#FIRSTLOOK: APTN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO CREATE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

This month, APTN is turning dreams into reality for aspiring Indigenous filmmakers eager to bring their stories to audiences across Canada.

The Indigenous broadcaster is now accepting applications from creatives interested in producing a feature length, one episode documentary (88 minutes long) in English, French and/or an Indigenous Language. The proposed show should feature Elders, Knowledge Keepers and everyday people and be based around cultural activities and educational conversations.

Emerging creators who apply will have the opportunity to have their show broadcast on APTN and receive up to $50,000 in funding from APTN to develop the project. Eligible applicants must be Indigenous and come from a company with minimum 51 per cent Indigenous ownership. See here for the full eligibility standard details.

Jennifer Podemski, an Indigenous actress and producer, is available for interview to discuss the importance of APTN’s funding offer for emerging Indigenous filmmakers.
Jennifer’s work has been proudly broadcast on APTN for years, including her shows, Unsettled and Little Bird. With over twenty years in the industry, Jennifer can speak to her personal career journey and the need to support rising Indigenous creators.
“The opportunity to collaborate directly with APTN’s programmers and receive funding to bring a project to life can be truly transformative for an emerging Indigenous creator. Speaking from my own experience, APTN’s support was instrumental in launching and shaping the trajectory of my career, opening doors for me that would have otherwise remained shut. I’m excited to witness a new generation of Indigenous voices harness the power of this platform to develop their unique talents and share their stories with the world,” says Jennifer Podemski.

In September, APTN launched APTN Languages: the country’s first national Indigenous language channel. The Indigenous broadcaster is proud to invest in the next generation of creators and storytellers while preserving Canada’s 70 Indigenous languages, many of which have fewer than 500 speakers.

“Preservation of language and culture takes all of us,” says Adam Garnet Jones, Executive Director of Programming at APTN. “We want to offer our platform and our resources to Indigenous-language speakers and help them share the stories and traditions of their communities with the whole country.”