The Disability Screen Office (DSO) has a two-pronged mandate: the organization works to eliminate accessibility barriers and foster meaningful disability representation within the Canadian screen sector. Earlier this year, the DSO hired Winnie Luk as its new (and first) Executive Director. Luk has embraced her new role with extraordinary enthusiasm. She shares with Indiescreen why she is tailor made for this role, and outlines her plans to break down barriers to accessibility and representation for the disability community.

“Everyone will experience some type of disability in life,” says Luk, “whether by accident or aging. If you’re not invested in accessibility, you’re not doing yourself any favours.”

What were you doing before you stepped into this role at the DSO?

I started this role in June, and it actually felt very fateful when I was hired, because of my work history. Before and all through university, I was working in accessibility programming with the City of Toronto, and after graduating, I took a position with Inside Out, the queer film festival. Inside Out was essentially my dream job and my dream organization, and I got to work there for more than 15 years. I was the director of operations when I left to work as managing director for Rainbow Railroad, which was in its start-up phase at that time. Rainbow Railroad is a charity non-profit organization that helps persecuted LGBTQI+ individuals around the world escape violence.

That sounds like very serious stuff.

Very serious stuff. I spent a really incredible four years building up that organization, but faced burnout in a sector where my work really was life and death. So I was taking some time off to explore what I wanted to do next when I saw the DSO posting for their first ever executive director. I was attracted to the fact that the DSO is a very new organization, because I’m a builder—I build organizations. When I was hired, I reflected back on my career and everything I had done, and thought, Wow. Every choice I made, every move I made really made me perfectly suited for this role, especially the last four years working in human rights.

Being the leader of a brand-new organization sounds exciting— but also daunting. What are your first priorities?

The first few things that I’m planning to do are solidify our strategic plan, complete our communications plan, and build the actual infrastructure for the organization. Obviously getting sustainable funding is a priority, and not just programming funding, but operations funding. I understand that programming is very sexy and everyone wants to support programming, but if you don’t have a solid infrastructure then the programs and everything else don’t have a solid foundation. I cannot say enough about how important sustainable, unrestricted funding is to a new organization, to set it up successfully and on the right footing.

How would you gauge the response from the industry to the DSO so far?

Since day one, I’ve been meeting with folks and organizations, including other equity-seeking organizations, to think about collaborations and partnerships. I’ve been meeting so many incredible new people, organizations, businesses, corporations—everyone within the sector has been welcoming, supportive, encouraging, and really wanting to get involved in the work. We’re at this tipping point right now, where everyone agrees that change is needed. And it’s not needed presently, it was needed a long time ago. The screen sector is quite behind in disability matters, and people know it. And if you are not with us right now, you are going to fall even further behind.

Can you talk a bit about what the DSO is trying to achieve?

We’re working on two things: accessibility is about breaking down barriers, it’s a human right, it’s law. But then there’s representation when it comes to visibility as well, in front of and behind the camera. We’re going to provide the guidelines and standards and protocols for working with the disability community, but we also believe there should also be some real accountability. That’s where our production disability coordinator training comes in (see sidebar).

We need to be thoughtful and work with people who have experience. I know there’s a workforce shortage right now; that’s a huge opportunity. The sector can welcome in folks who are willing and ready to work, and make use of their innovation and their creativity—because people with disabilities have had to constantly adapt, because of the barriers they’ve faced. Imagine the skills, the knowledge, the learning that this community has. Imagine how the sector can benefit from that.

What the DSO is working on

In order to increase accessibility within the screen sector, the DSO has three initiatives it’s planning to launch this year:

1) Develop guidelines to help the screen sector work with the disability community. The first phase of this project will focus on data collection, “because there’s so little data out there, and what is out there is not necessarily accurate, since divulging disability is hard for people—they still feel stigma, and there are a lot of barriers to talking about it,” says Luk.

