Nunavut Film “operating in vacuum”

SARA MINOGUE

Igloolik Isuma Productions is making plans for a $3.5 million feature film to be shot in 2006, but unless Nunavut Film guarantees some form of funding within eight to ten weeks, the film company could take its production, and the 50 jobs that go with it, to Nunavik.

Before Tomorrow is an Inuit story set in Greenland based on a Danish book.

“If we can move it from Greenland to Igloolik, we can move it from Igloolik to Kuujjuaq,” says Norman Cohn, co-founder and director of photography for Isuma.

Telefilm Canada has already committed $1 million to the film, and Isuma will apply for the remainder of its funding this fall. In order to shoot in Nunavut, Cohn says Isuma also needs to get $350,000 from Nunavut Film.

That $350,000, while just 10 per cent of the film’s overall budget, will allow Isuma to spend almost half of its production money in Nunavut, including $700,000 in wages for Nunavummiut.

But Nunavut Film, the industry agency for filmmakers in Nunavut, is in no position to hand out any money, or even commit to future funding once the production is finished, such as a labour rebate.

The agency still hasn’t received a signed contribution agreement from the government of Nunavut’s department of economic development and transportation, even though it’s now three months into the new fiscal year.

That means that Sheila Pokiak, Nunavut Film’s director since late January, doesn’t know what her budget is, or when she’ll receive the money.

“Is Nunavut Film operating in somewhat of a vacuum right now? Yes we are,” Pokiak said this past Tuesday.

Filmmakers are free to apply for funding right now under any of the seven programs outlined in the GN’s film, television and new media development policy, Pokiak said. However, Nunavut Film will not be able to offer any guarantees that funding will be received.

“Nunavut Film cannot confirm what programs are going to be offered, even in this current year, because we have yet to see a signed contribution agreement.”

Pokiak said she’s not sure why the GN hasn’t signed the agreement, but she suspects that policy revisions are to blame.

Several glitches in the current policy were pointed out by participants in the film forum held in Iqaluit in March.

The labour rebate program presents the most concerns. For starters, the funding for that program is capped at $300,000. That may not be enough even to reimburse Isuma 50 per cent of its labour costs, and if another film company were to apply, there are no criteria in place to determine how the money should be divided.

The labour rebate program also conflicts with Nunavut Film’s own funding structure.

Filmmakers who apply for the rebate have to wrap their production and complete an audit before they are eligible to receive the money. That’s often one or two fiscal years after they’ve applied for the rebate.

The way that Nunavut Film is set up now – with contribution agreements signed by the GN year-to-year – there is no way to guarantee a certain amount of funding in a future fiscal year.

“The GN is not as supportive to this industry as we need it to be. If we really want to see this program succeed, we need that flexibility and we need the government to recognize that this is how the industry works,” Pokiak said.

“Otherwise, we should not offer industry programs so much as provide grants to projects… moving more closely in line with an agency like Canada Council for the Arts.”

Reuben Murphy, director of economic development and innovation for the department of economic development, is currently circulating drafts of a revised film policy.

Any policy changes will have to be reviewed by Nunavut Film and its board. Next, Murphy will seek approval from Rosemary Keenainak, assistant deputy minister. Keenainak will get approval from deputy minister Alex Campbell, who will then present the new policy to the new minister – Peter Kilabuk – who will present the changes to cabinet.

Cohn expects it to be a long slow process.

“Right now… I can see that nothing’s going to happen in time to make any difference for us.”

On May 20, Isuma announced it was closing its Igloolik office indefinitely and laying off five full-time employees after Nunavut Film rejected its applications for $155,000 in labour rebates and youth training funding for The Journals of Knud Rasmussen.

Alex Campbell was not available for comment as of Nunatsiaq News’ press time on Wednesday.