imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

imagineNATIVE promotes Indigenous-made media by developing platforms for artists to assert their voices, express their perspectives, and share their cultures.

The 24th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival takes place October 17-29, 2023.

The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will take place October 17-22, 2023 (Toronto) and October 23-29, 2023 (online).

Our full lineup of 2023 Festival programming is now available on our Event Schedule. Browse our inspiring feature films, thoughtfully curated short film programs, exciting events, and more! Visit our Box Office to purchase Ticket Packages now. 

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will take place from October 17-29th, 2023

Submissions to the 24th Annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, running from October 17-29, 2023, are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who submitted their work for consideration! Submissions will open for our 25th Festival in spring 2024.

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will take place from October 17-29th, 2023

Whether you gathered with us in-person in Toronto or online from afar, chi-miigwetch, nia:wen kowa, thank you for making this year’s Festival so memorable!

To keep up-to-date on our year-round screenings, events, professional development opportunities, and more, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media!

About the Festival

The 24th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival will take place October 17-22, 2023 (Toronto) and October 23-29, 2023 (online).

As the largest presenter of Indigenous screen content, we invite you to participate in Artistic and Industry programs over the Festival, showcasing Film + Video, Digital + Interactive, and Audio works created by Indigenous artists (including directors, producers, writers, and designers) at all levels of experience. 

Submissions

Stay tuned for our Call for Submissions for the 2024 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival!

Submissions will reopen in spring 2024. For more information, please contact:
submissions@imagineNATIVE.org.

August Schellenberg Award

The August Schellenberg Award of Excellence was launched in partnership with Joan Karasevich Schellenberg to honour her late husband, the legendary actor August (Augie) Schellenberg, and the spirit of his work. This award is presented to gifted Indigenous actors from across Turtle Island based on the longevity and impact of their careers, as well as their professionalism and involvement in mentorship and community work.

iNdigital

At its core, imagineNATIVE’s mandate is to respect story in every form: the integrity, intention and perspective of artists as channeled through screen-based storytelling. Over the past two decades, imagineNATIVE has played a crucial role in promoting Indigenous-made media by developing platforms for artists to assert their voice, express their perspectives and share their cultures.

Following these successes for film, our next step is creating an ecosystem where new media practitioners can experiment and thrive. This means creating opportunities for maximum inclusion across the spectrum of media, building capacity within interactive programming and cultivating talent through professional and creative development initiatives.

Institute

The Institute is a department within imagineNATIVE that houses year-round professional development programs, events, talks, and Indigenous-led professional development opportunities to address gaps within the industry and build capacity for Indigenous creatives. The Institute also presents Industry Days a multi-day professional conference at the annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival featuring panels, masterclasses, and networking events.

imagineNATIVE is a registered charity committed to inspiring and connecting communities through original Indigenous film, video, audio, and digital media. Our Festival, Tour, Institute, and year-round initiatives showcase, promote, and celebrate Indigenous filmmakers and media artists from Canada and around the world. We are committed to creating a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples and cultures through the presentation of contemporary Indigenous-made artistic expressions.

Latest News

The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival announces 2023 programming and festival theme

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imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival showcases media artists of all backgrounds as part of their 2023 special events lineup

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Jennifer Podemski to receive 2023 August Schellenberg Award of Excellence at 2023 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

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