2) Create a centralized industry resource centre. Luk calls this project “a one-stop shop for everything disability related in the screen sector”: from crew to venues to accessible services. “My inbox is filled with inquiries about disabled creatives, workers, actors, and on the other side, people needing to find assistive technology services, interpreters, open captioning services. We want to be that place that everyone knows to come to and get linked up to whatever they’re needing,” Luk says.

3) Train accessibility coordinators to work with the screen sector. Luk believes that accessibility commitments are fantastic first steps, but accessibility coordinators on set can bring accountability and ensure productions are meeting those commitments. “There’s already an immense group of people who have the skills and knowledge, who just need opportunity,” says Luk. “There should be some real accountability in the sense of what it means to be accessible, and truly disability led.”

Nic Altobelli

MENTOR: Sara Blake (Ceroma Films)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUR MENTORSHIP EXPERIENCE?

Attending the Berlinale Market online and learning more about international co-productions.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

I am in the 2023 cohort of the CFC Producers’ Lab, collaborating to create a film that will hit the festival circuit later this year. My MPPIA Award–winning short film My Roommate Ahriman will premiere at the Whistler Film Festival. As well, I’m participating in the GEMS Genre Film Lab to pitch our feature film, Mt. Asha, at Frontières Film Market. I also have a few TV series on my slate!

WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?

Running a mid-sized production company, producing media that subverts human struggle through engaging, diverse characters and dynamic stories. At the tables where important conversations are happening around where the industry is headed and what needs to change.

Malachi Ellis

MENTOR: Shant Joshi (Fae Pictures)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUR MENTORSHIP EXPERIENCE?

Attending industry events such as Prime Time. I made incredible connections and bonded with other mentees and emerging producers.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

I am currently a resident of the CFC’s Norman Jewison Film Program Producers’ Lab. I have two feature film projects in development, and my short film, Express, will begin its festival journey this September.

WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?

Creating my own MCU: the Malachi Cinematic Universe. This MCU will feature stories of identity and self-discovery from talented Canadian voices, both in the feature film and television space.

Linda St. Pierre

MENTORS: Marie Clements, Trish Dolman, Christine Haebler, Suz Thompson (Marie Clements Media, Screen Siren Pictures)

ANY HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE?

Seeing Bones of Crows come together and walking the red carpet at VIFF. The story hit home, as it’s based in Manitoba, where I’m from and where my family would have attended residential school.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

My company, Phoenix Skye Productions, is in pre-production for two short films: Choices, which was selected by TELUS STORYHIVE Indigenous Storyteller Edition, and an animated documentary short called Bet’sune Yinesha (His Grandmother Raised Him), which will be filmed in Lac Brochet, Manitoba. It will be told by my elders in the Dene language, and I’ll be directing as well.

WHERE WILL YOU BE IN 10 YEARS?

A powerhouse writer, actor, producer and director, sharing my Dënesųłiné language through TV and films, and making more Indigenous stories.

Julie Roy knows Canada’s film production sector like the back of her hand. With nearly 20 years of experience at the National Film Board (most recently as Director General of Creation and Innovation), the acclaimed producer was a shoo-in as Telefilm Canada’s new Executive Director and CEO, a role she took on in April 2023. Her appointment comes at a time of great change, excitement and (as always in this industry) uncertainty in the sector, but she’s undaunted by the challenges ahead—and inspired by this country’s glowing reputation on the international scene. “People are watching us, and they are interested in us,” says Roy. “Now is the time to strategize for the future.”

You’ve been at Telefilm Canada for a few months now. What has been the biggest surprise?

During my time at Cannes, I was captivated by Telefilm’s well-established reputation abroad with international funders, like Eurimages and New Dawn, as well as with organizations like Centre national du cinéma and Screen Australia, among others. Also, witnessing firsthand the rapport that Telefilm has forged with Canadian producers and talent gave me great delight. I am fascinated by the exemplary status that Canada and Telefilm’s reputations hold across the globe. People are watching us, and they are interested in us. This extraordinary web of connections that Telefilm possesses fosters invaluable exchange networks, allowing us to tackle shared challenges in our respective countries. Together, we can work on the evolution and transformation of the audiovisual industry.

