A MESSAGE FROM
Jason Ryle
Welcome to the 10th imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. Thanks for celebrating this major milestone with us. When imagineNATIVE first began, founder Cynthia Lickers-Sage, co-founders Vtape and founding Chair Roberta Jamieson, along with the support of numerous committed individuals, had a clear vision for this festival: It would exist to showcase the talents of Indigenous artists in film, video, radio and new media. The strength of this vision is why imagineNATIVE still exists today. From a personal point of view, this past decade has been deeply significant; I have had the privilege of meeting some of the most talented people in the world and have been fortunate to play a small role in the presentation of their art. Through their work, Indigenous artists from many nations share their talents, their creativity and their stories, and in so doing they share a part of their cultures with us all. This is a great gift, and on behalf of my colleagues on the Board of Directors, I wish to thank them. While we celebrate this year’s festival and as we commemorate a milestone, we also take an enthusiastic step forward into a new decade and a future that continues to hold immense promise for Indigenous nations and their artists. My deepest thanks for the support of our sponsors, our tireless staff, our committed volunteers and my dear, fellow Board members. And of course a huge thank you to the amazing community from all walks of life that show’s love, support and appreciation for imagineNATIVE each year. It’s been a slice!
Jason Ryle Chair, Board of Directors
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