There was a time, where festivals were nothing more than a destination for fans of television and film. Wherein one would enjoy new creations and hear the creators of those stories discuss what inspired them to get out there and bring it to life. But in this age of interactivity, just heading to a festival and taking in some shows is no longer enough. For the festival has become a true bastion for creativity, where up and comers can network and find inspiration… and even learn if the festival goes so chooses to offer classes that expand one’s mind, as SeriesFest will going forward. 

For the premier television festival in the land, recently announced that they have partnered with the creative entity Canva, in an effort to provide creatives with incredible resources to help them bring their story to life… and to help them learn. Since classes that feature some of Hollywood’s best and brightest will be available as part of this initiative, giving rise to a powerful partnership. One that takes what SeriesFest has to offer to a whole new level. For now, it is more than just a celebration of television, but an immersion of it, and well, to help you truly understand how amazing this partnership is going to be, here are all the details on this magnificent union, courtesy of SeriesFest and Canva.

‘SeriesFest, the non-profit organization that champions and empowers artists at the forefront of episodic storytelling, announces a new partnership with Canva focused on helping aspiring and emerging creators prepare for a career in television by providing insights and resources necessary to make headway in the industry. Through a series of virtual and in-person workshops, creators will receive the advice of vanguards in entertainment alongside live creative tutorials, helping to take their careers in television to the next level. The first ever line-up includes three workshops from celebrated industry vets including Grammy and Tony-winning Actor/Writer/Producer Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting, The Little Mermaid, Hamilton), Showrunner/Writer/Producer/Actor Rafael Casal (Loki, Co-Creator: Blindspotting) , Sue Ann Pien (As We See It), Littleton Road Productions’ Patrick MacManus (Dr. Death, The Girl from Plainville), and Kelly Funke (President, Littleton Road Productions). Applications for the SeriesFest Vanguard program presented by Canva are now open and available via https://seriesfest.com/vanguards.

"The Vanguard program is designed to highlight groundbreaking visionaries in the television industry bringing their invaluable insights directly to emerging creatives,” said Randi Kleiner, SeriesFest CEO and co-founder. “We are so proud to partner with Canva on the inaugural program, along with bringing several other new and exciting opportunities to the SeriesFest community."

In addition to the Vanguard Workshop, Canva is partnering with SeriesFest to launch the Outstanding Series Format Deck Award, in a new competition rewarding a $5,000 cash prize to the best deck submission created in Canva. Required for all SeriesFest competition categories, the Series Format Deck is an integral part to the pitch process and sale of a series. An effective Series Format Deck introduces a project in a visually exciting and emotionally powerful way. It captures the reader’s imagination, allowing them to see the full scope of the series and embrace the characters. In celebration of the unsung craft of creating a series format deck or series bible, SeriesFest’s partnership with Canva acknowledges the creativity and skill necessary to build the perfect series format deck.

Free three month trials of Canva Pro will be given to those creators who apply to select SeriesFest programs, including students, executives, and industry professionals, in an effort to help them on their creative journeys and visually bring their projects to life. Canva will be bringing its platform to SeriesFest Season 10 with a unique onsite activation, live event(s) and special award presentation.

Helping to prepare the next generation of storytellers, SeriesFest’s Collegiate Fellows program presented by Canva invites undergraduate students from across the country to apply to attend SeriesFest: Season 10 as a Collegiate Fellow and get a behind-the-scenes view of the TV and episodic industry via curated workshops and discussions, and access to premieres and panels.

Submissions are currently open for SeriesFest: Season 10, the award-winning international festival running May 1-5, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. Creators can submit for the upcoming festival through January 11, 2024.

To register for the Vanguard Workshop, click here: https://seriesfest.com/vanguards. For more information on Canva’s entertainment offerings, click here: https://www.canva.com/entertainment/
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ABOUT SERIESFEST

SeriesFest, a non-profit organization, champions and empowers artists at the forefront of episodic storytelling by providing year-round opportunities for creators and industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and share stories, which inspire and impact global audiences. Each June, SeriesFest culminates in a highly-curated and celebrated Denver-based festival and marketplace. Dedicated to showcasing innovative episodic content, the annual festival includes in-competition independent pilot screenings, panels, workshops, live reads, parties and network television premieres. Follow @SeriesFest on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT CANVA
Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications and collaboration platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, documents, websites, social media graphics, posters, apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful.'

It’s festival season, and that means wonderful films are making their debut all across the globe. Some of which, we’ve had the honor of seeing, and reviewing, and breaking down with the cast and crew. Important films in fact, such as Re: Uniting. A powerhouse drama that tackles some stunningly timely topics about life, and it just so happens, that following its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival… it is now set to make its Canadian Debut. 

