After more than four years at the helm of the organization, Christa Dickensen is stepping down as Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. A decision “difficult to make”, but encouraged by the “sense of accomplishment”.
Posted at 3:30 p.m.
“There has been an incredible and significant transformation in recent years,” notes the outgoing director, who will leave her place on September 9. Christa Dickensen makes it clear from the outset: it has always been a question for her of completing only one term in the seat of head of the state body. “It’s important to leave room for others and to have a good transition,” she says.
After great challenges that she considers overcome, the time has come to pass the torch and look to new opportunities (which she cannot talk about at the moment). His motto when he arrived in office, in the summer of 2018? ” Update [Téléfilm] she replies. “We have adapted our programs in order to remove barriers to access. These are changes that we made with the industry, after listening to it. »
Thus, over the past four years, under the leadership of Christa Dickensen, Telefilm has launched the largest pan-Canadian consultation on the Success Index, as well as the Development Program and the Talent to Watch Program. Additional funding of 105 million over a period of three years has been granted by the government. For meme Dickensen, it was a question of establishing bases that would last. For example, “we have a third-language committee so that creators who have projects in a language other than French, English or an Aboriginal language can submit their work. It will change a lot of things for submissions in the future, ”she observes.
One challenge that no one could have anticipated was the pandemic and its disastrous impact on the industry. Telefilm now administers the Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian Audiovisual Productions and has obtained additional funds to support the recovery of the arts and culture sector.
“One thing I’m proud of internally is that we’ve achieved gender parity,” said Ms.me Dickensen. It’s a big success for the whole team. This team, she continues to praise it. “We have more than 200 experts within Telefilm,” she says.
If she had to give only one piece of advice to the person who will succeed her, it would be to always “listen” to these experts, but also to the industry. “You have to listen to them and have the will to make changes if necessary, as we did with COVID-19 and which made us stronger in the end. »