Two Yellowknife filmmakers will have their work screened in Toronto after winning a contest that gave them only 48 hours to create their final video production.

The contest, dubbed National 48, was presented by Western Arctic Moving Pictures (WAMP) and described on the WAMP website as 鈥渁 Canada-wide short film festival that aims to discover, cultivate and celebrate rising Canadian talent in film, music, aural and visual design, and the performing arts.

Jonny Vu and Kai Walden, both from Yellowknife, are the winners and they will now have their works screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Bell Lightbox Theatre as part of the 48-Hour Film Festival.

The contest is in its second year, said Bran Ramsey, executive director of WAMP.

鈥淚t is run in every province or territory in Canada,鈥� Ramsey said of the contest that produced two local winners. 鈥淭his year we had four teams and they were judged on cinematography, acting and whether the film was cohesive. Bonus points were given if they added a different language or local music (and) creative freedom reigned.鈥�

Rising talent

For Vu, it was an exciting moment to win the contest because filmmaking is something he has always wanted to do.

His winning entry was No Lo Hagas (Don鈥檛 Do It).

鈥淚 have always loved film. But it was the Spike Jonze film, 鈥楬er鈥� that changed my life, for some weird reason. It was a film about a guy going through a divorce and he falls in love with an AI,鈥� Vu said of how his interest in the creative filmmaking process began. 鈥淚 remember leaving the theatre and I just had to know everything about it. And I went on YouTube and searched interviews and commentaries and I started spiralling down into how films were made and stuff like that.鈥�

That interest began Vu鈥檚 budding filmmaking career.

鈥淚 participated in a few short films in Toronto when I was there a few years ago when I was just starting up. A lot of coworkers asked me when I graduated film school but I didn鈥檛 - I just honestly love it so much that I went on YouTube and was proactive about it,鈥� Vu said of his desire to learn and to become a filmmaker. 鈥淵ou just have got to really love what you are doing and then other people can see that as well.鈥�

He said winning the contest will help him stay on his toes and to strike while the iron is hot, which helps him to maintain his creativity.

鈥淚鈥檝e got five screenplays going on right now, so I am going to try and shoot some more films.鈥�

Vu said filmmaking in general is a team sport and he was appreciative of his team鈥檚 support in his filmmaking and he is glad he entered the contest.

鈥淚 am really super happy that everybody was there and I got to meet some new and really cool people. I feel like I am going to be working with them for a long time.鈥�

Vu鈥檚 other films include You May Kiss the Bride, Friends That Kill, and A Close Eye.

Now in filmmakers鈥� circle

Walden鈥檚 winning entry was titled Get the Lead Out. He made his first short film The Possessed Child for the 2019 Dead North Film festival and was nominated for best practical effects.

He continues to make short films and content for his YouTube channel 鈥� Blob Dude 鈥� and enjoys working with special effects, editing and animation.

In 2022, his short film 鈥淟ast Halloween鈥� took top prize, winning Best Picture at the Okotoks 24-hour horror film competition in Alberta.

鈥淚t was really fun to participate,鈥� Walden said of his newest winning entry. 鈥淭he coolest part was to see it on a big screen in the theatre and having an audience watch it.鈥�

Full complement

On the organizational side of things, Ramsey said for the first time ever, WAMP will have a complete governance board of six directors who will support and boost the year-round activities and constant programming that they do annually.

鈥淚t is always good to bring more voices to the table and to help generate more ideas and directions to go and create discourse where there wasn鈥檛 discourse before,鈥� Ramsey said. 鈥淭hey have different backgrounds and different expertise levels that it is really exciting and exciting to have more people participating. 鈥�

Ramsey said it is great that WAMP is able to offer support to new talent and that the National 48 contest is one example of that.

鈥淯ltimately, the films are great and people are very talented. It is great to see participation and community buy-in and interest.鈥