UPDATE: Online Sales for this event have now ended. There may be a few spots available at the door in case of no-shows!
Meet the faces behind the organizations!
The annual MENA film financing workshop returns with a slate of representatives from top regional and national funders: including Telefilm, Canada Media Fund and Storyhive!
The 2025 MENA Industry Rendezvous lets you bring your pitch directly to prospective funders and hear direct feedback to build a better application tailored to each funder’s programs and requirements.
You’ll have the chance to share your idea, ask specific questions, learn more about the specific funding packages available, and meet fellow filmmakers, all in an informal one-on-one setting.
The Industry Rendezvous is open to all, but preference will be given to MENA/SWANA, Indigenous and other BIPOC filmmakers in case of limited resources.
1:00 PM
Pre-session networking + refreshments
Make sure you’ve filled out the Rendezvous funder preference form. Any pending check-ins may be given to walk-ins, so head over early lock in your pairings and request and updates!
1:30 - 2:15 PM
Fundraising Panel
We will break the ice with a brief panel around the challenges of independent film funding in Canada and sharing tips and tricks, so you are equipped and ready to Rendezvous!
2:15 - 4:30 PM
One-on-one sessions commence with your pre-scheduled representatives:
5:00 PM
WRAP. Please continue to the lobby, where discussion can continue informally while capacity allows.
Ticketing: We know it’s tough to create independent film in Vancouver, so ticketing has been designed on a sliding scale.
After registration, participants will receive a form so we know your preference and can share information with the funders you are paired with. The schedule will be shared at the event. All participants will get to speak to two representatives (potentially more) based on preference and availability.
Food and refreshments provided. Limited availability.
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Ilhan Abdullahi is a Somali Canadian community organizer and filmmaker based on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Inspired by her family's journey as newcomers to Canada, she actively engages in community outreach, research, organizing, and storytelling to address health and social inequities.
With a passion for storytelling, Ilhan has written, produced, and directed several short films that celebrate the vibrancy and lived experiences of the communities she's a part of. In 2022, she received the Telus StoryHive Black Creator's Edition grant for her short comedy Not For Us, which has earned award nominations at film festivals. Her other short films, Unqualified and Lifeline, are currently making the festival rounds, including being featured on Short of the Week.
Joella Cabalu is a Filipino Canadian documentary filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. Her culturally impactful films include It Runs in the Family (2016) and Koto: The Last Service (2021). As a producer, her acclaimed documentaries have screened at Tribeca, The New Yorker, and Cannes Docs, and have secured financing from broadcasters, namely CBC, TVO, OUTtv, and Knowledge Network, as well as public grants from Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, TELUS Originals, and the National Film Board Filmmaker Assistance Program. In 2022, she produced her first feature documentary back home with support from the Telefilm Talent to Watch fund and celebrated its hometown World Premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival. She is currently developing her first feature documentary as a director and writer with the National Film Board Western Documentary Unit.
Jessica is the co-owner of Lantern Films, founded in 2015 out of a shared desire to make critically important and visually stunning documentaries. Her filmmaking approach is grounded in the belief in centering the knowledge, experiences, and expertise that already exists in our communities. Lantern films works with this knowledge to support the creation of compelling and important films.
