In the fall of 2025, Film Training Manitoba (FTM) and programming partner DOC Manitoba (DOC MB), with support from 20 partners, launched and carried out the Northern and Diverse Creators Program, an ambitious, large-scale training initiative with a bold goal: to increase representation, capacity, and access within Manitoba’s film industry, especially for underrepresented communities.
Funded by the Canada Media Fund (CMF), this groundbreaking effort delivered a total of 12 masterclasses and roundtable sessions across the province — from remote northern towns to Winnipeg — targeting creatives from Indigenous, Black, Ukrainian, women’s, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
The Northern and Diverse Creators Program’s scale and reach are unmatched in Manitoba’s history. Key partners included the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), Reel Pride Film Festival, African Movie Festival Manitoba (AMFM), the Northern Manitoba Sector Council, Assiniboine College, Merit Motion Pictures, Moxie Films, Frontier School Division, the Central Economic Development Fund (CEDF), and others.
The network of partners enabled the program to deliver on-site training in Churchill, Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage, The Pas, as well as thematic programming in Winnipeg for Black, Ukrainian, women, and 2SLGBTQ+ creators.
Over the past several years, there have been suggestions from the Manitoba film community about the potential of more in-depth, in-person training in rural communities.
In May 2024, Film Training Manitoba ran a poll and asked the following questions about potentially increasing training in rural communities:
- Do you think it’s valuable to the Manitoba film community to target training sessions outside of Winnipeg (such as Brandon and Northern Manitoba)?
- Do you see the value to the Manitoba film community to build relationships with rural communities?
- Do you feel that business development and training partnerships help grow the greater Manitoba film community?
- Do you think building connections and relationships with regions outside of Winnipeg is helpful in supporting underrepresented workers?
Out of 108 cumulative responses from 27 participants, 90.74% answered yes to the above questions.
In the additional feedback section, 13 comments universally were positive about FTM engaging with more rural and northern communities. Many responses noted a need for more engagement, which can increase “accessibility”, “connectivity”, and “Building relationships with communities outside of Winnipeg”
As a result of these findings, FTM worked with stakeholders to create the Northern and Diverse Creators Program.
The Northern and Diverse Creators program also benefited from former Mayor of Winnipeg and Canada’s Supporting Women in Film Trades (SWIFT) Conference Speaker, Susan Thompson, OM, who provided business intelligence to inform the program’s design. Thompson spoke at the launch of the program with encouragement for the economic development of Manitoba’s North. “Winnipeg is the first stop to Churchill, and I always used to say this when I welcomed people to Winnipeg, because when tourists come to Winnipeg, they stop here, but we’re the first stop for everybody going to Churchill, and Churchill is vital to Winnipeg. There is a reason our Golden Boy points north—it has been key to Manitoba’s present and its future. Churchill is our gateway to the Arctic.”
Thompson continued, “This program is excellent and is going to support so many different Manitobans who would normally not have access to these types of business opportunities.”
Instruction and Curriculum
At the heart of the program were two globally recognized industry leaders: Oscar-nominated director Rory Kennedy and Emmy-nominated producer/writer Mark Bailey, both of whom bring years of documentary filmmaking experience (their credits include Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, Last Days in Vietnam, Ethel, Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton, among others).
Kennedy and Bailey led masterclasses and individualized coaching, covering the gamut of documentary production: story development, collaborating with crew, production logistics, post-production, and pitching.
Key Training Sessions and Highlights
Brandon (Assiniboine College):
The program’s first session was delivered in partnership with Assiniboine College and featured Libby Lea, VP at Frank Digital.
In this engaging and moderated session, Libby Lea shared her personal journey through the film and the digital media industry, offering valuable insights into the various career paths. She covered everything from production to post-production, relationships to directing, and gave practical advice on how to find your place in the film world.
Lea also discussed the diverse roles and skills needed for different positions, helping students discover potential career opportunities they might not have considered.
Filmmaker Graham Street praised the session, noting that discussions on leadership, supervision, and networking “were excellent.”
Winnipeg / African Movie Festival (AMFM):
A session focusing on lighting and shooting documentary projects was held in Winnipeg for Black filmmakers, facilitated by veteran cinematographer/filmmaker Charles Konowal. During the session, Konowal provided instruction on the cinema tools available in documentary production and the various methods of incorporating camera movement, framing and lighting to aid in interpreting the story being told.
