RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmakers Pitch Finalists Announced
Winnipeg, July 15, 2024 — RBC, On Screen Manitoba, and Gimli International Film Festival are pleased to announce the finalists for the 13th Annual RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition. This year, the competition received 32 strong submissions from emerging filmmakers across Manitoba.
"Since 2012, the RBC Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition has helped emerging and underrepresented filmmakers take the next step to bring their diverse and creative stories to life," said Tracey Schofield, Regional Vice President, RBC. "Every film starts with an idea, and we can’t wait to hear the short film ideas from our five finalists this year. Ideas thrive when people believe in them, and we believe in the deep talent this competition continues to unleash and amplify year after year.”
Finalists will have three minutes to pitch their short film concept to a jury of industry professionals and a live audience on Saturday, July 27 at 10:00 am as part of the Gimli International Film Festival.
The winner of the RBC $10,0000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition will receive:
$10,000 in production funds through RBC,
a mentorship from the National Screen Institute – Canada,
$5,000 Equipment Rental Grant Certificate courtesy of Sunbelt Rentals,
$500 equipment credit and free membership from the Winnipeg Film Group and;
a premiere screening of their film at the 2025 Gimli Film Festival.
The 2024 RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition Finalists, chosen by an independent pre-selection jury are
Coby Friesen
Haley Charney
Jacques Leger
Thomas Donnelly
Zackary Dear
Each finalist additionally receives a one-year membership with On Screen Manitoba and an Industry Pass to the 2024 Gimli International Film Festival.
"Supporting emerging talent is the cornerstone of our industry's future," says Lindsay Somers, Executive Director of On Screen Manitoba. "The RBC Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition not only highlights the incredible creativity within our community but also provides crucial resources and mentorship to help these talented individuals bring their visions to life. By investing in our filmmakers, we are investing in the growth and sustainability of Manitoba's screen-based media sector. We are deeply grateful to our partners, RBC, Gimli International Film Festival, Manitoba Film and Music, Sunbelt Rentals, Winnipeg Film Group and National Screen Institute for their unwavering support, collaboration, and partnership."
We are thrilled to host the RBC $10,000 Emerging Filmmakers Pitch Competition for another year at GIFF" says Executive Director, Teya Zuzek. "Competitions like this are crucial for fostering new talent and innovation in film. We all want to offer emerging filmmakers a platform to present ideas and gain exposure, especially when they can receive feedback from industry professionals. Winning $10,000 is just the cherry on the cake!"
RBC, On Screen Manitoba, and Gimli International Film Festival would like to thank the National Screen Institute – Canada, Sunbelt Rentals and the Winnipeg Film Group for the generous prizes they provided for this competition. Manitoba’s screen-based media community values their support and looks forward to a continued partnership.
See the full Gimli International Film Festival schedule here.
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 98,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 18 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.
Gimli International Film Festival (GIFF) is Manitoba’s premier film festival and the largest rural film festival in all of Canada. Since 2001, GIFF has welcomed thousands to the shores of Lake Winnipeg for its various film screenings of local, national, and international feature films, documentaries, short films, and media art. The festival’s premier event, the Beach Screenings, which take place every night of the five-day festival, have drawn people from all over the world to take in one of Manitoba’s most unique summer experiences.
On Screen Manitoba is a non-profit, member-driven provincial industry association that leads, builds and represents the media production industry. We represent an industry that employs over 2000 skilled, creative Manitobans, and our members include producers, writers, directors, filmmakers, industry professionals, labour organizations, production companies, service suppliers, training organizations, film festivals and other stakeholders. We work collaboratively to improve working conditions, support workforce development, attract new workers and celebrate the accomplishments of our members.
For more information please contact:
Lindsay Somers
Executive Director, On Screen Manitoba
lindsay@onescreenmanitoba.com
Cassidy Burak
Communications Coordinator, Gimli International Film Festival
media@gimlifilm.com