Creative BC awards $232,000 in early project development funding to 13 Indigenous B.C. filmmakers through Rogers Indigenous Film Fund

Vancouver, B.C. (February 20, 2025) – Creative BC announced today the 13 filmmakers receiving funding through the Rogers Indigenous Film Fund Program (the RIFF Program). With grants of $10,000 to $20,000 each, this is the fourth round of Indigenous B.C. filmmakers to receive funding since the program was first announced with Rogers Group of Funds in 2021. To date, 65 projects have received funding, including the 13 announced today, with over $830,000 awarded in grants and top-up funding to Indigenous filmmakers in British Columbia. 

Designed in close consultation with the Indigenous community and industry, the multi-year $1 million RIFF Program funded by Rogers Group of Funds invests in local content creation for Indigenous filmmakers and creatives alike, for early project development work. This funding enables filmmakers to advance their projects in the early development phase covering activities such as research, community engagement and consultation, first draft and re-writes, packaging, and more.  

The RIFF Program is designed to advance First Nations, Métis, and Inuit domestic motion picture activity and the creation of Indigenous-owned intellectual property. The program was created to complement other funding supports that encourage and enable Indigenous filmmakers and creatives to produce content from concept to full production with the support of Creative BC and other funding agencies. The RIFF Program is also a part of Creative BC’s Reel Focus BC suite of support for B.C.’s domestic motion picture industry. 

This program embodies Creative BC’s actions for equity and inclusion in program delivery. The following is a list of successful B.C. recipients:

1. Project: A BLOOM IN THE BENTWOOD BOX
Key Creative: Dustin McGladrey
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver
Grant: $20,000

2. Project: âniskâ
Key Creative: Bree Island
Type/Location: TV Series, Vancouver
Grant: $12,300

3. Project: BEFORE I GO
Company: Vision Quest Communications Inc.
Key Creative: Danielle Wilson-Brown
Type/Location: Feature film, Cariboo
Grant: $20,000 

4. Project: DON’T LOOK DOWN
Company: IndigiFilm
Key Creative: Kelvin Redverse
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver
Grant: $20,000 

5. Project: DREAMER
Company: Lowd Television Productions Inc.
Key Creative: Tamara Bell
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver
Grant: $20,000 

6. Project: HEADHUNTER (Working title)
Key Creative: Lindsey Willie
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver Island South
Grant: $19,920 

7. Project: HOMELANDS
Company: Bronfree Films
Key Creative: Ritchie Hemphill
Type/Location: Animated Short film, Vancouver Island South
Grant: $20,000 

8. Project: Iht’a’ū’a (LET’S TRADE)
Company: Rez Dog Productions
Key Creative: Michael Bourquin
Type/Location: TV Series, Kitamat Skeena
Grant: $20,000 

9. Project: KINIKINIK (Working title)
Company/Key Creative: Renae Morriseau
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver
Grant: $18,000

10. Project: NIMOHITOTAN
Key Creative: Hayley Morin
Type/Location: TV Series, Vancouver
Grant: $16,000

11. Project: RIEL
Key Creative: Rob Labas
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver
Grant: $10,855

12. Project: UNBROKEN BONDS: THE STORY OF SURVIVORS
Company: Tsawalk Media Ltd.
Key Creative: Randy Fred
Type/Location: Feature film, Vancouver Island South
Grant: $20,000

13. Project: Wîhtiko X 
Key Creative: Jaysen Cardinal Villeneuve
Type/Location: Theatrical Production, Vancouver
Grant: $15,000 

View a list of the recipients by program online here.    

Read the Creative BC Q+A: Targeted Program Design for Indigenous Filmmakers, Reflections and Approaches to the Rogers Indigenous Film Fund Program (RIFF Program).  

To learn more about the Rogers Indigenous Film Fund Program, visit Creative BC’s website: creativebc.com/riff-program   

QUOTES

Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC 
“Creative BC is proud to announce funding for 13 projects led by Indigenous filmmakers and creatives in this round of the RIFF Program. Over the past four years, Rogers’ support has been instrumental in empowering Indigenous creators, funding nearly 70 projects and providing essential financial resources for early-stage development. We are grateful for their commitment to give Indigenous creators the funds to tell their stories on screen.”  

Robin Mirsky, Director, Rogers Group of Funds
“We’re proud to invest in Indigenous filmmakers and storytellers in British Columbia and congratulate this new round of talented Rogers Indigenous Film Fund recipients. Together with Creative BC, we’re helping to remove barriers to equitable funding for Indigenous creators, to ensure their meaningful voices, histories, and stories continue to be heard here and around the world.”

Renae Morriseau, Program Recipient
“I am over the moon about being able to fast-track my feature film. With funds from the RIFF Program, I can develop the necessary materials to secure funding for my first feature film!”  

MEDIA CONTACT 

Creative BC
Lisa Escudero
media@creativebc.com
+1 604-730-2235 

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About Creative BC 

Creative BC is an independent non-profit society created and supported by the Province to sustain and help grow British Columbia’s creative industries: motion picture, interactive and digital media, music and sound recording, and magazine and book publishing. The society delivers a wide range of programs and services with a mandate to expand B.C.’s creative economy. These activities include: administration of the provincial government’s motion picture tax credit programs; delivery of program funding and export marketing support for the sector; and provincial film commission services. Combined, these activities serve to attract inward investment and market B.C. as a partner and destination of choice for domestic and international content creation. The society acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help B.C.’s creative sector reach its economic, social, environmental, and creative potential both at home, and globally. Website: www.creativebc.com