Marché du Film: ISFI and Indigenous Screen Office Host Arctic Storytelling Panel

Published: 27.04.2026

impACT | ARCTIC STORYTELLING AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER | Presented by ISFI & Indigenous Screen Office

As geopolitical tensions continue to pressure the Arctic, Indigenous cinema emerges as a force of sovereignty. This panel, at Marché du Film impACT program, explores how Arctic nations are asserting narrative power, navigating uneven access, and building new alliances across nation-states to shape how the North is seen and who gets to tell its stories.

When: May 14, 2026, 11:30 – 12:30
Where: Marché du Film, Palais Stage (Palais -1) & Online, Cannes

What happens when Arctic nations collaborate directly across borders, languages, and colonial histories to build a shared screen ecosystem? Which new narratives emerge when the Arctic is not a backdrop, but a point of view? And, how can Indigenous cinema support larger political movements? Through the lens of Indigenous cinema, these representatives and institutions will highlight how Indigenous organisations are:

  • Reframing the Arctic from object to author
  • Building circumpolar creative alliances
  • Asserting narrative sovereignty alongside political sovereignty
  • Positioning the North as a global force in storytelling, not a niche

Speakers
Emile Hertling Péronard, producer Ánoräk Film (Greenland)
Jason Ryle, CEO, Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF)
Kerry Swanson, CEO, Indigenous Screen Office (ISO)
Anne Lajla Utsi, Managing director, International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI)

Moderator
Melanie Nepinak Hadley, VP, Indigenous Screen Office

Read more about the event here.

 

ABOUT IMPACT AND MARCHÈ DU FILM

impACT is Marché du Film latest transversal program, designed to spark meaningful dialogue on the pivotal issues that are shaping today’s cinema, such as diversity, inclusion, representation, sustainability and equity. This initiative features inspiring conferences with forward-thinking speakers and exclusive lab workshops tailored for emerging producers eager to make a positive impact in the industry.

Marché du Film welcomes over 15.000 participants from all over the world every year to Cannes, France. The Marché du Film is the business counterpart to the Cannes Film Festival. It’s one of the largest film markets in the world, where film industry professionals gather to buy, sell, finance, and distribute films, as well as to network and showcase their work. It provides a platform for filmmakers, producers, distributors, sales agents, and other industry professionals to engage in negotiations, screenings, and discussions related to the film business. Read more about Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes 2026 here.