New TV awards

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Aboriginal television producers got a boost with the announcement that two awards will be given during the closing ceremonies of the Banff Television Festival. On April 29, Telefilm Canada and Television Northern Canada, also known as TVNC, announced the creation of the Aboriginal Production Awards which will honor the best Canadian Aboriginal-language television production and the best Canadian French or English-language Aboriginal television production.

The awards come with $10,000 in a pre-approved contribution by Telefilm Canada for the development or production of a new work eligible for Telefilm Canada financial assistance, as well as complimentary registration for the 1998 Banff Television Festival, plus the use of the video post-production facilities at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

The Banff Television Festival is one of the premiere television events in the world and attracts over 1,000 producers, directors, broadcasters and media representatives for one week of workshops, panels and sessions focusing on a variety of issues that affect television production, programming and policy.

"In recognizing excellence and investing in Aboriginal productions, Telefilm Canada wants to create a prime showcase for Aboriginal people to share their stories and talent with Canada and the world," said Francois Macerola, Telefilm Canada's executive director.

"I think it's about time we recognized the Aboriginal talent that is out there," said Doug Cuthand, an independent Aboriginal film producer from Saskatoon. "I always looked at film making as something natural to Indian people. We're natural storytellers - it's an extension of our oral culture."

Telefilm Canada is a national funding agency that supports television, film and video producers in Canada. It is trying to become accessible to Aboriginal producers who have rarely been able to meet all of the requirements for funding from the agency.

"Concerning Aboriginal productions with Telefilm Canada, the idea is to be as flexible as possible [and] to include as many quality Aboriginal productions as possible," said Rachelle Naubert, a spokesperson with the agency. "The idea is to facilitate access to funding for truly Aboriginal productions. To really provide a platform for exciting new talent to be seen by the international community. That was the idea behind the creation of these awards."

The five-person jury was picked by Television Northern Canada and included Alanis Obomsawin, Gil Cardinal, Drew Hayden Taylor, Roman Bitman and Anne Henson. All of the jury members are Aboriginal and have experience in television production.

"We wanted people from all regions of Canada," said Jennifer David, a spokesperson from TVNC.

Television Northern Canada has been broadcasting programs in more than 15 different Aboriginal languages since 1991 and serves all of northern Canada. It offers children's, political, current affairs and educational programming produced by its members, which include Aboriginal communications organizations, northern educational institutions and a territorial government.

Last year, TVNC attended the Banff Television Festival for the first time and noticed that Telefilm Canada offered awards for best French and English-language productions.

David said that TVNC approached Telefilm Canada about an Aboriginal production award and the idea was well received. But Television Northern Canada decided to split the one $20,000 award into two awards to reward programming in an Aboriginal language or in English or French. Other than that, the judges will form their own criteria for giving out the awards, she said.

"Everything is fair game. Aboriginal producers produce all types of programming. We didn't want to leave anything out," continued David. "The Banff festival is a really wonderful opportunity - even just to raise the exposure and to see the quality and the diversity of the work done by Aboriginal producers is just worth it."

Right now, TVNC's prmary concern is getting the word out about these awards with less than one month left before the Banff Television Festival which starts on June 8.