The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) is proud to announce that acclaimed filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Bihttoš (Rebel), c̓əsnaʔəm, the city before the city, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open) will join the organization to co-manage the NSI IndigiDocs short documentary training program alongside Kaya Wheeler. Elle-Máijá will also serve as director advisor for the program.

NSI IndigiDocs is a two-phase, part-time, online program offering customized training for Indigenous filmmakers. Applications are currently being accepted until December 28, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. ET. Find out more and apply.

Elle-Máijá and Kaya will guide up to eight students as they learn about writing, producing and directing, and develop a script for a 10-minute documentary film.

Elle-Máijá’s films have screened at various international film festivals, and she is recognized for her work rooted in social justice. Accolades include a Kodak Image Award, the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award as an emerging filmmaker. She was named one of CBC’s “Young Indigenous Leaders: 5 Under 30 To Watch in 2015 and her autobiographical short film Bihttoš (Rebel) was named one of the Top Ten short films at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. It was also awarded best documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2015.

At the 2019 Vancouver International Film Festival, Elle-Máijá and co-director Kathleen Hepburn received the Best BC Film Award for The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open. She also won the BC Emerging Filmmaker Award, Toronto Film Critics Association and Vancouver Film Critics Circle best Canadian film awards as well as two Canadian Screen Awards for best directing and writing.

Elle-Máijá is a member of the Kainai First Nation (Blood Tribe, Blackfoot Confederacy) as well as Sámi from Norway.

“We’re very excited to have Elle-Máijá join the NSI IndigiDocs team,” said Joy Loewen, NSI CEO. “She’s been intimately involved with this training program in the past and has incredible experience to share so it feels like a natural step for her to serve in this role.”

“It is an honour to be working with NSI in this capacity,” said Elle-Máijá. “There is no shortage of Indigenous talent in this country and I look forward to supporting the work of emerging Indigenous voices through the IndigiDocs program.”

Renowned filmmaker Shane Belcourt (Amplify, Red Rover) is the story advisor. Lisa Meeches is NSI’s Indigenous training programs advisor.

NSI IndigiDocs 2020 is funded by Program Partners APTN, Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and RBC Emerging Artists Project; Indigenous Training Programs Partner Directors Guild of Canada (DGC); Boot Camp Presenting Sponsor Manitoba Film & Music; Strategic Sponsor documentary Channel; Supporting Sponsors Telefilm Canada, Super Channel, CBC Gem, Corus Entertainment and A&E Networks; Provincial Sponsors Manitoba Film & Music and Creative BC through the Daryl Duke and William Vince Scholarship Fund, Creative Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association and Northwest Territories Film Commission; Industry Partner the National Film Board of Canada; Industry Supporters imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and Service Sponsors Line 21 Media and iSplice Films. NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.