Press Release For immediate RELEASE WAPIKONI FROM COAST TO COAST RECONCILIATION THROUGH MEDIA ARTS Montreal, November 23, 2016 – Wapikoni Mobile, a travelling studio that gives a voice to Indigenous youth through mediation, training and audiovisual production, is proud to announce that it has been selected by the Government of Canada as a recipient of the Canada 150 Fund. “Through the project “Wapikoni from Coast to Coast: Building Bridges and Reconciliation through Media Arts”, young Indigenous Canadians will have the opportunity to be heard and to exchange ideas. Our government is proud to contribute more than $2 million to support the audiovisual and musical creative workshops that will give young creators the chance to express themselves. The resulting works will be presented in several communities across the country. Let’s take advantage of the 150th anniversary of Confederation to have a positive dialogue and to strengthen relations between us all,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage. On this occasion and for the first time ever, Wapikoni – a First Nations organization – will collaborate with the Metis and Inuit nations. Wapikoni will also meet with other First Nations across Canada and will reinforce its existing ties with minority language communities. This unique three-fold venture involves about 30 partners, including Indigenous communities, the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), ensuring maximum reach and visibility. In the first segment of the project – and with a new mobile studio – Wapikoni will complete a Canadian audiovisual and music creation tour in 20 Indigenous communities and urban centres in eight provinces and territories. Secondly, Wapikoni will organize film screenings in Indigenous communities and in several cities and regions of Canada. A mobile screening unit will stop in more than 100 communities and 50 cities across the nation. Awareness workshops will also be organized for youth in schools. Finally, in partnership with the NFB, a new web channel will be made available online to broadcast Wapikoni’s short films, allowing the talent of young Indigenous artists to shine across Canada and become accessible to all Canadians. “For over 12 years and with the support of its precious partners, Wapikoni has been creating bridges between nations and has clearly demonstrated the extent to which cinema and music can transform lives. With the support of the Government of Canada, Wapikoni’s specific approach and methodology, which encourages self-esteem, skills development, and resilience, will become accessible from coast to coast, allowing Indigenous peoples and Canadians to collaborate in art projects together”, concluded Manon Barbeau, Wapikoni’s cofounder and director. Wapikoni Mobile in short Created in 2004 by the Council of the Atikamekw Nation, the First Nations Youth Council of Quebec and Labrador, and filmmaker Manon Barbeau, Wapikoni is a travelling mediation, training, and audiovisual studio for Indigenous youth. Over 4,200 participants from 32 communities and 10 nations in Canada have collaborated on the production of some 900 short films celebrated by over 137 awards and mentions in national and international festivals. For more information, visit www.wapikoni.ca. -30- Contact: Virginie Michel, [email protected], O: 514 276-9274 # 229, C: 514 922-2315 .