Training the Next Generation of Indigenous Creatives on the Set of ‘You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah’

Two years ago we created the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity and committed $100 million USD to help build new opportunities for underrepresented communities within entertainment. The Fund supports programs created to develop the next generation of Indigenous creators in Canada and  we were excited to give three up-and-coming below-the-line artisans the opportunity to learn more about their craft on the set of our new film You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah. 

Bert Whitecrow, Riley Assinewa, and Morgan Spence were the inaugural participants of the imagineNATIVE Institute’s Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area (GTHA) Below-the-Line Mentorship program, supported by Netflix and IATSE-873. Announced in June 2022, the mentorship is designed for Indigenous creatives looking to begin or expand on a career in the art department of a long-form production.

Each mentee worked in a different department — Whitecrow in dressing/sewing, Assinewa in carpentry and Spence in set decor — on set alongside industry leaders while the film was in production in the GTHA last summer. The paid program lasted five weeks and also provided additional support for transportation, living expenses, and child care if needed.

"It's such a unique experience that I've been a part of and such a crucial one to start building bridges between Indigenous communities within North America" said Spence. "They gave us the confidence and told us you don't need to know the history of filmmaking and all that, you just need to know how to use the gear. That's what they will teach you and give you hands-on experience".

"The opportunity to partner with Netflix on the Below the Line Mentorships supported the imagineNATIVE Institutes' continued efforts towards providing professional development opportunities for Indigenous Creatives in the Film + Television Industry,” said Jamie-Lee Reardon, imagineNATIVE Institute Manager from Flying Post First Nation Treaty 9. “As imagineNATIVE works closely with our communities, it is clear there is a need for more working Indigenous crew members in the on-screen sector. Mentorships like this recognize the transferable skill sets that can build a strong foundation to begin a career working on-set in the film industry." 

There will be a second edition of this initiative with more details to come soon.

Written for the screen by Alison Peck, directed by Sammi Cohen, and produced by Happy Madison and Alloy Entertainment, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah centers on BFFs Stacy and Lydia who are both planning epic bat mitzvahs. But it all unravels when a popular boy — and middle school drama — threaten to ruin everything. 

The film is now streaming on Netflix. Find out more about the three mentees below:

Bert Whitecrow - Dresser/Sewer mentee

Bert Whitecrow is a Two-Spirited, multidisciplinary artist from Seine River First Nation. Their work explores methods of storytelling through preserving and practicing ancestral knowledge. They attended the Indigenous Visual cultures program at OCAD University and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2022. Bert explores the ideas of Indigenous futurisms, the belief of inherent queerness in nature, and their relationship to place throughout their artistic practice. Bert has worked within community arts for five years as a facilitator and artist.

Morgan Spence -  Set Decorator mentee

Morgan Spence is a proud Mushkegowuk (Swampy Cree) from Moosonee, Ontario. She moved to Toronto in 2020 and recently graduated from the Indigenous Production Assistant Training Program with POV and Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment & Training. She currently works as a Production Assistant in film and television. Prior to working in the industry, she worked closely with the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres as well as working in the youth department for the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto. She continues to support and be an active community member with these and other related organizations that focus on uplifting and supporting Indigenous youth and community.

Riley Assinewai - Carpenter mentee

Riley is an Ojibwe man currently based in Toronto who grew up in WIkwemikoong, Ontario, located on Manitoulin Island. In 2018, Riley got the opportunity to go to Scotland and work on Outlander, and since then, he has worked on various shows as an actor. Most recently, he had the chance to help behind the camera on a film. Now, Riley is interested in working more on set in all areas, behind and in front of the camera.