Favourite Local Filmmaker

1. Ryan Steel

Photo by Keeley Braunstein-Black

1.    Ryan Steel
2.    Guy Maddin
3.    Isaac Würmann

When asked how it felt to have won Favourite Local Filmmaker for the second year in a row, Ryan Steel was both shocked and honoured.

“There’s so many great filmmakers in this city. I was shocked that for some reason I was picked two years in a row. It’s amazing.”

Similarly to the previous year, in 2019, Steel continued to keep busy with a lot of ongoing projects, ranging from music videos to live projection shows for bands to making films.

“I’m working on two films right now that I’m going to be shooting in the next couple months. I’m working on this summer camp epic about unrequited love and the ghost of Louis Riel ... and then I’m working on a documentary about honey dill sauce that’s going to be entirely animated.”

Steel’s creative projects continue to be inspired by Manitoba culture.

“Manitoba as an idea is like the most influential thing for me,” Steel says.

When reflecting on his growth as a filmmaker in the past year, Steel realized the value of working independently.

“It is important to stay independent and work in an environment that is supportive for me and my aspirations,” he says.

“For me, my filmmaking relies entirely on the independent side, and I pretty much just want to work with my friends and enjoy making films instead of treating it like an industry.”

Working in the right environment with the right people is crucial for Steel as he continues with filmmaking in the future.

“Everyone I work with is so awesome and joyful,” Steel says. “I just want to keep working with people who are genuine and nice.”

Published in Volume 74, Number 12 of The Uniter (November 28, 2019)

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