Banff Centre’s Application, Student Registration and Payment Systems, including the Student Portal, will be unavailable from 4pm Tuesday Nov. 5th to 12 noon Wednesday Nov. 6th due to planned maintenance. Any questions please contact admissions@banffcentre.ca.
Want to find out more about upcoming programs? Please subscribe to our mailing list.
Photo by Biliana Panic
Write Over Here is a screenwriting residency where dedicated Indigenous writers are invited to engage with faculty to support the development of their scripts for feature or short films, series and narratives. Participants will meet with the faculty team for both group gatherings and one-on-one sessions; online in Week 1 and in-person for Weeks 2 - 4.
The cohort will come together to connect, share readings, and have deeper discussions on their individual processes. The participants will get feedback on scripts and dedicated personal writing time to advance their work. At the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to present previous work in the 'Community Showcase'; a curated public screening of short films organized by faculty and participants, with the support of our staff team.
Writers will deepen their artistry and technical application with screenwriting mentorship and access to Final Draft Pro. They will create peer relationships, expand their professional networks, and have the opportunity for possible collaborations following their time at Banff Centre.
This program encourages participants to discover best writing practices and discuss ways to engage Indigenous communities in their process. The program is a full-time residency, and participants must dedicate their time to attending gathering sessions, workshops and one-on-ones while giving time to work self-directed, in their private writing studios. For a detailed itinerary of the residency, see below.
This program welcomes writers and screenwriters from Indigenous communities across Canada, United States and internationally. Applicants must be ages 18+ at the time of the program start date.
This hybrid residency is a balance of self-directed writing time, supported by a faculty of four who will offer insight into their creative processes. There will be an opportunity for participants to workshop and present their work in a public event (film or reading) at the end of the residency, if desired. Peers are encouraged to collaborate through sharing work with each other.
Week One: Preparation (Online)
• 1 group session (initial Introductions and preparation for program delivery)
• One-on-one Zoom session with faculty to discuss participant's pre-submitted script
• Participants will be given assigned readings and scripts to review as samples during their time.
Week Two: On-campus
Participants arrive on February 2, 2025. The next day, they will engage in campus orientation and formally meeting faculty, Banff Centre staff, and an Elder or Knowledge Keeper. For the duration of the program, hosting faculty will lead writing workshops, and there will be a chance to sign up for one-on-one sessions.
Week Three: On-campus
The week will begin with a gathering of participants, faculty and staff. This week will include a guest faculty presentation, personal writing time and an organized trip to a film set, or locations in Morley where films were shot.
Week Four: On-campus
The week will begin with a gathering of participants, faculty and staff. This week will include a guest faculty presentation, personal writing time and table-reads of work. A public screening of participants’ and faculty's previous works will take place in one of Banff Centre's theatre venues, with invitations extended to the wider Banff Centre and local community.
Roxann Whitebean is a formidable media artist who hails from the Mohawk Territories of Kahnawà:ke and Akwesasne. She made her directorial debut in 2014 and is represented by Vanguarde Artists Management LTD. as a writer, director and producer. Her work can be seen on the CBC, Paramount +, CBS, APTN, TVO Kids, PBS and film festivals worldwide. She is a National Screen Institute, Women In View and Whistler Film Festival Alumni. She won the International Indigenous Filmmaker Award at the Montréal First Peoples Film Festival and is a recipient of the REVAL Indigenous Arts Award. She has been nominated for Canadian Screen awards and Hot Docs’ Lindalee Tracey Award. She was profiled in Playback Magazine and was selected as a (top 25) for the Diversity of Voices initiative, hosted by the BANFF World Media Festival. Her upcoming releases as a writer and director include Rose, Pulse (doc) & Two Horn (doc). Her work as a writer in scripted narratives include SkyMed and Diggstown4, set to be released in 2023.
Amber-Sekowan Daniels is an Anishininew screenwriter, showrunner and comedian. She was born and raised in Winnipeg and is a band member of Garden Hill First Nation.
