WINNIPEG, September 17, 2024 – Film Training Manitoba (FTM) recently attended a gathering of RBC’s community partners and key community stakeholders for a networking reception and learning event. RBC discussed societal challenges they want to help address and how community partners can play a role in supporting ambitions to accelerate the transition to a greener economy, equipping people with skills for a thriving future, and driving more equitable prosperity in our communities.
“RBC has been a critical partner in Canada’s Supporting Women in Film Trades (SWIFT) Conference, which is a major learning event for working women film professionals. Film Training Manitoba deeply appreciate the RBC’s on-going commitment to our charity and the important change they are championing.” Said FTM’s Executive Director Adam Smoluk.
FTM gathered labour market information in 2021 and noted less than 30 per cent of Manitobans working in trades positions in the film industry are women and women-identifying individuals. In an effort to increase the number of women, women-identifying, and non-binary individuals working on film sets, FTM launched a national women’s conference in 2022 known as Canada’s Supporting Women in Film Trades (SWIFT) which consisted of industry panels and speaker sessions with senior-level executives, managers, crew members, and performers.
As a division within FTM, SWIFT is a program that conducts women-led skills development for women-identifying workers in the film industry. In 2022, the first SWIFT conference was held and had 85 participants attend over three days. Held in 2023 as a two-day conference, the SWIFT Conference had over 140 participants register, and it sold out nearly a month prior to the event dates.
RBC’s critical support aided FTM in working with the keynote speaker, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. Madame Jean was a Canadian Journalist and documentarian who was Canada’s 27th Governor-General of Canada (2005-2010) and the first person of African heritage to hold that post. She later became the first woman to serve as secretary-general of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (2015–19).
For over an hour Madame Jean spoke in a revealing and forthright manner. She provided insights into the barriers women face within jobs and careers. Her speech was highly motivational, with Madame Jean sharing personal experiences of working in public positions and the need to overcome challenges while serving in leadership positions. Throughout her speech there were standing ovations and applause.
Following the speech, Danielle Sturk moderated a question-and-answer session that, at times, electrified the energy of the session. This part of the program was important for sharing thought-provoking ideas and led to deeper discussions with the participants.
In participant evaluations, 99.2% of the participants of the SWIFT 2023 strongly agreed or agreed that:
· The skills they learned at SWIFT would increase their ability and confidence.
· The instructors were knowledgeable and provided good direction.
· The programming was effectively delivered and held the participants’ interest.
The SWIFT committee is already planning the 2024 Canada’s SWIFT Conference, which will take place on November 30 and December 1. SWIFT’s mission is to grow and improve this important conference alongside this ever-changing industry, to help encourage and support the increase of women, women-identifying, and non-binary individuals working on film sets.
FTM is a non-for-profit charity and member of the Province of Manitoba’s Sector Council program funded through the Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources. FTM builds a highly skilled and adaptable film industry workforce to support the activities of Manitoba production companies. FTM collaborates and partners with members of the film industry to identify training needs to support workforce development.