The need for exposure within the the BIPOC film industry is evident, despite the impact it continuously has in the Canadian film world.

Tonya Williams is the founder and executive producer of Reel World – the oldest and largest national platform dedicated to changing the face of the media landscape by empowering and showcasing Canadians identifying as Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Latinx in the Canadian screen based production industries.

Tonya remarks on her experience within the industry. ” Things I noticed in my passion for creating more access and inclusion in Canada is that I wasn’t seeing it moving forward in terms of giving people opportunities – the broadcasters, production companies and the content – people below the line who do so much.”

Two talented Canadian film directors, Richard B. Pierre and Dianne Ouellette give insight into the BIPOC perspective and what it means to be a member of this equity-seeking group.

  • An Uninvited Guest, by Richard B. Pierre: A three-minute psychological thriller that follows a black man who witnesses police brutality against another black man while eating dinner, forcing viewers to consider that if it can happen to him, it can also happen to me.

  • aen loo pawatamihk (Wolf Dream), by Dianne Ouellette: A form of reconciliation for Dianne Ouelette. A woman’s connection to animals has helped her heal and come to terms with her past. Dianne Ouellette has a vivid memory of coming face-to-face with a wolf when she was five years old. Nobody ever believed her, but the memory stayed.

With the ambition and effort from platforms such as Reel World and Black and Indigenous Film Makers like Dianne Ouellette and Richard B. Pierre, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate the perspective of the BIPOC community that may have been overlooked or ignored in the past.