Gender-based analysis plus

As Canada’s public film producer and distributor, the NFB helps foster harmony in Canadian society. The NFB aims to give a voice to communities that are systematically under-represented in the media landscape, both in front of and behind the camera, such as women filmmakers, Indigenous peoples, official-language minority communities (OLMCs), ethnocultural communities, sexual minorities (LGBTQ2), people living with a disability, etc. Its programming bears witness to Canadian diversity and contributes to the country’s social cohesion.

Every activity linked to the NFB’s mandate and core responsibilities (audiovisual programming and production, and accessibility and audience engagement) is subject to a GBA+ and follow-up. In 2016, the NFB added further measures to specifically support gender parity, diversity and inclusion. GBA+ is an integral part of these measures. Here are the main descriptions and key results for 2019-2020:

Gender parity
In 2016, the NFB made formal commitments to achieving gender equity in several key areas, namely by committing that by 2019, 50% of its productions would be directed by women and 50% of its production budgets would be allocated to women directors. In 2017, the NFB extended its commitment to gender equity to include parity by 2020 in key creative positions. The targeted positions are editing, cinematography, scriptwriting, and original music composition.

In March 2020, four years after launching its gender-parity initiative, the NFB announced that it had maintained its goals with regard to the number of productions directed by women and the percentage of the production budget allocated to women creators. More specifically: 47% of NFB works in progress at the time of the announcement were directed by women (39% by men and 14% by mixed teams), and 44% of the NFB’s production spending was allocated to works directed by women (42% to works directed by men and 14% to works directed by mixed teams).

The NFB’s efforts in promoting gender equity were recognized by Women in Governance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of women in all spheres of society, which awarded Platinum Parity Certification to the NFB at its Annual Recognition Gala in September 2019. The NFB is one of the first public cultural institution to receive the highest distinction.

Indigenous Action Plan 2017–2020
In June 2017, the NFB published a three-year plan to redefine its relationship with Indigenous peoples. The plan set out a series of commitments that respond to the work and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee as well as to Indigenous creators’ longstanding concerns about systemic inequities in the existing Canadian production landscape. These commitments included allocating 15% of production spending to Indigenous-directed projects. 

The NFB’s key results include coming close to achieving production targets set out in its 2017–2020 Indigenous Action Plan. The number of Indigenous-directed NFB projects in development or production increased from 30 in 2017–2018 to 40 in 2018–2019. These projects represented 15% of overall NFB production spending; thus the NFB delivered on a key commitment in its Indigenous Action Plan.

The NFB is completing an assessment of results to date for its Indigenous Action Plan (2017–2020) as well as upcoming action on the plan’s 33 commitments, both of which will be released this fall.

Diversity and Inclusion

Ever since the NFB was founded, its mandate has been to make Canada and its diverse voices better known, both to Canadians and to the world. The NFB has the responsibility of better representing the unique perspectives of Canada’s various communities, and telling relevant stories that promote understanding among Canadians. In 2019–2020, 23% of the NFB’s works addressed subjects related to diversity and multiculturalism, while a total of 40 films—53% of all works produced—dealt with issues related to Indigenous people, diversity, disability and discrimination.