[VIDEO] Connecting at the Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF)
East Coast in Focus, our new video series, opens at the Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF) in Halifax. In this first episode, host Gaëlle Essoo meets with creators, industry leaders, and community builders, who reflect on what makes Atlantic Canada such a unique, collaborative, and increasingly influential production hub.
At the heart of the festival is AIFF Partners, a boutique co-production market for films and television series that connects creators with investors and fosters new international collaborations. AIFF’s Industry Director, Chrissy King-Lopes, explains the elements that give AIFF its identity: intimate networking, meaningful matchmaking, and Maritime hospitality.
From there, we explore the broader Atlantic ecosystem. Laura Churchill of PictureNL highlights the booming production sector in Newfoundland and Labrador, powered by government support and homegrown TV hits, while Erica Meus-Saunders of the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative talks about community-building, training, and inclusive spaces for emerging filmmakers.
We chatted with Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund (CMF), who shares her long-standing connection to AIFF and the CMF’s commitment to elevating Atlantic voices at home and around the world.
And filmmaker Stephanie Joline breaks down the progress made in Indigenous and women’s representation, and the deep sense of pride and solidarity fostered in smaller filmmaking communities.
