Participants announced for NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Indigenous Youth Edition

A collage of nine headshots, each showing a person against simple indoor or outdoor backgrounds. They wear a mix of casual clothing including hoodies, T-shirts, sweaters, and collared shirts, with various hairstyles, glasses, headphones, or piercings. The images are arranged in two rows of five with the National Screen Institute logo in place of a headshot in the bottom right corner.
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Media release

December 4, 2025

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Communications

Published by communications

Top row (L-R): Mason Campbell, Cameron Donald, Zane Forbes, Kyla Freeman, Lindsay Larocque
Bottom row (L-R): Dylana Matwewinin, Cyrus Maytwayashing, Shane Mckay, Abigail Vieira

The National Screen Institute is excited to announce the nine participants selected for NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Indigenous Youth Edition, an immersive, hands-on training opportunity designed to introduce young storytellers, aged 18 to 22, to careers in the screen industry.

Led by an experienced all-Indigenous team and supported by guidance from an Elder, the program blends traditional knowledge with technical skills. Through online sessions and a hands-on in-person production lab in Winnipeg, these emerging storytellers will benefit from cultural affirmation, hands-on experience and individualized mentorship from industry professionals.

The NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Indigenous Youth Edition cohort includes:

Read more about each participant.

The participants are supported with a stipend, travel assistance, daily lunch and instruction across key production areas including camera, sound, lighting, wardrobe and editing. The curriculum includes direct engagement with unions and guilds, along with a networking event that connects participants with production companies and union representatives. These relationships will help participants better understand potential career paths and determine their next steps in training, mentorship or industry involvement.

“Storytellers deserve space to learn, experiment and imagine the possibilities ahead of them,” said program manager Sarah Simpson-Yellowquill. “Programs like this edition of NSI Intro to Production give young Indigenous creators the chance to see themselves in this industry and understand the wide range of career pathways available. It’s important to support emerging storytellers in their early steps and we are proud to champion the next generation of Manitoba talent.”

Faculty includes program manager Sarah Simpson-Yellowquill and program coordinator Grace Bruinooge. Meg MacKay is serving as script consultant.

NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Indigenous Youth Edition runs until February 2026.

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NSI Intro to Production – Manitoba Indigenous Youth Edition is funded by Program Partners Manitoba Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, Indigenous Screen Office, Carolyn Sifton Foundation; Strategic Sponsors Neeginan Education Training and Employment Services Inc (NETES), Telefilm Canada; Provincial Partner Manitoba Film & Music; Supporting Sponsor The Winnipeg Foundation; Industry Partners On Screen Manitoba, Eagle Vision; Industry Supporter IATSE 856. National Screen Institute Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council, Rogers. More sponsors will be added as confirmed.

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About the National Screen Institute

The National Screen Institute partners with a visionary network of donors, businesses, and private and public organizations to provide industry-informed training in screen-based media, equipping creators across Canada with the skills to tell unforgettable stories.

By prioritizing storytellers from equity-deserving communities – including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC), women, 2SLGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and those in regional and remote areas – the institute helps build a more sustainable industry and a workforce ready to meet evolving market demands.

Students and alumni find their voices and places on the global stage, strengthening the creative economy and shaping a better world.

Enquiries

Media enquiries: Abiola Agbayewa, abiola[dot]agbayewa[at]nsi-canada[dot]ca

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About the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI)

We partner with a visionary network of donors, businesses, and private and public organizations to provide industry-informed training in screen-based media, equipping creators across Canada with the skills to tell unforgettable stories.

By prioritizing storytellers from equity-deserving communities – including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC), women, 2SLGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and those in regional and remote areas – we help build a more sustainable industry and a workforce ready to meet evolving market demands.

Our students and alumni find their voices and places on the global stage, strengthening the creative economy and shaping a better world.

Media enquiries

abiola.agbayewa@nsi-canada.ca

The National Screen Institute is supported by: Core Funders: Manitoba Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council, Rogers; Benefactors: Telefilm Canada, CBC, TELUS STORYHIVE, Canada Media Fund (CMF); Patrons: Paramount+, Creative Saskatchewan; Builder: Indigenous Screen Office (ISO); Strategic Sponsors: Manitoba Film & Music, Department of Canadian Heritage, Bell Media, RBC, Neeginan Education, Training and Employment Services, Inc. (NETES), Creative BC, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, The Winnipeg Foundation; Industry Partner: National Film Board of Canada; Friends: Ontario Creates, Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), Yukon Media Development, Bell Fund, Sunbelt Rentals Film & TV, Carolyn Sifton Foundation, Directors Guild of Canada, Women in View, Disability Screen Office, On Screen Manitoba, AMI, Neshama Entertainment, A&E.