You enjoyed a long career at the National Film Board. What learnings from the NFB can you apply to your role at Telefilm?

As a long-standing supporter of filmmakers and a champion of the creative process, I carry a profound appreciation for its intricacies. Through my extensive experience as a producer, executive producer and Director General of Creation and Innovation, I’ve learned the art of decision making. This delicate exercise requires honesty, respect for artists, and the courage to stand by our choices. Working in public service entails significant responsibilities, such as managing public funds with prudence and setting exemplary standards. Rigour and competence are paramount. My various roles at the NFB also taught me that as a public organization, we wield considerable influence within the industry. It is important to use this influence wisely. In recent years, I actively championed our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, firmly believing in the power to effect change from a position of influence. This wealth of expertise and learning is valuable to Telefilm. I envision Telefilm as an influential leader, with a robust plan to fulfil our goals on EDI along with our commitments to environmental responsibility. The time for collective action and tangible impact is now.

Audience viewing habits have evolved rapidly in the past five years. Streaming services and the pandemic have contributed to a marked decline in theatrical viewing. How does Telefilm balance funding for theatrical release and helping filmmakers meet audiences where they are—which is often at home on the sofa?

Audience habits will always continue to evolve. We have seen movies continue to find success theatrically, with BlackBerry, Riceboy Sleeps and Brother all winning over audiences. The film 23 décembre received the Golden Screen Award for the Canadian film that brought in the biggest box office in 2022, and films like Cette maison have found a home on the Criterion Channel following a successful theatrical run.

Telefilm has a responsibility to adapt to changes and to continue to develop and modernize its practices and policies. This is also true for discoverability. We’re mindful that each film has its own avenue for finding an audience. And we may need to redefine what we understand as a measure of success around audiences.

No matter the screen we prefer, film possesses its own distinct language and artistic expression, separate yet complementary to television. Let us embrace and celebrate the diverse content available to us.

What role does Telefilm have in creating opportunities for producers and filmmakers who come from backgrounds that have traditionally been underrepresented in Canada’s feature film industry?

Telefilm has been focused on breaking down barriers for producers and filmmakers from historically underrepresented backgrounds at all career levels. We are aware that the entire career trajectory needs to be accounted for, not just emerging talent. Telefilm has been evolving how it allocates funding and mindful of where underrepresented communities need more support.

We also introduced new Key Performance Indicators as funding targets into Telefilm’s overall project pipeline to better support projects from underrepresented communities in all our portfolio and promotion programs. These were established by using data collected from last year’s funding applications, to determine focus areas that would benefit from meaningful targets. It’s ever evolving, and our team is always looking for new ways to partner with organizations in order to maximize the success of producers and filmmaking talent from across the country.

C-11 was recently passed into law, and regulations are being written as we speak. How do you hope these legislative and regulatory changes can invigorate this country’s feature film production sector?

Bill C-11 marks a time of opportunity for our industry. It presents new possibilities for our continued collaboration in championing the role of independent producers and joining forces with industry partners with a unified goal of ensuring Canadian content and its creators thrive.

With its established infrastructure, industry trust and expertise, Telefilm is well positioned to support the objectives of the Broadcasting Act. Should additional funding become available to enhance the promotion and growth of the Canadian audiovisual industry, particularly for feature films, Telefilm is poised to play a pivotal role.

At the Banff World Media Festival this summer, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez remarked that Telefilm, the Canada Media Fund and the NFB should evolve and collaborate to serve the broader sector. What could that look like?

I strongly believe in cultivating a true spirit of collaboration within our industry. I am excited by the potential of our collective endeavours in the coming weeks, months and years. To navigate the new frontier successfully, it is important that we meet regularly as sister agencies.

It is both a privilege and a responsibility to take part in these fundamental conversations. And above all, we must place the needs of the industry at the heart of these conversations.

This moment is decisive for the audiovisual sector. Now is the time to strategize for the future.