NWT filmmakers, photographers and media professionals of all kinds are once again invited to submit their work from the past two years for a chance to be formally recognized by their peers.
After a hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Northwest Territories Professional Media Association (NWTPMA) will once again host its NWT Film and Media Awards this fall.
“I think there’s a pent-up demand for it,” says Jeremy MacDonald, who is overseeing the contest for the first time as NWTPMA president. “I think people are more than excited to get back to some kind of normal, or the way things were before pandemic, so it’s a good time to bring it back.”
The contest includes awards for narrative and documentary shorts, published photos, published word pieces, and industry impact. The contest is open to entries published or premiered between Nov. 1, 2020 and Aug. 1, 2022.
This year’s contest also includes a new category to recognize works by NWT youth aged 18 and under. MacDonald says this was done because “we recognize that there’s some interesting younger talent that’s coming about, and just wanting to create a category that would be available specifically for them, giving them an opportunity to get in there.”
Entries in each category will be judged by a panel of peers from the NWT media industry.
Examples of past winners include She Keeps Me Warm, a short about a hermit living in the Arctic who discovers an undetonated nuclear warhead, which was named Best Narrative Short in 2018; and I Hold the Dehcho In My Heart, a film about a group of students and Elders paddling down the Dehcho River that was named Best Documentary Short that same year.
“It’s an opportunity for everyone to recognize the best of their own peers,” says MacDonald. “You’ve got to admit that Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories is a bit of a small pool, so it’s a chance for everyone to get together and celebrate the achievements of what everyone’s done over the past couple of years.
“It’s going to be a great time to get everyone back together and just see what everyone’s been up to for the past couple of years.”
NWT residents have until Sept. 14 to submit their entries for this year’s contest, which will be held on Nov. 5. A complete list of contest details and entry requirements is available on the NWTPMA’s website at nwtpma.com.