Indigenous Cinema Alliance Marks 10-Year Milestone With Exciting New Projects and Partnerships as Part of the 2025 European Film Market

The Indigenous Cinema Alliance will celebrate 10 years of highlighting the best in global Indigenous film and television with an exciting line-up of films and events sure to elevate and celebrate work on a major international level as part of the 2025 European Film Market and the Berlinale. 

Founded in 2015, The Indigenous Cinema Alliance (ICA), formerly the NATIVe Indigenous Cinema Stand, has been officially partnered with the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin since 2015. This market stand showcases market-ready feature films by Indigenous artists worldwide. Managed by imagineNATIVE, ICA represents international partners, including film festivals, film commissions, and film institutes.

Since 2018, the ICA Fellows Programme has been a key component, bringing a roster of international Indigenous producers to the market. This professional development opportunity allows Indigenous producers to attend the EFM with a market-ready feature film project. The program is a unique fellowship that promotes Indigenous feature film projects through the ICA Stand and offers curated activities to maximize their EFM experience. The ICA Fellows Programme assembles a select group of Indigenous producers from the Partners’ regions, providing them with specialized training, meetings, networking events, panels, and social activities to enhance their EFM and Berlinale experience.

In 2024, ICA updated its strategy to expand its work as a global promotional agency focusing on promoting, assisting, and advising on the sales and marketing of Indigenous films.

Current partner organizations include founding partners imagiNATIVE and the International Sami Film Institute (ISFI), alongside 4th World Media Lab, Film Greenland (Film.GL), Pacific Islanders in Communications, Winda Film Festival, If Not US Then Who?, MULLU, and PISA.

Official Schedule:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

CinemaxX 1 (Potsdamer Str. 5, 10785)

MARKET SCREENING: ICA’S EFM 2025 PROMO REEL SCREENING

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Embassy of Canada, Timber Hall (Leipziger Pl. 17, 10117)

PANEL: THE NEXT DECADE OF GLOBAL INDIGENOUS CINEMA

Access: Public, Free (24-hour advance registration required)

Moderators: Jason Ryle (TIFF), Themba Bhebhe (ICA)

Panelists: Anne Lajla Utsi (ISFI), Cheryl Hirasa (PIC), David Hernández Palmar (INUTW), David Morrison (iN), Inuk Jørgensen (Film.GL), Juan Donoso (Mullu), Nikki Si'ulepa (PISA), Pauline Clague (Winda), Tracy Rector (4th World)

Description:

As the NATIVe Stand transitions into the Indigenous Cinema Alliance (ICA), this panel celebrates a decade of growth in Indigenous cinema and explores the path forward. ICA representatives will reflect on the development of Indigenous filmmaking infrastructure worldwide and discuss opportunities in global sales and representation.

Key Topics:

-Advancements in production and distribution

-Evolution of storytelling

-Strategies for preparing the industry for the next decade

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Documentation Centre (Stresemannstraße 90, 10963)

EFM’S DOCSALON ROUNDTABLE: WORKING WITH ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING NARRATIVE SOVEREIGNTY

Access: Market Badge (Pre-Registration required, limited space)

Experts: Tracy Rector (4th World), Liisa Holmberg (AIFF/ISFI), Kerry Swanson (ISO), Inuk Jorgensen (Film.GL) + 6 Participants

Description:

Featuring organisations who support documentary storytelling by Indigenous film creatives on a variety of subjects such as land rights, climate change, language revitalization, preventing and reversing the effects of colonisation and many other societal issues, this roundtable will give film creatives the opportunity to explore how these organisations from across the globe can support them in their quest for narrative sovereignty.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Berliner Freiheit Studio (Berliner Freiheit 2, 10785) 

PITCH EVENT: BRIDGING BORDERS: INDIGENOUS CO-PRODUCTIONS (Back)

Access: Market Badge

Moderators: Ken Proulx (Telefilm Canada), Liisa Holmberg (AIFF/ISFI)

Featured Projects:

1.     Two Old Women | USA, Canada | Princess Daazhraii Johnson (Gwich’in) | Languages: Gwich’in, English

2.     Savage | Canada, Italy | Darlene Naponse (Anishnaabe) | Languages: Italian, English

3.     The Ship That Wasn’t There | Greenland, Denmark | Inuk Jørgensen (Inuk) | Languages: Kalaallisut, Danish

4.     Porslin | Sápmi, Norway, Sweden | Ann Aurebekk (Sámi) | Language: Sámi

5.     Mulheres Indígenas: Biomas / Indigenous Women: Biomes | Brazil, Ecuador | Shirley Krenak (Krenak) | Language: Portuguese

6.     War Dance | New Zealand, Germany, Canada | Hiona Henare (Māori) | Languages: English, Māori, Cree, German

Description:

Bridging Borders fosters global collaboration for Indigenous film projects, showcasing six innovative co-productions that seek partnerships and support to bring their unique stories to the international stage. These projects celebrate and promote Indigenous cultures through powerful cinematic storytelling, building bridges and forging lasting partnerships among Indigenous filmmakers worldwide.

12:15 PM - 2:00 PM

CinemaxX 8 (Potsdamer Str. 5, 10785)

MARKET SCREENING: KA WHAWHAI TONU / STRUGGLE WITHOUT END

Access: Market Badge

3:15 PM - 4:35 PM

Cinemobile (Niederkirchnerstraße 7, 10117)

MARKET SCREENING: LUCKY STRIKES

Access: Market Badge

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Silent Green, Kuppelhalle (Gerichtstraße 35, 13347)

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: WILFRED BUCK’S STAR STORIES

Access: Forum Expanded Programme

A special presentation by Wilfred Buck over Lisa Jackson’s dome film Wilfred Buck’s Star Stories. Filmmaker in attendance.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Marshall McLuhan Salon (Leipziger Pl. 17, 10117)

ARTIST TALK: WILFRED BUCK’S STAR STORIES

Access: Forum Expanded Programme

Description:

Artist talk with Lisa Jackson.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

CinemaxX 4 (Potsdamer Str. 5, 10785)

Market Screening: HEAJASTALLAN - BRYLLUPSFESTEN / HEAJASTALLAN - A SÁMI WEDDING (2 Episodes)

Access: Market Badge

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Documentation Centre (Stresemannstraße 90, 10963)

EFM’S DOCSALON ROUNDTABLE: (ALTERNATIVE) DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS FOR NON-FICTION INDIGENOUS FILMS

Access: Market Badge  (Pre-Registration required, limited space)

Experts: Cheryl Hirasa (PIC), David Morrison (iN), David Hernadez Palmar (INUTW) + 7 Participants

Description:

Whether screened at climate change conferences, via agreements with public TV broadcasters, in community screenings, at Indigenous film festivals, on online platforms or via other circuits, a wealth of alternative distribution channels exists in different areas across the world where documentary content by Indigenous and in some cases also Afro-descended film creatives can be screened. This roundtable provides the opportunity to meet with experts who facilitate the circulation of non-fiction works through this variety of networks.