALK), KEN ARE BONGO (SÁMI MOMENTS), SOPHIA OLSSON (SÁMI BLOOD), PETRUS SJÖVIK (STOERRE VAERIE), TORGRIM HALVARI (SÁMI BOJA), JOHAN MATHIS GAUP (IĐITSILBA).
ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND
International Sámi Film Institute
Box 230, 9521 Kautokeino, Norway