During the session, Konowal also discussed which positions can be multitasked when shooting a documentary, and the participants received examples of footage to illustrate the ideas put forward and how they could create their own projects in an effective and captivating manner.
Churchill (Northern Manitoba):
Three sessions took place in Churchill: a masterclass by Rory Kennedy (nearly 30 attendees), one-on-one coaching by Mark Bailey and a roundtable session with Indigenous elders.
Local voices were deeply involved with both the Town of Churchill and the Churchill Regional Health Authority staff, calibrating training for this program. Churchill-based artist Roy Mexted reflected on the experience, calling it “fantastic … to tell the world about Churchill. That audience is a whole lot bigger than just the people that come here.”
Kennedy and Bailey also conducted a joint roundtable session with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, emphasizing storytelling rooted in community and heritage. Kennedy underscored accessibility, noting that with smartphones and editing software, even small-scale filmmakers can create compelling work.
Winnipeg / Ukrainian Community:
On October 26, a roundtable was held with 20 Ukrainian newcomers in partnership with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) at the Ukrainian National Federation. This 90-minute session allowed survivors of the war to share their experiences with filmmaker Rory Kennedy in a highly supportive session.
Many of the attendees were family units and spoke about their career aspirations in Canada and the supports they are accessing. Kennedy advocated for the attendees to pursue careers in the film industry and shared the industry’s continued growth.
That evening, Kennedy conducted a large masterclass in partnership with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, which had 50 participants, many of whom were refugees.
Joanne Lewandowski, President of UCC Manitoba, remarked: “This program gives them the chance to continue their creativity… to pursue careers in the fields they love… we are building bridges, sharing stories, and ensuring that every community has a voice in Manitoba’s growing film industry.”
Following the roundtable meeting, Lewandowski met with Kennedy to share more about refugees’ experiences in Canada and how the UCC-MB is managing the challenges.
Roundtable with DOC Manitoba Members:
A special strategy session with Rory Kennedy, moderated by Kevin Nikkel and Charles Konowal, brought together DOC MB members to explore how to deepen collaboration and direct resources more effectively for Manitoba-based creators. Konowal remarked, “Knowing where resources can be targeted for Manitobans” is critical to growth. Kennedy shared recent changes in the documentary marketplace and where to target partnerships to grow business.
Reel Pride / 2SLGBTQ+ Creators:
In the curriculum of Kennedy’s two large-scale masterclasses, Kennedy covered encountering production challenges in the first session and focusing on shaping stories in post-production, and navigating creative collaborations in the second session. Kennedy also spoke at length on the merits of developing relationships with film festival attendees and staff members to grow greater connections within the film industry.
Kennedy’s final masterclass in Winnipeg was held during the Reel Pride Film Festival, with Ray Desautels, President of Reel Pride, welcoming the opportunity to empower 2SLGBTQ+ Manitobans.
Desautels shared, “Reel Pride Film Festival has a great track record of working with Film Training Manitoba, and we were enthusiastic supporters of the expectational masterclass instructed by Rory Kennedy to support more 2SLGBTQ+ Manitobans’ film training and learning.”
FTM’s Adam Smoluk thanked the University of Winnipeg (Asper Centre for Film and Theatre) for generously donating its space for hosting these sessions.
Central Manitoba: Cranberry Portage, Flin Flon and The Pas:
Three training sessions were held with award-winning documentary filmmaker Kevin Nikkel on-site in each community.
Northern Manitoba Sector Council, Frontier School Division, and the Central Economic Development Fund (CEDF) hosted and supported the sessions with 22 participants in attendance, with a new community partner identified for additional training sessions.
“Having instructed the training sessions in central Manitoba, it’s clear the program made major inroads. We’re already developing a new training session at an additional post-secondary school in Manitoba’s North as a result of this initiative,” said Kevin Nikkel.
The Northern and Diverse Creators Program had unprecedented levels of connectivity. FTM’s Executive Director, Adam Smoluk, personally travelled more than 4606 km (2862 miles) to attend and support the hands-on sessions — a tangible demonstration of commitment to rural and northern communities.
