Tanner Zurkoski

Tanner Zurkoski is a Cree Metis filmmaker born in Prince Rupert BC and raised in Sto:lo, Nuu-Chah-Nulth, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories. He has been involved in film since his mother, documentary filmmaker Nitanis Desjarlais, had him logging and transferring mini DV tapes of her footage and interviews taken from the front lines of the indigenous resistance movements of the early 2000's. His Kokum Cleo Reece, is one of the founding members of the first indigenous film festivals in Canada, and his Grandfather Victor Reece was a well know Tsimshian Carver. Tanner Studied film production at York University in Toronto, and went on to write, direct, and producer an award winning comedy series for Canal+ entitled "The Village Green". Returning to BC and working in the service production industry has given hum the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented filmmakers, and some less than inspiring ones. Thankfully he has been able to take the skills honed on American TV movies and apply then to something he can feel proud to be a part of. This has led to feeling the pressing need to tell authentic indigenous stories in both his professional and creative work. His most recent creative project, the short film "Whale" is focused on issues of language revitalization and cultural resurgence. Following a young boy returning to his estranged community and how that community opens to guide him. The short has been supported by the Harold Greenberg Fund, Bell media, and the Netflix accelerator fund through the CFC. This project is now being developed into a feature script. Tanner hopes to continue to development both as a professional able to thrive and champion authentic Indigenous storytelling in the Canadian production landscape and as a creative filmmaker in his own right.