For this weekend, it will be screened at the 2023 Whistler Film Festival on Sunday, ahead of its Video on Demand Digital Debut on the 4th, and that’s quite the treat for Canadian audiences. So, they too can enjoy the majesty of this film and spread the word so more can see this moving feature. But it is not the only movie making its Canadian debut this weekend. For the post-apocalyptic drama, Finality of Dusk is also screening at the festival, and that too is another treat for audiences. Since its plot is compelling to say the least, and well… if you’re heading to the festival and if these films have caught your eye, here are all the details on these features and their screening times to help you plan accordingly at this year’s Whistler Film Festival. 

‘Pender PR is pleased to announce two highly-anticipated Canadian premieres set for the 2023 Whistler Film Festival. Award-winning director Madison Thomas’ post-apocalyptic drama FINALITY OF DUSK will have its Canadian premiere on Thursday, November 30th at 5:30 pm at Village 8 and acclaimed Vancouver writer/director Laura Adkin’s feature film RE: UNITING has been selected by the festival as a Special Presentation. RE: UNITING will have its Canadian premiere on Sunday, December 3rd at 8:30 pm at the Rainbow Theatre. We are representing some of the best and brightest filmmakers and up-and-coming talent from Canada in our lineup of feature films and the festival will also see a special Work In Progress private screening of Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin's ANGELA'S SHADOW. The Whistler Film Festival runs from Wednesday, November 29, 2023, through Sunday, Dec 3, 2023.’

To learn more about ‘Re: Uniting’, check out our spoiler-free review, and interview with select members of the cast and Laura Adkin, the film’s writer and director, here and here.

Katarina Ziervogel (co-writer), Kyle Irving (EP), Gabby Levesque (DOP) and cast Cherrel Holder, Marika Sila and Chris Dodd will all be in attendance at the Whistler Film Festival.

After an incredible world premiere at the Red Nation Film Festival, FINALITY OF DUSK will have its Canadian premiere at the Whistler Film Festival in BC. Directed by Winnipeg-based International Emmy award- winning writer/director Madison Thomas, this epic feature film was co-written by award-winning Ojibway-Mohawk and Deaf filmmaker Katarina Ziervogel, and was created to offer a full theatrical experience for all audiences, including Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences. The sound mix of FINALITY OF DUSK is unique in that you can feel the sound of the film. Katarina participated in the post-sound process to ensure an authentic experience for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers. The music’s sound was done by Canadian Screen Award winning Sound Designer Daniel Pellerin and the music in the film was done by last years' Variety Top 10 to Watch Justin Delorme.
 
FINALITY OF DUSK stars Inuvialuk actress, content creator, social activist, and current VFS student Marika Sila (The Twilight Zone), Trinidadian-Canadian Cherrel Holder (Burden of Truth) and Edmonton-based Deaf playwright, actor, accessibility advocate, and Governor General Innovation Award finalist Chris Dodd in a riveting journey of survival and resilience set amidst a devastating environmental disaster in a perilous future. 
 
The year is 2045. Worldwide environmental devastation has pushed the scattered humans left into the wild spaces. Even in the brush of Manitoba’s prairies, those who remain must wear air filtration masks at all times. Ishkode (played by Marika Sila), a strong-willed Ojibwe woman, meets Niife (played by Cherrel Holder), a Nigerian climate refugee. Having lost her last remaining companion, and with a mask that is rapidly breaking down, Ishkode tries to ditch Niife. Though they don't speak the same language, Niife offers Ishkode her pristine mask for a few hours a day in exchange for food and the safety of an ally. Ishkode’s failing health motivates her to take the deal. The arrangement works, until a Deaf man, Odin (played by Chris Dodd), begins to track the women for their masks. 

Languages featured include American Sign, Anishinaabemowin, English, Yoruba

As a part of the industry conference, Katarina Ziervogel, Cherrel Holder and Chris Dodd from the FINALITY OF DUSK team will also be on a panel called TELLING OUR STORIES - DIVERSITY, EQUITY, and INCLUSION in the Garibaldi Room, Whistler Conference Center on November 30th at 3:00 pm.

SCREENING INFORMATION: 

Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 5:30 pm at Village 8 in Theatre 5 
(with select cast & crew in attendance)
4295 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC V8E 0X2

Friday, December 1, 2023 at 12:30 pm at Village 8 in Theatre 5 
(with select cast & crew in attendance)
4295 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC V8E 0X2

The film will also screen virtually starting on Monday, December 4