Wokeness has continued to work its way into the Canadian audiovisual industry. The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Telefilm Canada confirmed they had come up with a three-year joint strategy to increase inclusivity in the audiovisual industry. “Oh good, that was the main problem with the industry,” tweeted Quillette associate editor Jonathan Kay..The CMF and Telefilm Canada said they had plans to develop a joint strategy to foster growth and inclusion in the Canadian audiovisual industry, with an emphasis on supporting non-white creators through training initiatives, partnerships, and structured approaches to data collection.“This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our commitment to growth and inclusion for Canada’s audiovisual industry and is an important element of the CMF’s overall EDIA (equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility) strategy,” said CMF President and CEO Valerie Creighton. “By working even more closely with Telefilm, on this initiative and others, we can create more opportunities for Black and People of Colour storytellers across the country, paving the way for a more representative and authentic cultural narrative that resonates with audiences at home and globally.”When it comes to developing this partnership, the CMF and Telefilm Canada said they will explore the development of it with other federal audiovisual institutions and in consultations with non-white communities and film professionals. Meanwhile, they said the mission is to develop a strategy that increases access to audiovisual training institutions, collaborates with organizations in offering social justice training, and integrates data-driven decisions into policies and programs.Telefilm Canada Executive Director and CEO Julie Roy said it recognizes the strength of partnerships. “By mobilizing together with the CMF and the industry, we are enhancing our work in the discovery, development and promotion of Canada’s Black and People of Colour,” said Roy.“This joint strategy will enable us to address industry needs more effectively and implement meaningful changes that reflect the rich diversity and boundless talent of our creators and communities.”The CMF and Telefilm Canada concluded by saying this strategy prioritizes resources for initiatives that promote inclusivity in content creation and foster collaboration to ensure non-white creators receive the support they need to have a long-term impact.Kay pointed out in June the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will be running the Media Inclusion Initiative (MII) to mandate a minimum portion of the journalists covering it belong to minority groups. .Toronto International Film Festival segregates media accreditation by race, sexuality .“As @TIFF_NET fires staff and lurches toward bankruptcy, it’s announced stunning and brave new rules for how journalists cover TIFF films,” said Kay. .TIFF started off by saying the MII “has worked to achieve both a more balanced, equitable, and diverse press corps and to remove the tangible and intangible barriers that challenge equity-seeking press wishing to cover the Festival.”
