MESSAGES MESSAGES

THE HONOURABLE SCOTT MOE Premier of Saskatchewan

On behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2023 Yorkton Film Festival (YFF). The YFF provides emerging and experienced Canadian filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their best content while offering a collaborative environment to build professional relationships. As North America’s longest running film festival, the YFF will continue to set the stage for excellent short films and documentaries now and in the years ahead. Not only will filmmakers and film enthusiasts watch many short videos, but this world-renowned event will also reward the very best with the prestigious Golden Sheaf Award at the Awards Gala on May 27, 2023. The promotion and execution of this experience is done through the hard work and dedication of the YFF Board of Directors, staff, partners, adjudicators, volunteers, and participants. Thank you to the City of Yorkton for your ongoing support of this event and for making all esteemed guests feel welcome. Best wishes for an exhilarating cinematic experience.

On behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan, I welcome participants to the 76th annual Yorkton Film Festival, the longest continuing event of its type in North America. Film brings our shared experiences into sharp perspective, to feel emotion as well as to learn and be inspired. The Yorkton Film Festival is both a forum for collaboration and networking between Canadian filmmakers as well as a showcase for honoring our country’s best filmography through the annual Golden Sheaf Awards. I thank the board of directors, festival staff, volunteers and film industry professionals for your commitment to this event. All the best for a very successful festival in 2023.

It is an incredible privilege to welcome all of you, the creative visionaries, contributors and participants to the 2023 Yorkton Film Festival. Yorkton takes great pride in supporting and hosting the longest running film festival in North America. IMAGINE – 76 Years! Our community truly gets excited in the “buzz” in seeing the new productions and meeting you all! The Golden Sheaf Awards is world-renowned in having the greatest of talent and creative minds that truly lead the way in the film industry. This year marks the extraordinary 76th anniversary of the awards. Our numerous proud volunteers and leaders in our community are honored to be part of the Golden sheaf Awards. The conversations and memories that stem from the event are pinnacle experiences to all who are involved. Our city’s motto is “Where Good things Happen” and the Golden Sheaf Awards truly exemplifies this motto. I sincerely hope you will leave with great memories of our landmark festival. On behalf of City Council and myself, we wish you numerous successes in life, but particularly in creating new visual pieces of art for all to enjoy! Thank you for making your way to our great city and thank you for all your contributions to our world!

Thanks to the dedication of organizers and the enthusiastic support from generations of festival-goers, the Yorkton Film Festival is a unique showcase for the cinematic arts, here in the heart of the Prairies. I’m proud that the National Film Board of Canada has been a part of this incredible story from the very beginning. As I begin my term as NFB Commissioner, I’m committed to ensuring that the NFB remains engaged with Canadians, both in Saskatchewan and across the country. Congratulations to all of you who have made the Festival such a special event, each and every year.

As the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Yorkton, I extend the warmest of wishes to everyone partaking and participating in the Yorkton Film Festival, celebrating 76 years and going strong! The Yorkton Film Festival, North America’s longest running film festival, provides an outstanding forum for networking, creativity and is a cultural event like none other uniquely contributing to Saskatchewan and Yorkton. It is a wonderful affair and the Government of Saskatchewan proudly supports this event through SaskCulture, with funding from the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation. Congratulations to the Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Staff and passionate volunteers for once again organizing an amazing festival. Good luck to all competitors and congratulations to this year’s award recipients.

We could not be more excited to return to events that allow us to celebrate the artistry of film and showcase Canadian creatives around the world and at home. That is why we are proud to support the Yorkton Film Festival! At Telefilm, our mission is to elevate authentic storytelling. Our priority is to reflect the diversity of our country on screen and bring representation to the forefront of our initiatives and programs. We want to thank and congratulate Yorkton Film Festival for its continued support in building connections and collaboration in promoting and exporting Canadian content and talent for the world to see.

As Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville and on behalf of the Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Canada’s Leader of the Opposition, I extend my sincerest greetings to all participants, organizers, and attendees of the 2023 Yorkton Film Festival. Over the past 76 years, the Festival has helped to place Yorkton on the map as a hub of creativity, talent, and artistic accomplishment. Film and storytelling bind us together in ways that overcome personal differences. In this time of uncertainty, the power of the visual arts takes on an even greater importance. Thank you for your tireless efforts to showcase this extraordinary part of Canada – and its people – to the world. Congratulations to all filmmakers, including all winners of the Golden Sheaf Awards, for another successful year celebrating the best of Canadian film.

It is with sincere pleasure that the SK Arts team celebrates another year with the Yorkton Film Festival. In this its 76th year, the festival continues to be a beacon celebrating Canadian excellence in film. Since its debut in 1947, the festival has shown tremendous agility in keeping up with the industry as it evolves with the development of media and technology. It remains our pleasure at SK Arts to support the festival as a funder through our partnership with SaskCulture and funding from Sask Lotteries. We continue to be invested in Saskatchewan's arts community, actively supporting artists, arts organizations, and their artistic practices. We commend the contributions of YFF's past and present staff, as well as and volunteers. We recognize and appreciate your commitment and dedication to the festival's annual success.