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Good Morning 

The Racial Equity Screen Office (RESO) is grateful to be working and gathering on the Unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territory also known as Vancouver. We are fortunate to have Larry Grant from the Musqueam Nation here to provide an Indigenous Welcome and Blessing to officially open East by Northwest Global Summit.

Land Acknowledgement, Welcome and Opening Remarks

Government & Industry Welcome

EXNW is supported, in part, by a contribution from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program.

Over the past five years, the Racial Equity Screen Office (RESO) has expanded on the 30 years of foundational work by the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) to elevate racialized creatives through mentorship, industry programs, market access, and export opportunities in Asia Pacific. This snapshot highlights the work RESO does year round and welcomes collaboration to create greater export opportunities across Asia Pacific and beyond.

EXNW is supported, in part, by a contribution from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program.

Join Jasmeet Raina for an intimate fireside chat on his journey from digital creator to actor to showrunner and storyteller across platforms. From building a loyal audience online to creating premium television, Jasmeet will share insights on audience building, creative ownership, authenticity, and navigating an industry where the lines between social media, streaming, and traditional media continue to blur. This conversation explores the evolving creator economy and what it takes to build a sustainable creative career while staying true to your voice and community. A must-attend session for creators, producers, executives, and emerging storytellers alike.

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Lalita Krishna will present CISF Connect, the Canadian Independent Screen Fund's national audience engagement initiative. The program combines strategic marketing support with community-based Film Engagement Specialists who connect Canadian films with local audiences through partnerships and screenings. CISF Connect strengthens discoverability, audience development, and long-term engagement with Canadian screen stories.

How does a game evolve from a creative idea into a global franchise that spans platforms, audiences, and industries? This panel brings together perspectives from an independent developer, a publishing and marketing partner, a global entertainment brand, and a live-service ecosystem leader to explore how modern games have become evolving worlds rather than static products. The discussion follows the full lifecycle of a game - from early concept and audience discovery to global launch, scaling, and long-term franchise development. It also examines how ongoing content updates, player communities, and real-time feedback loops are reshaping game design and engagement. Beyond launch success, the panel explores what transforms games into sustainable intellectual property, including marketing, localization, talent partnerships, and cross-media expansion into film and television. Together, the speakers unpack how gaming has become a blueprint for building participatory, continuously evolving entertainment ecosystems in a globally connected marketplace.

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Fandom has become one of the most powerful forces shaping what gets made, discovered, and sustained in global entertainment. But can fandom be intentionally built, or does it emerge from the unpredictable intersection of story, timing, community, and culture? Bringing together leaders from entertainment, technology, media, and digital communities, this panel explores how modern fandom forms, scales, and creates lasting cultural and commercial value. The discussion explores what transforms audiences into passionate communities, examining the roles of storytelling, identity, participation, and shared experiences in building lasting connections. Speakers will discuss how fandom influences the evolution of intellectual property, inspires user-generated content and community engagement, and creates enduring cultural impact that extends far beyond the original work. Attendees will gain practical insights into fostering authentic fan communities that strengthen brands, sustain franchises, and build long-term value.

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EXNW is supported, in part, by a contribution from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program.

Miriam Kramer, Executive Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at OCAD University, offers a dynamic snapshot of the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD U, a national network dedicated to shaping Canada’s cultural policy landscape. Touching on inclusive cultural policy development, international collaboration, and creative sector resilience, this lightning talk will highlight the Hub’s growing impact and the initiatives positioning it as a national leader for cultural innovation.

As the APAC screen sector becomes increasingly competitive and financially complex, success now depends on navigating fragmented financing systems, evolving incentives, and cross-border collaboration at scale. This session brings together senior leaders in production, financing, and international dealmaking to examine how projects are actually structured, funded, and moved forward across the region. The discussion will explore what content is being greenlit in a profitability-driven streaming environment, how shifting platform strategies are reshaping commissioning, and how producers can work across diverse regulatory and funding landscapes. It will also address where co-productions succeed or fail, how market access is secured, and what it takes to build sustainable partnerships across Asia-Pacific. Attendees will gain practical insight into financing strategies, deal structures, and pathways to get projects from development to distribution in one of the world’s most dynamic screen markets.

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EXNW is supported, in part, by a contribution from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program.

Join the Mosquers team for a preview session ahead of the launch of their Inclusivity Guide, coming this September. This short presentation shares current research findings on accessibility, inclusion, and culturally responsive practices within the Canadian audiovisual sector. The session will also feature a case study with a Muslim artist, highlighting lived experiences in the industry. Designed as a lead-up to the guide’s launch, it offers insight into practical challenges and emerging recommendations for more equitable screen industry environments.

