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Mr. Speaker, in 2016, actor Denzel Washington was asked why playwright August Wilson insisted that only a Black filmmaker should direct the screen adaptation of his Tony Award-winning play, Fences. Denzel answered, “It’s not color, it’s culture. Steven Spielberg did Schindler’s List. Martin Scorsese did Goodfellas, right? Steven Spielberg could direct Goodfellas. Martin Scorsese probably could have done a good job with Schindler’s List. But there are cultural differences.” He continued, “I know, you know, we all know what it is when a hot comb hits your head on a Sunday morning, what it smells like. That’s a cultural difference, not just color difference.”

Who tells a story, and where they tell it, matters. Here in the Northwest Territories, we have storytellers and filmmakers who understand this place in a way only Northerners can: its beauty, its humour, its everyday truths. They understand the sound of a frozen lake, the feel of a kokum's hands, the smell of freshly smoked hide. They know the excitement of Hay River’s Polar Pond Hockey, the bonds built over picking aqpiks in the tundra, and the realities of life in remote northern communities. As northerners tell stories, whether passed down by ancestors or unfolding today, they are blending tradition, creativity, and new technologies to bring them to the screen.

In the Budget Address, the Minister of Finance said, “For too long, the North has been a fairytale for Canadian identity about snow and cold, dogsleds and aurora. Fairytales are not real.” But Mr. Speaker, fairytales and folklore make great movies, especially here in the Northwest Territories. The Finance Minster also said, “The true story of the North lies with its people.” This is true and these stories, our stories, need to be told.

Today, I want to talk about the people who are ensuring that Northern stories not only endure, but reach further than ever before.

It is an industry that is coming into its own as an economic force: breaking down stereotypes, telling real northern stories to the world, and growing through collaborations and mentorships between Northerners and southern partners.

Mr. Speaker, across the Northwest Territories, filmmakers and production organizations are building a more established and confident film sector. Their efforts are strengthening local capacity, opening doors for northern talent, and supporting good jobs in our communities. At the same time, their work is showcasing the people and places of the Northwest Territories to wider audiences.

The Northwest Territories Film Commission supports projects from development to delivery and promotes the NWT as a filming destination. Their programs are working. Every dollar of support given from this program adds eight dollars and ninety cents to the NWT’s film and media sector. Since the rebate program’s launch, it has supported over 20 projects, filmed in communities across the territory. We have seen a change in the type of productions, indicating growth in the industry. Most of the activity was once generated by documentary and reality-style series, but we are now seeing feature length films like Red Snow and Elijah and the Rock Creature, and scripted television series like Alaska Daily and Arctic Air. Recent filming in the territory includes high-profile projects, which remain confidential at this time, but signal strong confidence in the NWT as a place to produce high-quality screen content.

In the past year, we have seen shows like North of North become wildly successful. While it was filmed in Nunavut, this production is an indicator of the significant appetite for Northern stories and the ample space for the Northwest Territories to meet that interest.

Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of talent in the Northwest Territories. Our writers, directors, producers, performers, and technicians continue to demonstrate exceptional creativity and professionalism. They strengthen the territory’s reputation as a place where compelling stories are told authentically and with care.

This flourishing in film has been powered by local producers and organizations like Dead North, the NWT Professional Media Association, and Western Arctic Moving Pictures. In fact, a few big milestones lie ahead for the industry this year. In 2026, Western Arctic Moving Pictures will mark its 25th anniversary, and the Yellowknife International Film Festival will celebrate 20 years of supporting filmmakers, audiences, and screen culture in the North.

The film and media sector is a growing economic driver with real value to the territory, with knock-on benefits to other sectors, like tourism. Data shows that people have travelled to the NWT inspired by something they watched, like Ice Road Truckers, Arctic Air or Alone. The industry also creates new opportunities in smaller communities by hiring locals, like the Alone franchise did in two different seasons, to fill positions as guides, Knowledge holders and wildlife monitors.

Our landscape, our stories, and our people have the ability to tell the rest of the world who we are, showcasing that while there is ample magic here, the Finance Minister was right in the Budget Address: we are not a fairytale. We are real people with the creativity, humour and sheer will to tell the tales of the North in a way that draws attention, attraction and investment from across Canada and around the world. I am confident that the future of filmmaking in the Northwest Territories is ripe with possibility.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.