RBC $15,000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition Marks 15 Years of Launching Manitoba’s Next Generation of Filmmaking Talent
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, July 3, 2026 — For a milestone 15th year, the RBC $15,000 Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition returns to the Gimli International Film Festival, celebrating over a decade and a half of turning bold ideas into real films and launching the careers of Manitoba's emerging filmmaking talent.
Five emerging filmmakers will pitch live on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 10 a.m. at the Gimli Theatre in Gimli, Manitoba.
This year's finalists are:
● Cogie Cogan – Still, We Are
● Boma Cookey-Gam – Pioneering The Wind: Breaking the Sound Barrier
● John Luke – Sun Shower
● Kenji Dyck – Ojichan's Photos
● Meg Robinson – Unclean
“For 15 years, this competition has proven that Manitoba filmmakers are full of great ideas. Tools and ways of telling stories have evolved over that time, but this competition has always given emerging filmmakers the resources and encouragement to stay true to their craft," said Kathleen Michaluk, RBC Regional Vice President, Agassiz. "RBC believes that investing in ideas is investing in community. And there's no better example than the extraordinary talent we've seen bring their most ambitious ideas to life right here. We're proud to celebrate this milestone alongside Manitoba's next great storytellers”.
The winning filmmaker will receive:
● $15,000 from RBC
● $5,000 Equipment Rental Grant Certificate from Cinelease
● Mentorship from the National Screen Institute
● $5,000 in in-kind rentals from Winnipeg Film Group
● $3,000 in-kind support from Talon Production Services
● One-year membership and training support from Film Training Manitoba
● Premiere screening at the 2027 Gimli International Film Festival
● Eligibility to apply for up to $10,000 through Manitoba Film and Music's Grant Program for Emerging Talent and Micro-Budget Production Fund
“The RBC Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition plays an incredible role in helping develop Manitoba’s filmmakers. We were incredibly impressed by the quality and creativity of this year’s submissions, and we’re looking forward to seeing the five finalists bring their ideas to life at the Gimli International Film Festival as they share their vision with the audience and judges.” Said Film Training Manitoba’s Executive Director Adam Smoluk.
“Fifteen years in, this competition has become one of the true heartbeats of the GIFF,” said Teya Zuzek, Executive Director of the Gimli International Film Festival. “There's nothing like watching the finalists pitch their projects. That's what this milestone anniversary is really about: not just the money or the mentorship, but the belief that Manitoba's next great filmmakers are already here."
Since its launch in 2012, the RBC Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition has helped launch the careers of dozens of Manitoba filmmakers, providing funding, mentorship, and production support to bring their stories from page to screen. This year's milestone anniversary celebrates 15 years of that legacy and the continued growth of Manitoba's film industry.
This year's finalists will pitch before a jury of three acclaimed film industry leaders: Gail Maurice, an award-winning Métis director, writer, producer and actor whose newest feature Blood Lines will be playing at this year’s festival; Leslie Supnet, Executive Director of the Winnipeg Film Group and an accomplished moving image artist whose work has screened at TIFF and the International Film Festival Rotterdam; and Ellen Rutter, a veteran producer and line producer spanning over 50 film and TV projects, with credits including Capote, Curse of Chucky, and Channel Zero.
The RBC Emerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition is presented by RBC, in partnership with the Gimli International Film Festival and Film Training Manitoba.
About the Gimli International Film Festival Since 2001, the Gimli International Film Festival has welcomed thousands to the shores of Lake Winnipeg for screenings of local, national and international feature films, documentaries, short films and experimental media. The festival's premiere event, the RBC Beach Screenings, takes place nightly during the five-day festival and draws audiences from across Manitoba and around the world.
About Film Training Manitoba Film Training Manitoba (FTM) is a non-profit sector council dedicated to providing high-caliber training and professional development programs to sustain and grow Manitoba's film industry workforce. FTM works closely with industry partners to identify training needs and deliver hands-on workshops, internships, mentorships and skills upgrades that support entry-level and advanced crew development across the province.
For more information please contact:
Terri Abrey
Media Coordinator
Email: media@gimlifilm.com