Leadership
Leena Minifie (Gitxaala Nation/British) is a Vancouver-based film, television producer and digital strategist whose work prior to BONES OF CROWS has included BRITISH COLUMBIA – AN UNTOLD HISTORY; THE RECKONING: Secrets unearthed by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, and production of an interactive webart SENSE OF HOME (Best New Media ImagineNative 2012), and ?E?anx ‘THE CAVE’ (Sundance Festival 2011, TIFF Top Ten 2011). Her company Stories First strategically marketed INDIAN HORSE, THE GRIZZLIES, MONKEY BEACH, THE NEW CORPORATION, NIGHT RAIDERS, and RUN WOMAN RUN.
Past Speaking Engagements
Nov 19,2023 – Podcast
Indigenizing the Film Industry with Leena Minifie: Spotify | Apple
Breaking the 4th Wall , Online
May 18,2023 – Panelist
Equal Futures Network – Gender Equality Summit
The Future of Feminism: Shifting Power Narratives and Practices towards reconciliation
Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health , Online
Feb 10,2023 – Panelist
ALFF Industry Panel Discussion – Lifting Indigenous Projects and Producers
Yukon Film , Whitehorse, YK
Sep 20,2022 – Interviewer / Host
Q+A with The Ice Walk and Stories First
Interviewer/Host
St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival , Online
Sep 10,2021 – Podcast
Johnny Webb, Leena Minifie and Mark Procter
Indigenous producers working in Canada
C21 Podcast , Online
Jun 24, 2021 – Webinar / Panel
“Decolonizing Digital Series” – Disrupting Data & Distribution for Indigenous Audiences & Allies
Hosted by Leena Minfie, in conversation with Jade Begay, Climate Justice Campaign Director for NDN Collective, Marylou Mintram Producer, Co-Owner of Rainy Storm Productions and former lead at an Indigenous distribution company, and Delphine Leivens, Senior Box Office Analyst at Gower Street Analytics. This webinar will give an overview of digital literacy for Indigenous creators and take a deep dive into identifying and developing audience segments. Offering advice for re-engaging Indigenous audiences, using data tools and setting engagement goals, and exploring how long tail strategy and audience development are crucial to marketing Indigenous stories. These strategies are part of larger collaborative and systemic change against traditional, non-diverse, restrictive, and oppressive social media barriers.
Canada Council Cool World, Stories First , Online
Jun 21,2021 – Interview
History of Aboriginal People’s Day
History of Indigenous People’s Day in Canada
Indian Country Today , Online
Jun 13,2021 – Podcast
#4 The Politics Of Genocide: Kamloops Fallout
Canadaland: The Backbench , Online
May 27,2021 – Webinar / Panel
“Decolonizing Digital Series” The Rise of BIPOC Data & Distribution
Hosted by Leena Minfie we dig deep into BIPOC audience strategies and digital strategy for film This will briefly talk about digital literacy for BIPOC creators and then have a deep focus on audience development that, with decolonized data tools, can reach engagement goals and continually re-engage/re-activate BIPOC audiences as a larger collaborative and systemic change against traditional, non-diverse, restrictive, and oppressive social media corporations.
Canada Council Cool World, Stories First , Online
May 10,2021 – Panelist
The Future of Entertainment | CSA Members Lounge 2021
Effectively identifying and creating content for an audience
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television , Toronto, ON
Mar 5,2021 – Featured Panelist
The Restorative Image: From Impact to Healing
Q&A
European Film Market and Salon Toolbox (doc program) , Berlin, DE
Nov 18,2020 – Panelist
Indigenous Music Awards
Marketing your music in a digital world
The Manito Ahbee Festival Inc. , Online
Nov 3,2020 – Panel
Native Land Digital with Elder Woody – Territory Mapping Discussion
Native Land Digital with Elder Woody – Territory Mapping Discussion
Native Land Digital , Online
Feb 22,2020 – Lecture
Timetable Toolbox Programme 2020
Salon Talk on Impact Producing
European Film Market and Salon Toolbox (doc program) , Berlin, DE
Oct 24,2019 – Panel
Industry Days 2019 w/ Adrian Love from Elevation Pictures
Indigenous Film Distribution Success Stories
ImagineNative , Toronto, ON
Aug 24,2018 – Lecture / Forum / Q&A
Indigenous Mapping Workshop (IMW) in Montreal
Native Land Digital , Montreal, QC
May 29,2018 – Host / Facilitator
Feature talk host
Building an Indigenous owned digital agency, and #Next150 Campaign for Indian Horse
Activate 2018 , Cortes Island, BC
Nov 1,2017 – Roundtable
Media power-sharing w/ underrepresented or misrepresented communities
Media Democracy Day , Vancouver, BC
Nov 1,2017 – Lecture
Canroots West Caucus 2017
Narrative Change in Organizations
SFU & Space Centre , Vancouver, BC
Jul 8,2017 – Lecture
Indigenizing Media
New York University , New York City
Jun 14,2017 – Lecture
Decolonizing Media and Mapping
Decolonizing Media and Mapping , Detroit, MI
Oct 27,2016 – Webinar
Building a Culture of Digital Engagement
As a grantee of First Nations Development Institute, please join us for a free webinar titled “Building a Culture of Digital Engagement” on October 27, 2016. This 90-minute webinar is being presented by First Nations Development Institute’s partner, Fourth Sector Consulting, a national consulting firm that specializes in using digital strategy to connect people and ideas that are needed to make change happen.
First Nations Development Institute , Online
Feb 9,2016 – Podcast
#120 Indigenous Media Roundtable
Most Canadians don’t hear about the stories Indigenous peoples tell within their communities. Mainstream media only covers the most tragic events affecting Indigenous communities — if it chooses to cover them at all. Now, alternative digital platforms have created an opportunity for these stories to travel outside the communities they are about.
Canadaland: The Backbench , Online
Nov 7,2014 – Lecture
Media Democracy Day 2014
Changing the Channel: News, Independent Media and Campaign 2015
Media Democracy Day , Vancouver, BC
Nov 8,2013 – Lecture
Media Democracy Day 2013
The portrayal of Idle No More in mainstream media
Media Democracy Day , Vancouver, BC
Sep 18,2013 – Lecture
Web of Change Conference 2013
Idle No More and the Movement Online
Web of Change , Austin TX