imagineNATIVE & LIFT
6TH ANNUAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: CALL FOR APPLICANTS
(Artists around the Greater Toronto Area only)
-Make a short film for imagineNATIVE 2010!-
Application Deadline: Monday January 11, 2009

Do you have a great idea for a 5-minute short film? Explore 16mm filmmaking through LIFT’s workshops, equipment and facilities. Shoot and edit your ideas to film, and see them on screen at the 11th Annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, which will take place in Toronto from October 20-24, 2010!

You will be provided with a LIFT Membership, and be eligible to enroll in any film production and post-production training workshop offered during their Winter/Spring and Summer 2010 calendar. You will be paired with LIFT’s knowledgeable staff and a specially selected mentor to help you through your various development, production and post-production stages. imagineNATIVE will subsidize additional costs related to your project, and facilitate aspects of your post-production stages.

Please note: Projects must be realistic in scope and subject matter as they must be completed and transferred to beta by September 24, 2010.

The participant will receive the opportunity to use LIFT’s extensive 16mm production equipment and facilities for their film. As every film is unique. Equipment and facilities access will be established in the budgeting section the development phase (past equipment and facilities budgets have ranged from $500 - $2,500). Any additional equipment and facilities costs will be the responsibility of the participant.

imagineNATIVE will provide a bursary towards production costs (minimum $500). 1200 feet of film stock will be provided by Kodak. Assistance with transferring and processing will also be provided. All other associated costs are to be covered by the participant.

Eligibility Criteria:

• This call is open to Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit, other international Indigenous) candidates only;
• Preference will be given to artists who have not had the opportunity to work in film (Note: you do not have to be a youth, but youth may also apply);
• Candidates must commit to attending the LIFT training workshops from March - August 2009. We strongly encourage applicants who are deadline driven and self-starters.
• You must live in Toronto or within commuting distance from the city. Travel subsidy and cost of living are NOT covered by this mentorship.

Your Application Must Include:

• One-page short film idea
• A half to one-page statement on why you would like to participate and how you would benefit from this mentorship;
• Your bio (no resumes or CVs please). Please be certain to indicate your past experience with film, video and other artistic mediums, if any, and your Indigenous affiliation.

Submit your application to kpotts@imagineNATIVE.org. Should you have additional questions, please call Kerry Potts at (416) 585-2333 or kpotts@imagineNATIVE.org.

The deadline for submissions is Monday January 11th, 2010

About the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto
LIFT has a market niche as Canada's foremost artist run centre for independent filmmakers wishing to create films on celluloid. It is a custodian of equipment and specialized knowledge of that medium. To ensure that emerging and established filmmakers have an opportunity to work with film, LIFT offers a variety of programs (workshops, equipment rental, residencies, commissions, screenings etc) that empower filmmakers in that medium. LIFT acknowledges the validity of other media technologies, such as digital and emerging hybrid media, and provides programs to filmmakers who wish to create on other media. www.lift.on.ca

About the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, now entering its 11th year, is an international festival that celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples on the forefront of innovation in film, video, and new media. Each fall, the festival presents a selection of the most compelling and distinctive Indigenous works from around the globe. The festival's screenings, parties, panel discussions, and cultural events attract and connect filmmakers, media artists, programmers, buyers, and industry professionals. The works accepted reflect the diversity of the world's Indigenous nations and illustrate the vitality and excellence of our art and culture in contemporary media. The 2010 festival runs Oct. 20-24th. www.imagineNATIVE.org