Advocacy

In this in-depth article by Soraya Roberts for The Walrus, BIPOC TV & Film founder, Nathalie Younglai, and executive director, Kadon Douglas, weigh in on the limitations and challenges of being a Racialized creator in Canada’s screen industry. “I just don’t want people to always be told, ‘You can do the smaller thing,’” says Younglai. “‘You can do YouTube.’ Why? Why do we have to be relegated to that when we have huge, full, epic stories to tell?”

EXCERPT: Telefilm Canada has announced it will form an Authentic Storytelling subcommittee in the wake of a “harmful comment” made during a Canadian Screen Awards acceptance speech earlier this month.

The subcommittee will “establish an industry standard and best practices for what is a meaningful level of understanding and engagement with a community to tell their story respectfully and authentically,” a spokesperson for Telefilm told Playback Daily.

The work will take cues from existing studies and guidelines, including the On-Screen Protocols and Pathways guideline on narrative sovereignty, commissioned by the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, and the Being Seen report from the Black Screen Office (BSO).

As part of the announcement, Telefilm shared a statement on the controversial acceptance speech from Oscar Peterson: Black + White director Barry Avrich on April 4, during Canadian Screen Week, where he stated “it doesn’t matter who tells [Black stories].”

“Telefilm would like to take this opportunity to oppose the harmful comment that was made during Canadian Screen Week,” read the statement. “It does matter where stories come from, who tells them, and how. Telefilm also supports the organizations that spoke up against the remarks. While Telefilm shared its support directly with these organizations, we recognize the importance of making these statements publicly.”

A joint letter from nearly 20 organizations such as BIPOC TV & Film, the Reelworld Screen Institute and the BSO was sent to the Academy of Canadian Canada & Television on April 7, stating the speech was “unacceptable, retraumatizing and harmful.” The organizations called for the industry to utilize standards around narrative sovereignty for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples for stories around racialized individuals.

The confidential self-identification survey is tied to the opening of applications for Production programs, and will be used to further develop initiatives and programs relating to underrepresented communities.

The survey was developed in consultation with industry representatives from more than 20 organizations who comprise Telefilm’s external data subcommittee and the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group.

Industry members involved include BIPOC TV & Film, Black Screen Office, Indigenous Screen Office, Racial Equity Media Collective, Reelworld Film Festival and Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, as well as representatives from unions and guilds including ACTRA, Directors Guild of Canada and Writers Guild of Canada. Read more

“I hope seeing these numbers is a wake-up call to the entire industry that Black women, Indigenous women and Women of Colour are consistently being left behind. Gender equity cannot be celebrated when we are shut out of key creative roles,” Nathalie Younglai, founder of BIPOC TV & Film, said in a statement as the Women in View 2021 study was released. “We need to keep pushing for real change that is inclusive, equitable and intersectional. Even if it means those in power have to step aside to make room for those of us who have been historically excluded for so long,” Younglai added. Read full article at hollywoodreporter.com.

While industry organizations have been vocal about support for Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) colleagues in the months since, those currently working in Canadian TV aren’t necessarily seeing results with industry gatekeepers.

“I’ve yet to see the reckoning happen from within,” said Coroner writer and executive producer Noelle Carbone during BIPOC TV & Film’s Meanwhile in Canadian TV panel and town hall on Wednesday (May 5). “Every time change has been made it’s been because someone in a vulnerable position came forward… then there’s a groundswell of voices of people on social media outside of that room or that show saying it’s unacceptable.”

The panel and town hall was created to give BIPOC, disabled and LGBTQ+ members of the industry a safe space to break their silence on exclusionary practices. It was moderated by Radheyan Simonpillai, NOW Magazine film critic and culture editor, with panelists Carbone; Deaf performing artist Natasha Bacchus (21 Black Futures); Rainy Storm Productions co-CEO and Playback 10 to Watch alum Ryan Cooper; Overlord and the Underwoods creator and showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell, and JANN writer JP Larocque. Read more at playbackonline.ca.

Under a proposal submitted to Canadian Heritage, the Canadian Independent Screen Fund has requested $10 million annually over five years to support BPOC (Black and People of Colour) creators. Read more at playbackonline.ca.

A coalition of industry leaders are collaborating to revive the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund (CIFVF), a development and production fund that ran from 1991 until 2008.

Under the new name of The Canadian Independent Screen Fund (CISF), the repurposed and rebranded fund – which is still at the proposal stage – would provide development and production funding for industry professionals at the emerging, mid-career and established level.

Key leaders from BIPOC TV & Film, Racial Equity Media Collective, IMPACT, Black Screen Office Group, the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), the National Screen Institute (NSI), BlackWomenFilm! Canada, Being Black in Halifax and Reelworld Screen Institute have all put their names to the proposal, which has been submitted to Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault.

While Telefilm didn't provide data on how funding was allocated to BIPOC and other underrepresented groups, it vowed to review its decision-making and financing models. Read more at playbackonline.ca.

“We appreciate [Telefilm's] reply and are not surprised by the dismal numbers,” said a statement from founder Nathalie Younglai. “Telefilm’s response is indicative of why they need BIPOC-led organizations and people with an understanding of systemic racism to break down the data.”

The release of the funding data came five days after filmmaker Pavan Moondi (Sundowners, Diamond Tongues) ignited a social media storm when he took to Twitter to share a rejection letter he received for a funding application, and called for greater transparency in how Telefilm’s funding decisions are made.

Among a number of issues raised was the involvement of “outside readers” – anonymous individuals who assess and give feedback on projects to Telefilm staffers – and whether there should be more transparency about who these readers are.

“We can't start with a clean slate until the past is acknowledged, addressed and redressed. We are in a time when the world is in a collective raising of consciousness, where the industry is finally acknowledging that racism and systemic racism exists, where both individuals and institutions are being called on to change. Let's keep the momentum going.” — Nathalie Younglai, founder, via CBC ARTS.

Founder Nathalie Younglai and communications and outreach lead Gillian Muller on their work to reduce barriers for BIPOC creatives and the impact of receiving support from the top. Read more at playbackonline.ca.

The grassroots organization has been around since 2012. It was founded by Younglai so Black, Indigenous and other creatives of diverse backgrounds could connect within the industry and receive mentorship and training opportunities. The Canadian Academy awarded Younglai with the Humanitarian Award this year for her ongoing efforts – and as the industry comes to terms with the problem of systemic racism, the calls and emails have been non-stop.

The guild says it will approach the CMPA about changing the definition of story coordinator in its existing IPA weeks after a petition from BIPOC TV & Film was launched. Read more at playbackonline.ca.

BIPOC TV & Film founder and CEO Nathalie Younglai released a statement to “applaud the WGC’s reversal in tone,” while adding that “it shouldn’t have taken days of lobbying, emailing, tweeting and phone calls to top brass for its members to be heard.”

“BIPOC TV & Film’s petition started because Gillian Müller refused to accept ‘no to equality’ for an answer and story coordinator Keavy Lynch was instrumental in building the momentum,” said Younglai. “We appreciate and are encouraged by this new sense of collaboration from WGC leadership, as that is how the best writing rooms operate.”