Photo Credit: Mariah Braun Facebook page.

By Shane Clausing

BIPOC Voices

Local filmmaker chosen to participate in Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative

May 17, 2021 | 5:30 AM

Grande Prairie filmmaker Mariah Braun received some exciting news last week.

Braun was chosen as one out of 100 people across Canada to be invited to participate in the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative.

Participants invited to take part in the initiative will be provided with full registration access to the famous Banff World Media Festival.

Braun says the festival and initiative have helped launch and grow the career of key figures in the film industry, and she hopes it can have a positive impact on her career.

“It’s a really good opportunity to get my name, my work, and my projects out there. I was just thrilled to hear the news,” she said.

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“The initiative is a national training and access program for Black, Indigenous and people of colour.”

This year’s event will be held virtually from June 14 to July 16.

Over the course of the month-long festival, Braun says there will be many opportunities to network and grow.

“This year they’ve got a line up of people who will do different speaking engagements, we get access to professional development and networking opportunities with industry buyers,” explained Braun.

“The big players in the TV and film industry are present and they make themselves available to hear people’s pitches and other things like that. It could lead to an opportunity for me to make another film or start another project.”

This year marks the fourth year of the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative. You can learn more about the festival and read some of the success stories at their website.

Braun is also working on a film called Able, which tells the story of a local woman’s perseverance and heroism as a incomplete quadriplegic. That production was made possible through a TELUS Storyhive grant,