Alumni at BANFF World Media Festival 2025

Photo: Still from the Rockie Award-nominated Beyond Black Beauty, produced by Borga Dorter (NSI Totally Television).

BANFF World Media Festival is happening now! Running from June 8 – 11, the festival features keynotes, panels, market access and the Rockie Awards. Screen content creators and industry professionals from around the globe join to celebrate the industry, network, take meetings and handle business while enjoying the breathtaking views.

This year’s festival will see many alumni taking part in the Indigenous Screen Summit, Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, speaking on panels and as Rockie Award nominees.

Join us in celebrating their hard work and achievements. Congratulations!

Indigenous Screen Summit

• Damien Eagle Bear (NSI IndigiDocs)
• Mike Gosselin (NSI Storytellers)
• Darcy Waite (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs)
• Roxann Whitebean (Indigenous Languages and Culture Documentary Project, NSI IndigiDocs)

Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative

Pitch program

• Rosie Johnnie-Mills (TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators)
• Jessica Landry (NSI Series Incubator, Cinematoba)
• Raj Panikkar (NSI Features First, Access BIPOC Producers)
• Kamala Parel-Nuttall (Telefilm Talent to Watch)
• Patricia Scarlett (Access BIPOC Producers)

Professional development participants

• Praneet Akilla (Access BIPOC Producers)
• Jessica Brown (TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators)
• Patricia Chica (Access BIPOC Producers)
• Jim Compton (Featuring Aboriginal Stories Program)
• Gursimran Datla (Access BIPOC Producers)
• Teresa M. Ho (Access BIPOC Producers)
• Mitra Knight (Access BIPOC Producers)
• Moniquea Marion (NSI Series Incubator)
• Adrian Neblett (NSI Series Incubator)

BANFF World Media Festival Rockie Awards International Program Competition – nominees

Live Action: Children

• Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock – director and creative producer Jordan Canning (NSI Drama Prize)
• The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy – creator and executive producer / supervising producer Georgina López (NSI Drama Prize, Access BIPOC Producers), director Lora Campbell (NSI Drama Prize)

Live Action: Youth

• Beyond Black Beauty – producer Borga Dorter (NSI Totally Television)

Sports Documentary

• The Death Tour – director Sonya Ballantyne (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs)

Comedy Series: English Language

• Late Bloomer – executive producer Nicole Butler (NSI Lifestyle & Reality Series Producer)

Short Form Fiction Series

• I Will Bury You – writer, director and producer Ravi Steve (NSI Script to Screen)
• My Dead Mom – executive producer Lauren Corber (NSI Totally Television), consulting producer Cynthia Knight (NSI Drama Prize, Featuring Aboriginal Stories Program)

BANFF World Media Festival speakers

• Meet a Showrunner or Director – Wendy Hill-Tout (DramaLab)
• Indigenous Screen Summit Pitch Forum #3 Scripted Drama – Kyle Irving (NSI Global Marketing)

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