Discover Our Programs

Key Highlights:

Comprehensive training across film disciplines, including screenwriting, editing, producing, directing, and more.
Individualized mentorship from seasoned industry professionals to nurture your unique creative voice.
Hands-on opportunities to write, direct, and produce a short film.
Craft an outline or treatment for a feature-length film.
A pathway to make a lasting impression in the film industry.

Your final short film will not only be a testament to your skills but will also serve as a powerful introduction to the broader film community. Let your work be your voice.

Why LAB 1? It's more than just filmmaking. We utilize film as an engaging tool to foster crucial life skills - from reading, writing, and math to storytelling, business expertise, leadership, and artistic expression.

Earn Academic Credits with WFI Your passion and hard work deserve acknowledgment. Partnering with Laurentian University, we're thrilled to offer an exciting academic opportunity for our graduates. After successfully completing LAB 1, you are eligible for up to 30 university credits, including:

ARTS 9100: 6 credits
ARTS 9200: 15 credits
ENGL 3596: Core Seminar, Indigenous Filmmaking I - 3 credits*
ENGL 3596: Core Seminar, Indigenous Filmmaking II - 3 credits*
ENGL 3411: Canadian Indigenous Poetics - 3 credits*

This is your chance to seamlessly transition your cinematic achievements into an academic setting. Chart your path in both the film industry and the academic world with WFI and Laurentian University.

The Next Stage in Your Media Journey Welcome to Lab 2: Certificate in Television Production. Built for those eager to traverse the intricate terrains of television media, this advanced program paves the way for unparalleled professional insights and hands-on experiences.

Program Overview:

Guided mentorship from seasoned industry trailblazers.
Focused training on specialized television techniques: scriptwriting, directing, editing, production planning, and sound composition.
Dive deep into the captivating world of television genres, from sitcoms and dramas to documentaries, comedies, and the revered Movie of the Week.
The program’s crowning achievement: your chance to develop and direct a six-episode television series, bringing your distinct vision to the small screen.

Are You the Right Fit? Prospective students should have completed the Certificate in Film Production at Weengushk Film Institute or possess equivalent industry experience. For those who meet this benchmark, Lab 2 promises an enriching environment to refine and expand your television production craft.

Boost Your Academic Credentials with WFI We recognize the time and dedication our students invest in their education. In collaboration with Laurentian University, we offer a unique academic pathway. After successfully completing Lab 2, students can be recognized for up to 30 university credits, which includes:

ARTS 9100: 6 credits
ARTS 9200: 15 credits
ENGL 3596: Core Seminar, Indigenous Television Production I - 3 credits*
ENGL 3596: Core Seminar, Indigenous Television Production II - 3 credits*
ENGL 3546: Media Representations of Indigenous Peoples in North America - 3 credits*

Merge your passion for television with an academic edge, setting the stage for an exciting future in both the industry and academia.

A Space Crafted with Purpose

Welcome to our inaugural 4-week intensive program, dedicated exclusively to Indigenous and Black female-identifying and non-binary filmmakers. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by these communities, this initiative is crafted to not only train but to uplift, offering a space where voices silenced for too long can finally be amplified and celebrated.

Program Overview:

Returning the Narrative: We wish to return women to their revered roles as cultural carriers, reinstating them as the central storytellers within our communities.
Safety and Sensitivity: Built on principles that acknowledge the disproportionate violence and obstacles faced by Indigenous and Black women and non-binary individuals, our environment emphasizes safety, inclusivity, and respect.
Community Building: Initiate the program by forging connections, sharing life narratives, and delving into storytelling, enriched with wisdom from esteemed elders.
Land-Based Learning: Rooted in tradition, our program offers intimate evening sessions with elders at our outdoor camp, fostering a unique blend of film training and age-old storytelling.
Creating in Collaboration: With two dynamic teams, each comprising 3 Indigenous artists and 1 Black artist, participants will collaboratively breathe life into short films. Each masterpiece, spanning up to 10 minutes, will be a testament to shared experiences, unique perspectives, and boundless creativity.

Are You Our Next Storyteller?:

Eligibility: The program welcomes 6 Indigenous and 2 Black writers/directors from across Canada.
Selection: Entrants will be selected not just based on their creative prowess but also their statement articulating the anticipated impact of the program on their film project or career trajectory.

Find Your Voice with Us:

In a world that often mutes the stories of Indigenous and Black women and non-binary individuals, we offer a canvas where every stroke, every hue, and every narrative matters. Come, let's tell stories that resonate, inspire, and reclaim the narratives that belong to us.

Unveiling the essence of our educational ethos, the Land-Based Training Program stands as a robust medium for enlightenment, healing, and fostering truth and reconciliation within the First Nations communities across North America.

Explore the Multifaceted Benefits:

Rediscovering the Land Connection:

The historical uprooting of Indigenous communities from their ancestral realms has birthed a deep disconnection with the land, a core facet of their identity and culture. This program endeavours to mend this disconnect, granting Indigenous youth the opportunity for meaningful engagement with the land, learning traditional land stewardship, and reigniting their cultural essence.

Resurrecting Indigenous Languages:

The scars of colonization, marked by forced assimilation and residential schooling, have pushed numerous Indigenous languages to the verge of oblivion. Language, being a crucial carrier of cultural identity, knowledge, and history, finds a revival through our program, which embarks on language learning and revitalization, aiding in the fortification and preservation of Indigenous languages.

Reclaiming Cultural Rituals and Melodies:

Indigenous cultural rituals and melodies, pivotal in transmitting history, knowledge, and values, have often been overshadowed or lost due to colonial pressures. Our program lays down a foundation for relearning and practicing these vital cultural expressions, thus aiding in cultural rejuvenation and healing.

Reestablishing Traditional Food Systems:

Bound to the land, traditional food systems are a vital part of Indigenous cultures, disrupted by colonial interventions and the onset of Western food systems. Our program unveils modules on traditional food gathering, preparation, and preservation, assisting in the reinstatement of these food systems and bolstering food sovereignty.

Reflecting on the "Four Pillars of Culture" by Weengushk, it’s apparent that these elements: land connection, language, cultural ritual, and traditional food, are focal in addressing the colonial scars, promoting healing and reconciliation, and revitalizing Indigenous cultures.

Moreover, Laurentian University (LU) acknowledges a maximum of 60 credits for students completing an equivalent 60 credits at WFI. Here's a glimpse of the WFI program combination under ‘Journey for Knowledge:

ARTS 9100: 6 credits
ARTS 9200: 15 credits
HIST 2616: The First Nations of Canada in Historical Perspective* (3 credits)
And more…

(*For details on historical courses, consult a WFI academic advisor.)

Embark on a transformative voyage of knowledge and cultural reawakening, where learning transcends classrooms, nurturing profound ties with heritage, identity, and community, coupled with academic credit recognition at Laurentian University.

Tuition: $15,000.00

Situated on the outskirts of M'Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater lake island globally, Weengushk Film Institute (WFI) revels in the natural splendour and rich cultural history, making it a coveted locale for media production.

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