December 11, 2018
The Dead North Film Festival touts itself as the ‘world’s only circumpolar genre film-MAKING festival’.
Screenings most often sell out and many of the films made for the festival have gone on to other festivals crisscrossing the globe. More importantly, it offers northern filmmakers the ability to connect with investors, show their inimitable artistic talent and build below-the-line skills in the NWT’s film sector. All submissions to the Dead North Film Festival must be filmed north of the 60th parallel.
Through the NWT Film Commission, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is proud to continue its sponsorship of the Dead North Film Festival in 2019 and looks forward to building on the numerous made-in-the-north success stories realized in 2018.
Examples of last year’s success include ‘Frostbite’ which recently won: Most Promising Debut at The Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival. Filmed by Kaw Tay Whee School students from Dettah, the film features the monster Frostbite which appears to students when they get too cold.
Arm Plant by Martin Rehak made the trip to the PÖFF Shorts in Tallinn, Estonia which ran from November 16th through the 2nd of December. NWT Film helped Rehak with his travel costs to the festival.
Yet another Dead North success story was Mason Mantla’s Fireweed. It was the winner of the first-ever NWT Film Best Location Award and the 2018 Zombear for Best Director. Jessica Pacunayen also won best actress for her role in the film.
Fireweed was selected to be played at this year’s ImagineNative festival. NWT Film was happy to help Mantla make the trip for his film’s Ontario premiere where he met up with fellow 2018 Dead North alumni Amos Scott and Mandee MacDonald whose film Within the Stars was also selected for screening at ImagineNative.
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And the first-ever NWT Film Best Location Award Goes to... Fireweed!
