FilmNorth

A HOME FOR EVERY STORY

FilmNorth marked its 35th anniversary by announcing its most ambitious project to date: the acquisition of the historic Clarence Johnston designed building at 2441 University Avenue West in St. Paul’s Creative Enterprise Zone. The 24,000 square foot building is now co-owned by FilmNorth and D/O Architects and anchored by a new, state-of-the-art, 10,000 square foot media arts center, providing classrooms, meeting spaces, editing rooms, and indoor and outdoor cinemas—all in a building that is responsibly developed with its carbon footprint front-of-mind.

FilmNorth’s new home recognizes and supports the extraordinary talent that resides in the North. Our artists include Oscar, Emmy, Clio and Independent Spirit nominees and winners; Guggenheim, Bush, McKnight, and Nicholl Fellows; and artists who have had their extraordinary work featured at the world’s most prestigious film festivals: from Sundance, Tribeca, New York, SXSW, and Telluride to Berlin, Toronto, Venice, and Busan. You’ll find their work on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, PBS, the History Channel, HGTV and more.

These artists and more—including those at leading companies and advertising agencies based in Minnesota like Target, Best Buy, General Mills, and the Mayo Clinic—create jobs and inject millions of dollars into Minnesota’s economy each year. And we’re especially proud of their powerful work that champions social justice causes and strives to create a more equitable and inclusive world for us all.

From our first contact with young artists in our Studio Thirteen after-school program, FilmNorth tells everyone who walks through our doors that their stories matter. Our new home is a special and unique center for creativity—an educational and laboratory space for storytellers based in the North that will create opportunity, increase access and remove barriers to film production, and propel the region into a new and exciting future where the sky is the limit for our artists and creative community.

Please join us in supporting our incredible filmmaking community!

FilmNorth inspires and provides opportunities for all media artists in The North to thrive, with a commitment to eliminate disparities for those who identify as Black, Indigenous and people of color, people with a disability, undocumented, rural, low income, and LGBTQIA2+ people, women, and those embodying intersections of these identities. 

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MISSION AND HISTORY

FilmNorth’s mission is to empower artists to tell their stories, launch and sustain successful careers, and advance The North as a leader in the national network of independent filmmakers. We achieve our mission by nurturing a vibrant, diverse community of film and media artists; providing education and resources at every stage of their careers; and celebrating their achievements.

FilmNorth was founded in 1987 as Independent Feature Project Minnesota in recognition that independent filmmakers needed a support network to help them create their work outside of the legacy studio system. In the 1990s IFP Minnesota merged with Film in the Cities and Midwest Media Access Center, becoming the largest filmmaker service organization in the region. In 2017 the organization rebranded itself as FilmNorth to more accurately describe our commitment to and impact on filmmaking in the region. Today our support of the art of visual storytelling encompasses screenwriting, filmmaking and photography. We nurture and launch national caliber talent, then gather to celebrate their achievements.

FilmNorth offers several opportunities for Minnesota artists at every stage of their careers. 

Empowering Youth: Youth Education includes residencies in schools and with youth-serving organizations, workshops, mentorships, internships, Studio Thirteen Future Filmmakers Lab for youth transitioning into a film career, and summer camps. Over 800 served.

Deepening Professional Knowledge: Our Education and Professional Development Programs offers over 100 classes, multiple Master Classes, the annual two-day FilmNorth Forum, and workshops with industry leaders from across the nation. Over 600 participants.

Providing Financial Support: Fellowships and fiscal sponsorship allow artists to make their project a reality. Over 50 fiscally sponsored projects, which includes consultation on new work, and four McKnight Media Artist Fellowships.

Expanding Audiences:  New work is screened at CinemaLounge in the Bill Pohlad Cinema at FilmNorth and Independent Spirit Award screenings at the Walker Art Center. Over 2,000 audience members at 40 screenings per year.

Changing Lives: FilmNorth gives new, emerging, and established filmmakers a foundation to reach their dreams through low-cost access to editing suites, classrooms, meeting space and filmmaking equipment.