Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Society and W2 Community Media Arts Society Present:

The First Annual Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival

November 10-13th 2011 at W2 Media Cafe, NFB Pacific Region Theatre and SFU Woodward's

The Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival (VIMAF) Hosted By W2 Community Media Arts Society is proud to present its first Indigenous Media Arts Festival November 10-13, 2011 at the historical Woodward's building in conjunction with Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).

The Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival is a multi-theatre digital storytelling and live presentation forum with performances, discussion panels, workshops and a feast for all people to celebrate and enjoy Indigenous culture.   

Vancouver's only Aboriginal Media Arts Festival, VIMAF will screen works in short, experimental, documentary, video art, and animation categories as well as feature length films. The festival intends to screen film and media arts from across Turtle Island from emerging and established media makers to a broad based audience.

The festival opens on Thursday, November 10th at 7:30pm with the VIMAF Opening Gala featuring Special Guest of Honor Ernie Paniccioli historian, author, activist and premier Hip-Hop photographer in America.

Tantoo Cardinal accomplished First Nations actress will MC the west coast premieres of 3 full-length features at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema at SFU Woodward's on Saturday, November 12th starting at 6pm.

Up Heartbreak Hill directed by Erica Sharf, Barking Water directed by Sterlin Harjo, On the Ice directed by Andrew Okpeaha and Wapos Bay: Long Goodbyes directed by Melanie and Dennis Jackson.

The National Film Board will host two afternoon programs on Sunday, November 13th 2011.

2pm - The Little Bear Paws Program which is free to children and begins at the NFB Pacific Region Theatre features Wapos Bay: Long Goodbyes directed by Dennis and Melanie Jackson,

Tansi Nehiyawetan: Pow Wow Episode, Brocket Zombie directed by Cowboy Smithx and Cryrock directed by Banchi Hanuse.

4pm - VIMAF is proud to present the NFB Showcase Program. VIMAF will be screening Six Miles Deep by director Sara Roque, Red Ochre directed by Jerry Evans, Crossing the Line by director Tracey Deer,

Inukshop by Director Jobie Weetaluktuk, Dancers of the Grass from director Melanie Jackson and Totem: Return and Renewal by Director Gil Cardinal also at the NFB Pacific Region Theatre.

For more Information & media inquiries: Suzette Amaya - Publicist T: 604.779.5667 E:

To interview Festival Staff/Artists: Marie Prince 604.989.0270 Bracken Hanuse Corlett 604.741.5486 Ron Dean Harris 604.910.6300

For tickets visit: http://vimaf2011.eventbrite.com

For a full festival program visit our website at: www.vimaf.com

Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Society - W2 Community Media Arts Society

250 - 111 West Hastings Street Vancouver BC V6B 1H4

T: 604.989.0270 E:

Twitter: @VIMAF @W2MediaCafe website: www.vimaf.com