Indigenous Screen Office
Canada's dedicated funding body for Indigenous screen content, supporting First Nations, Inuit, and Metis storytellers across development, production, marketing, and distribution.
Overview
The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) is Canada's dedicated funding body for Indigenous screen content. Established as a permanent program with ongoing federal funding confirmed in 2024, the ISO supports First Nations, Inuit, and Metis storytellers across all screen-based platforms -- film, television, digital media, and interactive content. Its mandate reflects Canada's commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.
In the 2024-25 production cycle, the ISO allocated $6.3 million to Indigenous productions across Canada, supporting 28 Indigenous creative teams and funding nine feature films, documentaries, and series. This scale makes the ISO one of the most significant dedicated Indigenous film funding bodies in the world.
What It Funds
The ISO supports Indigenous storytelling through two primary programming components.
Story Fund is the ISO's core program, providing financial support across the development, production, marketing, and distribution of Canadian audiovisual content in any format. The Story Fund is designed to support projects at every stage of the creative process, from initial concept development through to distribution and audience engagement.
Sector Building supports partners in constructing a robust Indigenous screen sector and workforce -- funding organisations, training programs, and infrastructure initiatives that strengthen the ecosystem in which Indigenous filmmakers work rather than only funding individual projects.
The ISO explicitly prioritises First Nations, Inuit, and Metis storytellers. This is not merely a preference: it is the institutional mandate. Projects must be led by Indigenous creators to be eligible.
Eligibility
Projects must be led by First Nations, Inuit, or Metis creators based in Canada. The ISO's programs are not open to non-Indigenous filmmakers or to projects where Indigenous content is peripheral to the creative vision. The Story Fund covers all formats, and there is no restriction by length or genre within the nonfiction and documentary category.
The ISO works in coordination with the Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, and other national funding bodies. ISO support is often combined with other national or provincial funding, and the ISO's website notes its collaboration with these bodies directly.
Who Should Apply
Indigenous filmmakers -- First Nations, Inuit, and Metis -- based in Canada who are developing or producing screen content across any format. The ISO is the first point of contact for Indigenous Canadian filmmakers seeking dedicated support from a body that understands the specific priorities and challenges of Indigenous storytelling.
See Also
For an overview of the Canada Media Fund as a complementary national funding source, see the Canada Media Fund entry. For understanding how Indigenous screen funding integrates with provincial and co-production financing, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack.
