The Indigenous Cinema Alliance (ICA) announced its 2025 fellowship lineup and the addition of new members to its expanding global network, advancing its mission to elevate Indigenous cinema across continents.
Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury
Following earlier announcements at the Nuuk International Film Festival and Hawai’i International Film Festival, the ICA now completes its 2025 fellowship roster with notable talents, including Emmy winner Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury (Larrakia, Torres Strait Islander), WIFT-NZ’s “Hinterland Woman to Watch” Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa (Samoa), Telefilm’s “Talent to Watch” Darcy Waite (Cree), Glenn Gould Laureate Alanis Obomsawin’s Protégé Prize winner Victoria Anderson-Gardner (Anishinaabe), the first-ever Siekopai filmmaker Jimmy Piaguaje (Siekopai), and Khoikhoi cultural and language revivalist Toroga Denver (Khoikhoi). This diverse group of emerging voices was selected by international Indigenous film organizations that are partners and supporters of the ICA.
2025 ICA Fellows
Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury (Australia) – Winda Film Festival
Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa (Aotearoa, New Zealand) – Pacific Islands Screen Artists (PISA) & NZFC Industry Development Fund
Alberte Parnuuna (Greenland) – Film.GL
Cass Gardiner (Canada/United States) – 4th World Media Lab
Darcy Waite (Canada) – imagineNATIVE
Erin Lau (Hawai‘i, United States) – Pacific Islanders in Communications
Espen Larsson (Sápmi/Norway) – International Sámi Film Institute
Jimmy Piaguaje (Siekopai/Ecuador) – If Not Us Then Who?
Toroga Denver (South Africa) – National Film and Video Foundation
Victoria Anderson-Gardner (Canada) – Indigenous Screen Office
In February, the fellows will attend the European Film Market in Berlin, Germany, where they will showcase six fiction and four documentary projects (two completed, eight in development).
Naomi Johnson, Executive Director of imagineNATIVE, praised the fellowship: “ICA provides a unique platform, uplifting Indigenous filmmakers with international opportunities.” Kerr Sugiyama of the Indigenous Screen Office added, “This fellowship spotlights Indigenous excellence on the global stage.”
New Members Join ICA’s Global Network
Abba Rose
The ICA has also welcomed new members, including Pacific Islands Screen Artists (PISA) from Aotearoa New Zealand, and Mullu and If Not Us Then Who? from Abya Yala (Latin America). PISA, whose participation in ICA is supported by the Goethe-Institut Aotearoa New Zealand, promotes Pasifika voices within New Zealand’s screen sector. “This partnership offers a powerful chance for our Pasifika stories to connect with Indigenous communities worldwide,” said PISA President Nikki Si’ulepa. Anna Kalbhenn, Director of Goethe-Institut Aotearoa New Zealand and former Co-Curator of Berlinale NATIVe (2013–2019), emphasized the collaboration’s importance for cultural exchange.
If Not Us Then Who?, a global collective highlighting Indigenous and Afro-descendant leadership in climate action, joins ICA alongside Mullu, a digital channel amplifying the voices of these communities, and other frontline advocates for anti-colonial and social justice struggles. David Hernández-Palmar, Director of Partnerships and Engagement for If Not Us Then Who?, noted, “Joining ICA allows us to strengthen our voices and connect Indigenous filmmakers internationally.”
These three new partnerships were spearheaded and brokered by ICA’s Project Manager, Amee Lê, and Strategic Advisor, Themba Bhebhe, as part of their ongoing outreach efforts to Indigenous-led organizations.
With this expansion, ICA reaffirms its commitment to bringing Indigenous cinema to international audiences, fostering an inclusive network that spans cultures. ICA’s 2025 film lineup and EFM programming will be announced in January.
