Institute

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

The Institute thanks their lead partner Netflix and their generous contribution to this initiative.

Festival Initiatives

During the annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto, Canada, the imagineNATIVE Institute presents two primary initiatives:

  • imagineNATIVE Industry Days is a series of panels, workshops, networking events and masterclasses for Indigenous screen content creators from Canada and abroad. Industry Days runs concurrently to the annual festival and is recognized as the international hub for the Indigenous film and television industry.
 
  • The annual Micro Meetings are presented during the festival’s Industry Days. The world’s largest event of its kind, the Micro Meetings give Indigenous creatives the opportunity to meet with high-profile industry decision-makers including commissioners, programmers and buyers from Canada and around the world.

Year-Round Initiatives

The imagineNATIVE Institute offers numerous initiatives throughout the year in Canada and internationally with the support of our various partners. These include the following international market activities: the Indigenous Cinema Stand at the European Film Market and the Producer Fellows Programme. Both are offered during the Berlinale in Berlin, Germany, and activities are offered at the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival and Short Film Market in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Other year-round initiatives include mentorship opportunities for Indigenous Canadians to create short films, two Screenwriting Labs, a Director’s Lab and iN Talks.

Publications

The imagineNATIVE Institute commissions industry reports in partnership with various funders and organizations that address topics and issues relevant to the Indigenous screen industry. Hard copies of On-Screen Protocols + Pathways are available to order through imagineNATIVE’s online store (suggested for institutions, educators and all screen-based professionals). Download free PDFs of our reports:

Production Tools

License Indigenous-made music for your production:

  • Nagamo Publishing, in partnership with Bedtracks, is a curated music database of original compositions from Indigenous composers.