Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival
Celebrating Indigenous Arts in Algonquin Territory
Ottawa • Canada • Aug. 9-13, 2023

Asinabka Festival is a registered non-profit organization, and was first organized by an ad-hoc collective of Indigenous artists and arts professionals who came together in 2012 to launch the first edition of the festival. We began this project out of a strong need for a space in Ottawa to showcase film, video, and media arts created by Indigenous peoples. Our curatorial focus is to centre the programming of work by Indigenous peoples, as well as the work of local artists, and emerging artists.

The mandate of the Asinabka Festival is to hold an annual Indigenous film and media arts festival in Ottawa, Canada, that allows independent artists, national, international, Indigenous, and non-Indigenous, to share, present, and disseminate their work. In addition to the annual festival, Asinabka Festival offers year round programming, such as one-time film screenings and art events, as well as our annual winter "Snow-screening" in an outdoor theatre made of snow.

The Asinabka Festival's goals are:

• to highlight works that examine Indigenous issues and topics
• to support media artists and filmmakers
• to promote Indigenous cultures and languages
• to educate people about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit issues in Canada, and about Indigenous issues internationally
• to provide a space where Indigenous peoples can tell their own stories and see their own cultures reflected back at them
• to entertain, to be innovative, and to present the best in Indigenous film and arts.

Asinabka Festival is non-competitive and does not offer any Awards or Prizes, although we do offer Screening Fee's for all films presented at our festival. Artist fees are determined by following IMAA guidelines. Asinabka Festival is mostly volunteer-run, and does not charge submission fees for artists (with the exception of the $1 charge through FilmFreeway to limit the high volume of ineligible submissions). Please contact us via email if you would like to have this $1 fee waived for your eligible submission.

The 12th annual Asinabka Festival is planned to take place with in-person screenings and events, with some online programming, it will run from Aug. 9-13, 2023. The Festival is currently seeking works from independent filmmakers, any film or video that tells First Nations, Métis, or Inuit stories, or focuses on international Indigenous issues, is eligible. Preference is given to films made by Indigenous filmmakers, and to recent films produced within the last two years. Submissions can be in any genre (documentary, drama, animation, experimental etc.) or any length, and must be finished works. Multiple submissions from the same filmmaker are permitted. All submissions are peer-reviewed by a Selection Jury comprised of Artists, Curators, and Indigenous filmmakers. Applicants will be notified of programming decisions via email in June 2023.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Submissions must include a brief description, still images from the film being submitted, and a bio of the Filmmaker(s)/Director(s).

Submissions must explain very clearly the Indigenous Identity (First Nation/Tribe/Culture) of a Key Creator (Writer/Director/Producer), or explain clearly how the work is eligible (How is the subject matter Indigenous?).

DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2023

Overall Rating
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  • It's an honor to have been selectwed at Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival. While we weren't able to be there physically, we're happy that the Panay Bukidnon Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines was represented in the festival. Thank you very much. Padayon!

    March 2023
  • Apa Kata Orang Asli

    Thank you for having us in your festival

    August 2022
  • Ginew Benton

    Always a blast. Thanks for having Mirror Man and your continued support of our work

    August 2022
  • André Luís Lopes Neves

    Asinabka Festival is a huge ally of the indigenous people from all over the world. We are from Brazilian Amazonia and we are so glad to participate for the second time in this virtual gathering, hoping someday we will be there personally! We strongly recommend this event.

    September 2021
  • Cristina Kotz Cornejo

    I was honored to screen my work at the Asinabka Film and & Media Arts Festival. Their consistent and clear communication made working with them a pleasure. I had zero issues and was impressed with how smooth everything went. This is a professionally run operation and one that puts the creative artist at the center. I can't recommend them enough!

    September 2021