From the global rise of K-pop to the international success of K-dramas, films, and digital content, South Korea has become one of the most influential creative forces in global entertainment and IP development. This session brings together speakers whose experience spans pioneering Korea's global music exports, leading international content partnerships and co-productions, and developing globally successful entertainment formats and cross-market business strategies. Together, they will explore how global partners can effectively collaborate with Korean studios, labels, and content companies. The discussion will examine how Korea’s creative and production ecosystem differs from North America, how IP is developed for global success, and how Korean companies strategically connect with international markets across television, film, music, and digital platforms. Speakers will share practical insights into partnership models, cultural considerations, financing approaches, and the realities of working with one of the world’s most dynamic and export-driven entertainment industries.

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☛ FINANCE SUPER PANEL ☚

In today's screen industry, there is no longer a single path to getting a project made. As broadcasters scale back, streamers become more selective, and production costs continue to evolve, producers must navigate an increasingly complex financing landscape to assemble projects through a strategic mix of public funding, tax incentives, private equity, international co-productions, pre-sales, service financing, strategic partnerships and emerging sources of capital.

This fast-paced, deal-room style conversation brings together leaders from every stage of the financing ecosystem, the panel will examine how projects are packaged, financed, de-risked and positioned for production and distribution. From government incentives and private investment to post-production financing, international partnerships and technology-driven efficiencies, panelists will share how multiple sources of capital work together to move projects from concept to completion.

Whether you're developing your first feature, financing a series, or building an international slate, this session offers practical insights into structuring competitive financing strategies, attracting investment, and navigating a screen industry where success depends not on finding a single greenlight, but on building the right financing stack.

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EXNW is supported, in part, by a contribution from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program.

Not every film is suited for international co-production, so what makes the ideal candidate? This panel brings together experienced producers to explore the creative, financial, and market considerations that determine whether a project is a strong fit for collaboration, using horror, action, and comedy as case studies and spotlighting the growing partnership between Canada and the Asia Pacific region. Panelists will discuss why genre films are particularly well suited to this pairing: producers can localize and produce at lower cost across Asia Pacific markets, testing a project's reception before committing to a full English-language adaptation once results prove strong, allowing genre stories to transcend cultural and language barriers while giving each partner meaningful creative and production value. Through real-world examples, the discussion examines how successful genre projects are developed, financed, packaged, and positioned for both local audiences and international distribution.

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EXNW is supported, in part, by a contribution from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program.

Entertainment is no longer defined by a single screen, format, or business model. Mobile-first platforms, vertical dramas, creator-led content, branded entertainment, and AI-powered production are transforming how stories are developed, discovered, and monetized. As audiences shift their viewing habits, creators must rethink not only how they tell stories, but how they build audiences and sustainable businesses around them. This panel brings together leaders in vertical storytelling, platform strategy, digital audience growth, and global media to explore the convergence of creative innovation and commercial opportunity.

Speakers will examine why microdramas have become one of the fastest-growing entertainment formats, how platforms use audience insights to shape content, and how vertical storytelling can serve as a testing ground for new ideas, characters, and intellectual property with the potential to expand into film, television, and other formats. The discussion will also explore how creator ecosystems, educational media, branded partnerships, and cross-border strategies are creating new pathways for audience growth, financing, distribution, and global revenue opportunities. Attendees will gain practical insights into building audiences, creating sustainable content models, and developing stories that can travel across platforms and global markets.

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Join acclaimed actor, writer, director, and producer Randall Park for an intimate conversation about a career spanning more than 150 film and television credits. From his breakout role as Louis Huang on Fresh Off the Boat and fan-favorite appearances as Jimmy Woo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to co-writing and starring in the hit Netflix film Always Be My Maybe, Park has become one of the most recognizable and versatile talents working today. He is also widely remembered as “Asian Jim” from one of The Office’s most iconic cold opens. This conversation will also explore the evolution of Asian male characters across his career, and how shifting representation in Hollywood has changed the kinds of stories, roles, and opportunities available to a new generation of performers.

Moderated by Julie Kim, an international headliner and one of Canada’s top comedians, known for sharp, joyful comedy about family, identity, ambition, parenting, and everyday chaos.

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Step onto the purple carpet and into an evening charged with style, energy and connection. The Pre-ball reception is the perfect prelude to the EXNW Ball, where trail blazers gather to spark connection and creativity. Strike a pose on the purple carpet, enjoy a drink and immerse yourself in an atmosphere buzzing with possibility. This exclusive evening event is your chance to celebrate, mingle, and make memories.