At the National Screen Institute, we’re blessed to see firsthand the difference training makes in the lives of storytellers. On our website throughout December we’re sharing impact stories from many of our talented alumni who’ve told us how NSI training transformed their lives and careers.

Today’s featured alumna is writer/director Sonya Ballantyne, a graduate of CBC New Indigenous Voices. In 2018 she released Nosisim which she made through NSI IndigiDocs with producer Sage Daniels (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs).

Sonya is an award-winning Cree filmmaker originally from Misipawistik Cree Nation in northern Manitoba. Her work focuses on Indigenous women and girls in non-traditional genres and presenting them as the heroines they are.

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How did your training through NSI help you get to the place you’re at in your career today?

My experience with CBC New Indigenous Voices assisted me in many [parts] of my current career. The coaching in pitching has helped me win two of the three pitch competitions I’ve entered and helped me be comfortable meeting with producers.

My experience with NSI IndigiDocs helped me fight for my ideas and stick to my artistic vision for a project.

Both programs really assisted me [in becoming] the professional I am today.

What was most memorable or helpful about NSI training?

I continue to find my pitching training comes in handy as well as my public speaking training. I get invited to speak on panels at such events as New York and San Diego Comic Cons and give keynote speeches for conferences. I’d never have thought I would be able to deliver a keynote at a conference if I hadn’t had the training from NSI. It’s not just the film side they helped me with.

Did you make enduring connections with peers and industry folks?

My film company Code Breaker Films is an enterprise with Luther Alexander (CBC New Indigenous Voices) and Sage Daniels.

I met Luther and Sage during my time in CBC New Indigenous Voices and we found we mesh well as a creative team. We’ve made numerous projects as a team, continue to increase our workload and are in the process of applying for grants to expand our business. I was also involved on a project with mentors we had during CBC New Indigenous Voices and NSI Indigidocs.

What advice or encouragement would you give a prospective applicant considering NSI programs?

It’s not just a film program. Each program taught me invaluable lessons about presenting myself and how best to pitch my own projects. I learned that being myself is the most important thing when creating. Trying to be something I’m not only leads to unhappiness.

The programs are less about how to play the film game and more about finding out why you should be telling your story. I feel I’m a better artist and business person because of my experience with NSI.

What has your career trajectory looked like between when you completed training and now?

It keeps rising and hasn’t stopped since the program ended. I’ve spoken at the events mentioned above plus We Day Manitoba, various schools, TEDx Winnipeg and other conferences.

I’m publishing a graphic novel about Daphne Odjig, have published a children’s book and will possibly be writing a novel on my favourite nerd property.

I recently had the world premiere of my film Eagle Girl at Vancouver International Film Festival.

I’ve written for APTN’s Taken and for the forthcoming children’s show Wolf Joe.

I’m hoping to expand my film company and complete my first feature film.

What was the most transformative part of your learning experience?

The programs taught me that I am enough. I didn’t have to change who I was to make films. I could be shy and overly gushy about myself and my projects and that was okay.

I was worried I was going to have to change who I was to be a filmmaker but the programs made me realize that wasn’t the case, and I began to find and strengthen my voice with the help of the programs.

What project(s) are you currently working on?

I’m currently in pre-production for my first feature film WWShe which is about a group of teenage girls that start a professional wrestling promotion on their reserve.

Where can people find out more about your work online?

Follow me on Twitter; follow Code Breaker Films on Facebook; and check out our films through Winnipeg Film Group.