The Minister will speak on Thursday, June 17, participating in a virtual keynote conversation during the Festival’s Marketplace Week.
The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) announced that the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, will speak on Thursday, June 17, participating in a virtual keynote conversation during the Festival’s Marketplace Week (June 14-18, 2021), which kicks off a month of curated online programming.
Now in its 42nd year, BANFF is Canada’s international conference and marketplace where new business partnerships are forged and new TV, film, and digital media projects are ignited. BANFF’s inbound trade mission model has a proven record of success at scale, bringing the Canadian screen industry and its innovative businesses together with large numbers of global production partners and investors, resulting in the launch of significant new business ventures and new screen-based projects that are “green-lighted” at home and abroad.
“In these difficult times, we couldn’t be more proud to support a creative, dynamic and innovative industry that brings culture to the forefront. The Banff World Media Festival is a must-attend international marketplace where the world’s largest broadcasters and digital media companies discuss issues and trends, forge relationships, and provide unique networking opportunities. New projects and co-productions take shape at this festival, allowing Canadian creativity to shine and spread to audiences across the globe,” said the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
BANFF’s virtual Festival will take place June 14 – July 16, 2021 via an all-new bespoke online platform that will connect the global media industry to ignite new projects and support business development. With delegates from more than 50 countries, BANFF attracts the world’s top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press, and media companies.
“This is a watershed year with monumental challenges and paradigm change shaping the present and future for Canadian and international cultural and media industries” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director, Banff World Media Festival. “As the hub for important conversations that effect action and point the way forward, we are thrilled to host Minister Guilbeault at BANFF 2021. We look forward to working with the Canadian government and all industry stakeholders at this year’s Festival and beyond.”
In addition to its Festival programming and marketplace, BANFF continues to deliver important fellowships and initiatives including The BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media, supported by the Government of Canada which empowers Canadian women entrepreneurs to launch and grow their own sustainable businesses within the screen-based industries as well as the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, a program that jumpstarts and accelerates the careers of up to 100 Black, Indigenous and people of colour producers and creators.