Amber is the creator and showrunner of the coming-of-age comedy Don’t Even for Crave and APTN. She was also a co-creator and co-showrunner on season 1 of the CTV Comedy/ APTN series Acting Good. Amber was in the room for CBC’s Trickster and co-wrote on Diggstown III for CBC.
Amber’s stand-up comedy has been featured in the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Oddblock Comedy Festival and on CBC’s The Debaters. She was a participant in the 2018 Whistler Film Festival Indigenous Filmmaker Fellowship and the 2019 Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices initiative. She was awarded Reel World Film Festival’s 2021 Trailblazer award.
Ryan is a Cree, Native American and dual US citizen from the Little Pine Reserve as well as an international award winning writer/director. He has studied at New York’s Circle in the Square Theater School and holds a Joint MFA in Screenwriting and Film Production from The University of British Columbia as well as graduating from Netflix’s Pacific Screenwriting Program in 2021.
He has gathered numerous international awards, grants and screenings and in 2022 was staffed as a Story Editor on the Paramount + series “Skymed” S2. He has also recently completed his first co-write for CW's "Sullivan's Crossing" and is currently repped by 3 Arts out of Beverly Hills.
Your program fee includes a single bedroom on the Banff Centre campus.
Get connected with other artists on campus and focus on your projects in a creative environment while we take care of the day-to-day essentials.
Using a credit-based system to dine on campus, our flexible meal plans allow you to select meals according to your own needs during your stay. Banff Centre can respond to most dietary requests.
The Full Flex meal plan is equivalent to $70 credit per day, equivalent to breakfast, lunch and dinner at our buffet service.
Join in group seminars/workshops.
Join in online lectures and one-to-one consultations with faculty.
The Paul D. Fleck Library and Archives are delighted to support Banff Centre Participants, Artists, and Faculty with access to collections, including program-relevant books, scores, artists’ books, recordings, periodicals, and an object library.
Enrich your experience and get to know other artists on campus by taking advantage of the activities and support provided by our Participant Resources team.
Your program fee includes free access to the swimming pool, climbing gym and fitness suite as well as discounted rates for classes at the Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation Centre.
This program offers opportunities to showcase your work-in-progress in one of our performance venues.
Create in your own private studio.
Application fee: $35
Application fees are non-refundable.
*Scholarship of 100% is available and will be applied to cover tuition, meals and accommodation costs.
If you would like to be considered, please complete the Financial Aid section when uploading your supporting materials.
Banff Centre will issue official tax receipts for eligible tuition fees and financial assistance and awards as required by the Income Tax Act. You will receive a T2202 (Tuition and Enrolment Certificate) for eligible tuition fees paid and a T4A (Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income) for applicable financial assistance and awards.
Help fund your experience at Banff Centre. View a compiled list of national and international opportunities here.
Learn more about the steps to Complete Your Application.
A one-page resume or C.V. describing academic, professional, and other relevant experience.
A 500-word description of why you wish to attend this program, what you hope to learn or achieve, and what impact it could have on your artistic practice.
Please provide a 500-word project proposal / long synopsis. describing the project you intend to work on during the program
Submit a script or outline of the project you will be developing during the residency.
Participants are selected by impartial adjudicators on the basis of their submitted material. In addition to artistic merit, consideration will be given to the likelihood that the artist's work will benefit from the program. Applicants will be notified of their status as soon as adjudication is complete.
Banff Centre welcomes domestic and international applicants for this program. Please note, Banff Centre programs do not meet Canadian Student Visa eligibility requirements, you must obtain a Visitor Visa to enter Canada. Accepted individuals are responsible for identifying and complying with the immigration requirements to enter Canada as a visitor from their country of origin. Current wait times to receive a visa are much longer than normal, so applicants who require a Visitor Visa should check the current expected processing times prior to applying.
Applicants must be ages 18+ at the time of the program start date.
All programs, faculty, dates, fees, and offers of financial assistance are subject to change. Program fee is subject to applicable taxes. Non-refundable fees and deposits will be retained upon cancellation. Any other fees are refunded at the discretion of the Banff Centre. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
For questions on preparing your application, please contact Admissions:
