Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

TELUS STORYHIVE announces 30 new web series finalists

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 02:23 PM PDT

Congratulations to the 30 finalists chosen for the latest edition of TELUS STORYHIVE web series.

Each of the finalists receive a $10K grant to produce their series pilot, mentoring through the STORYHIVE mentorship program in partnership with NSI and distribution on TELUS Optik™ TV On Demand.

The 30 finalists are:

British Columbia

Against the Grain from David I Strasser

Angry Alice from Mat Lo

Auditions from Andrew Creightney

Diaries of Badass Chicks from Eline Mets

Film is Still Alive from Take Kayo

Gotcha from Sinead Grewcock

Harebrained from Michael Mueller

Influencer from Colleen Gentemann

Lux-Me from Bhaveek Makan

Michelle’s from Andrew Barber

Not Tubby from Bryce Doersam

Second Home from Kathy Kiany

The Berg from Francine Cunningham

The Big Canadian Trip from Riley Dayne

Tommy Lindholm presents The Bucket List from Jo Ann Cook

Alberta

Climax, SK from Evan Godfrey

Faultline from Stacie Harrison

Frick, I Love Nature from Gordie Lucius

Home Party from Janie Fontaine

It’s My Anxiety from Chloe Sando

Luchador from Mary Mercier

My Wife, My Boyfriend, and I from David Oulton

National from Michael Manus

Pow Wow Emcee from Aretha Greatrix

Re-Told from Mitchell George

Snowshoe & Monster from Siobhan Cooney

Stump Kitchen: Cooking for the Heart from Andrea Beça

The Parent Council from Patrick Creery

Timber from Nick Bellemore

Western Steele from Ryan Mennie

The post TELUS STORYHIVE announces 30 new web series finalists appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

STORYHIVE web series How to Learn Anything premieres

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 01:49 PM PDT

TELUS STORYHIVE web series How to Learn Anything, from director Lindsay Robinson, premiered earlier this week.

In each episode host Stephen Robinson learns two unrelated skills from scratch and combines them to do something ridiculous.

In the first episode Stephen spends 37 days + 57 hours learning to solve a Rubik’s cube so he can attempt to solve it while skydiving.

The post STORYHIVE web series How to Learn Anything premieres appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

The Suitcase and Grace Glowicki win awards in NSI Online Short Film Fest

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 12:36 PM PDT

The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) recently handed out the latest round of awards in its NSI Online Short Film Festival.

All winners receive a complimentary Friend membership to the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

The award selection was made by an independent jury: Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival programmer Kristine Estorninos, filmmaker Anneli Ekborn and filmmaker Daniel Boos, recent winner of the A&E Short Filmmakers Award for best film for Bound.

Our jurors had this to say about the films:

A&E Short Filmmakers Award for best film: The Suitcase

Anneli Ekborn: “The gentle touch that guided the telling of The Suitcase articulates an appreciation for story, cinema and performance, leaving us with a sensitive and accessible view into a complex and relevant topic. The Suitcase has an incredibly large heart that communicates itself perfectly.”

Daniel Boos: “An ambitious and unique film for its fairy-tale approach to a harrowing story of human survival.”

Director Philip Leung said, “Thanks for the wonderful recognition. The Suitcase could not have been made without the diverse cast and crew that helped passionately make this story into a reality.”

Brian Linehan Actors Award: Grace Glowicki for Her Friend Adam

Kristine Estorninos: “Grace Glowicki commands the screen with her well-delivered, confident performance.”

Anneli: “Hats off to Grace for pulling off a complicated, confused, yet silently enlightened character all at once. She manages to keep us intensely engaged in every beat of her arc with her natural approach and her balance of thoughtfulness and explosive emotions.”

Daniel: “Grace delivers a vigorous, nuanced and never melodramatic performance as an out-of-love partner who must shed her destructive boyfriend and begin her life anew. She is clearly a talent to watch.”

Grace Glowicki said, “Thank you so much for this amazing honour. I feel incredibly supported by both NSI and The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation. I feel very encouraged to keep making films, so thank you for that too! I hope this role encourages writers and directors to portray more complex female characters in their films – women are interesting!”

About the jury

Kristine Estorninos is the head of programming at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Canada’s premier pan-Asian film festival now celebrating its 21st edition.

Anneli Ekborn holds a BFA in film from Simon Fraser University, is a graduate of the National Screen Institute’s Features First program, alumni of the Canadian Film Centre, and a multiple award-winning and Genie-nominated producer with 25 shorts and five features under her belt.

Daniel Boos is an emerging filmmaker from Halifax and a recent winner of the A&E Short Filmmakers Award in the NSI Online Short Film Festival for his film Bound.

Call for films / submit by December 13

$3,750 in cash awards are available to be won through the NSI Online Short Film Festival. We are currently accepting submissions through FilmFreeway until Wednesday, December 13, 2017.

Films that meet award criteria are eligible for the $1,250 A&E Short Filmmakers Award and the $1,000 Brian Linehan Actors Award. These awards are presented four times a year. The $1,500 Blue Ant Media Documentary Award is presented twice a year.

Entries must be under 30 minutes – the shorter the better. Drama, comedy, animation, documentary, sci-fi, horror, music video and experimental are all eligible but must be made by a Canadian writer, director or producer. The festival accepts films released after January 1, 2012.

The NSI Online Short Film Festival is a year-round Canadian short film showcase with new films added every week. Since launching in 2008, the festival has programmed hundreds of films and awarded over $110K to Canadian media artists. Many of the films are available to watch in the archives.

Submit your film

The NSI Online Short Film Festival is made possible through the support of Festival Partner Telefilm Canada; Supporting Sponsors Entertainment One, Super Channel, Corus Entertainment, Blue Ant Media, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and Breakthrough Entertainment; Award Sponsors A&E Television Networks, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and Blue Ant Media; and Industry Partner the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.

All media enquiries

Laura Friesen, Manager, Communications & Alumni Relations
Phone: 204.957.299 or email: laura.friesen@nsi-canada.ca

The post The Suitcase and Grace Glowicki win awards in NSI Online Short Film Fest appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

Nikita Day featured on UBC Aboriginal Student Affairs student stories

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 11:31 AM PDT

Nikita Day (CBC New Indigenous Voices) was recently interviewed for the University of British Columbia (UBC) Aboriginal Student Affairs story series.

In the piece, she talks about her experience as an NSI student:

“I spent the last summer in Winnipeg at the National Screen Institute attending the CBC New Indigenous Voices program. From there, I’ve been gaining experience in writing, directing, and producing my own work. This year I plan to finish my degree, continue taking part in the radio show, and spend more time pursuing my own projects. For me, combining creativity with critical thinking, and hopefully spreading awareness on certain issues, especially those surrounding Indigenous peoples, is really rewarding.”

Read the whole interview.

The post Nikita Day featured on UBC Aboriginal Student Affairs student stories appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).