Arctic Indigenous Film Fund

AIFF aims to promote high-quality Arctic Indigenous Peoples film projects and co-productions that enhance indigenous peoples' cultures, languages, and societies.

ABOUT ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND AIFF

 

AIFF will build bridges among Arctic Indigenous filmmakers, bringing together the most talented filmmakers, giving them the best possible production terms, and encouraging co-production and exchange of expertise.

AIFF activities focus on capacity building, climate change, the environment, indigenous land rights, and indigenous knowledge.

Part of our mission is to support cooperation among indigenous filmmakers (screenwriting, production, and marketing) and to strengthen and professionalize the Arctic Indigenous cinema.

 

AIFF BACKGROUND

 

The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund is an international collaboration involving partners across the Circumpolar Arctic.

Our board comprises members from Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Sápmi, and Russia. The foundation will promote high-quality Arctic Indigenous People’s film projects and co-productions to enhance indigenous peoples’ cultures, languages, and societies.

The Arctic Indigenous Film Fund was established through the International Sami Film Institute in Norway, and it exists as an independent organization governed by the AIFF board of directors.

THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM COMMUNITY

 

The Indigenous film community and collaboration is a creative powerhouse, and AIFF will support our filmmaker’s possibilities to produce and distribute their films.

AIFF will support training opportunities in Arctic Indigenous communities.

AIFF will offer training programs, such as the Indigenous Witness program: short documentaries witnessing the effects of climate change/Indigenous land rights issues on the environment where they live.

 

ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND 

SUPPORT – INVEST – ENCOURAGE – BUILD

Establishing an Arctic Indigenous Film fund is crucial because the Arctic is a hotspot for the global economy’s development due to climate change.

The increased interest in the world’s business developments in the Circumpolar Arctics requires that Arctic Indigenous people can make their voices heard. The Arctic is the homeland of many Indigenous peoples, and we need to create livelihood and opportunities for our young generation in the creative field, such as film. 

Indigenous cinema represents freedom of expression and strengthens the rights of Indigenous peoples living in the Arctic.

  1. Support

    Support development of indigenous film projects in the whole Arctic
  2. Invest

    Invest in all film productions that enhance the indigenous peoples cultures and languages
  3. Encourage

    Encourage co-production by building a sustainable film industry in the Arctic with special emphasis on indigenous peoples cultures
  4. Build

    Build competence in the Arctic film region by strengthening collaboration between film institutions, companies, producers and universities.

ARCTIC INDIGENOUS FILM FUND FINANCIAL GOALS

 

There is a general funding gap for Indigenous arts in the circumpolar Arctic, and the level of support varies much in the Arctic countries. Canada has the highest ambitions for supporting Indigenous filmmakers, but in other countries, in the Arctic, the level of governmental support is very low.

AIFF is a borderless, non-profit organization that wants to work to close this gap and give Arctic Indigenous filmmakers the same financial opportunities to tell their stories as the majority of societies. Indigenous stories are relevant for world audiences when humanity is facing challenges such as climate change and instability.

AIFF ambassadors Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur and actors Nikolaj Coster-Walday and Nukaka Coster-Waldau are advocating for support to AIFF.

ARCTIC FILM PRODUCTION TODAY

 

The circumpolar Arctic is the homeland of many Indigenous peoples with a strong storytelling tradition. It is crucial for the survival of Indigenous peoples, our cultures, and languages that we have a strong presence in the digital time we are all living in.

Our region has many talents and strong relationships between different Indigenous peoples in the Arctic, especially in the film industry. This is a creative powerhouse AIFF will work to build even stronger in the coming years.

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The AIFF’s main objectives are to support Indigenous audiovisual productions in the Arctic regions, as well as create new training opportunities for Indigenous creators and filmmakers in the Arctic regions

  • Support development of indigenous film projects in the whole Arctic
  • Invest in all film productions that enhance the indigenous peoples cultures and languages
  • Encourage co-production by building a sustainable film industry in the Arctic with special emphasis on indigenous peoples cultures
  • Build competence in the Arctic film region by strengthening collaboration between film institutions, companies, producers and universities.

AIFF partners