Miranda Currie knows a thing or two about resilience.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury in 2011, the Yellowknife artistSA国际影视传媒檚 life was changed forever.

Depressed, facing a long and complicated recovery, Currie found comfort in creating characters and telling stories SA国际影视传媒� first in her head, then on paper.

What started as a personal pastime turned into a career.

Already an accomplished songwriter and musician, Currie published a childrenSA国际影视传媒檚 book, the first of several in her Anna Up North series, in 2013. A childrenSA国际影视传媒檚 musical album followed.

But Currie, a SA国际影视传媒渓ifelong learnerSA国际影视传媒� always looking for the next challenge, is not one stay in her comfort zone.

Currie has set her sights on an unconquered creative frontier: filmmaking.
SheSA国际影视传媒檚 one step closer to getting there.

Set to graduate from the University of VictoriaSA国际影视传媒檚 Indigenous language revitalization program in March, Currie is one of eight students selected for this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 National Screen Institute Canada (NSI) IndigiDocs training course in Winnipeg, a 12-day SA国际影视传媒渂ootcampSA国际影视传媒� aimed at honing the skills of budding Indigenous filmmakers.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was really surprised. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a pretty big honour I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 think I would get,SA国际影视传媒� Currie told Yellowknifer in a recent interview.

Currie, who is of Swampy Cree heritage, will be mentored by industry professionals and top-tier documentarians when the course kicks off next month. Guided by some of the best in the business, including director advisor Shane Belcourt, Currie will learn the tools of the trade, from on-screen story and script development to post-production editing. Currie and fellow students will leave with a market-ready film proposal.

While telling stories on-screen isnSA国际影视传媒檛 new for Currie, she hopes the experience will bring her unique brand of filmmaking to the next level.

Two years ago, she began uploading educational outdoor adventure videos to her Facebook page. From birch syruping demonstrations to identifying animal tracks in the snow, the videos are fun, family-friendly and culturally relevant.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the point.

SA国际影视传媒淎t the core of everything I do, my mission statement is to create Northern Indigenous content thatSA国际影视传媒檚 accessible to children and families,SA国际影视传媒� said Currie.

Currie wants to bring her idea of a Northern Indigenous childrenSA国际影视传媒檚 television show SA国际影视传媒� in the works for some two years now SA国际影视传媒� to life. To make the show reality, Currie said she needs more experience behind the camera. She hopes to gain that experience during the IndigiDocs training course.

Currie recently stepped away from her teaching role at Mildred Hall School to pursue filmmaking full time.

Each student will come to the course with a project idea SA国际影视传媒� a vision they want to bring to life through film. With Tails on Ice, CurrieSA国际影视传媒檚 proposed project, the emerging filmmaker plans to capture the relationship between Indigenous peoples, sled dogs and the land. Once sheSA国际影视传媒檚 gained more industry knowledge, Currie hopes to begin filming in Tuktoyaktuk in the spring, with her own dogs getting leading parts in the project.

CurrieSA国际影视传媒檚 theme? Resilience.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat theme comes from me living through a traumatic brain injury and me living with depression and mental illness, but still finding the strength everyday to get up and produce something that will benefit the world,SA国际影视传媒� said Currie.

With Tails on Ice, like other inspirational and empowering films that resonate with Currie, she aims to highlight the enduring spirit of sled dogs on the land. Unwavering in their determination, Currie draws parallels between the four-legged trekkers and their mushers SA国际影视传媒� both resilient in the face of external pressures.

Currie wants to create an outdoor adventure film that doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 try to SA国际影视传媒渃onquerSA国际影视传媒� nature, a trend she said she sees too often in mainstream movies and television. Rather, Currie is looking to highlight how Indigenous peoples and sled dogs live in harmony SA国际影视传媒� not in combat SA国际影视传媒� with nature.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat is the inspirational part for me. If I can have a story reflect that, then ISA国际影视传媒檒l be super happy with it,SA国际影视传媒� said Currie.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also an opportunity to overturn a longstanding lack of Indigenous representation in outdoor adventure films, said Currie.

Following a hands-on teaching and mentorship in the first week or SA国际影视传媒減hase oneSA国际影视传媒� of the IndigiDocs training course, four of the eight students will be picked by a jury to advance to SA国际影视传媒減hase two.SA国际影视传媒� Selected students will receive a $16,000 and $10,000 of in-kind services to kick-start their career.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou better bet (ISA国际影视传媒檓 planning on being one of the final four),SA国际影视传媒� laughed Currie.