Participation and Impact
The initiative drew over 233 participants — surpassing initial projections.
A total of 135 participant evaluations were submitted. Impressively, 73% of attendees agreed or strongly agreed that the sessions would help them in their current or future jobs/careers.
As Merit Jensen-Carr, President and Executive Producer at Merit Motion Pictures, noted: “It’s positive to see the vast majority feeling that the training would help them in their career aspirations. This highly innovative program was an important step in growing Manitoba’s industry. I hope we can continue to deepen our industry’s workforce.”
Media Coverage and Recognition
The program has garnered strong media attention both locally and internationally:
FTM hosted a large-scale press conference in mid-September, which garnered profiles of the event from every major Manitoba-based media outlet, including the CBC, CTV, CBC Radio Canada, The Winnipeg Free Press, Global and The Winnipeg Sun.
Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Jamie Moses spoke passionately about the Northern and Diverse Creators Program at the press conference.
“In a world where we’re seeing ever-pressing threats to free speech, it’s important as Manitobans, as Canadians, to stand up for people to be able to share their stories, share their experiences. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to enrich the lives of Canadians through this exciting project, and do so in a way that’s going to crisscross our entire province and give Manitobans from all regions the opportunity to access these types of programs and show off their skills, their culture, their talents and their experiences. This work grows our workforce, spreads our incredible cultures, shows pride in who we are as Manitobans, as Canadians, all while driving economic growth,” said Minister Moses.
Winnipeg Free Press described the sessions as a “golden opportunity” for the province, highlighting the inclusivity of marginalized communities and the involvement of Rory Kennedy.
Winnipeg Sun framed it as “bringing global spotlight to Manitoba’s north,” emphasizing how Kennedy’s involvement and the program’s reach showcase the province’s creative ambition.
American interest surged: the initiative was carried by 42 U.S. news stations, including affiliates of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.
In a Winnipeg Free Press profile, Kennedy reflected on her time in Churchill:
“It was fantastic — the polar bears were incredible… I think we’d go back for the people… they were just so warm and friendly and inviting.”
Reflections and Strategic Significance
This program represents a strategic milestone for FTM and DOC Manitoba in several ways:
- Equity and Representation: By centering underrepresented communities — Indigenous, northern, Black, Ukrainian, 2SLGBTQ+ — the initiative makes concrete gestures toward diversifying Manitoba’s screen industry.
- Geographic Reach: Bringing in hands-on training to remote and rural communities (Churchill, Cranberry Portage, Flin Flon, The Pas) breaks down physical and financial access barriers.
- World-Class Mentorship: The involvement of Kennedy and Bailey not only raises the profile of the program, but also provides high-caliber professional mentorship to emerging creators.
- Sustainable Industry Building: With over 70% of participants affirming career relevance, the program contributes meaningfully to workforce development, helping to seed the next generation of Manitoba-based film professionals.
- New collaboration with additional sector council funders up north
- Establishing new working relationships with new partners like Frontier School Division and University College of the North, and building on the Brandon connection.
Challenges and Considerations
- While participation exceeded projections, ongoing programming will be essential to grown long-term outcomes.
- Ensuring continued funding or follow-up programs will be vital to maintain momentum and build capacity.
- As the industry evolves (especially with streaming platforms), ongoing training and connections (beyond the initial masterclasses) will likely be needed to sustain career progression.
Conclusion and Forward Outlook
Manitoba’s Northern and Diverse Creators Program is more than just a training initiative — it’s a transformative offering that seeds equity, nurtures talent in historically underserved regions, and elevates voices that are often marginalized in film industries. By connecting global expertise (Rory Kennedy, Mark Bailey) with local ambition and talent, FTM and DOC Manitoba have created a blueprint for accessible, high-impact training.
As the program concludes (with its final session set for December 6, tied to the SWIFT Conference), there is a strong foundation for future phases: ongoing mentorship, development funding, and production support for the creators who participated. The coverage — both local and international — underscores how this initiative is not just building capacity in Manitoba, but shining a spotlight on the province as a place of creative innovation and inclusive storytelling.
FTM is a member of the Province of Manitoba’s sector council program funded through the Department of Economic Development and Training. 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 and television industry to identify training needs to support workforce development output.