4th Annual East by Northwest (EXNW)

The Racial Equity Screen Office (RSEO) hosts the 4th annual East by Northwest (EXNW) summit in Vancouver, bringing together leading executives, creators, investors, policymakers, and innovators from Canada and across Asia-Pacific.

The summit will also be honouring five groundbreaking racialized creatives whose work has transcended borders and created global impact, including featured guest Randall Park.

4th Annual East by Northwest (EXNW)

• Dates: July 24 – 26, 2026
• Location: Westin Bayshore Hotel (1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver)
• Tickets: Summit passes are available starting at $299, with other special event options available such as the EXNW Ball, which is a separate ticket.

The goal of this year’s summit is to address one of the most urgent challenges facing the screen industry: how to build sustainable audiences, monetize intellectual property, and compete in an increasingly global and technology-driven marketplace.

“Canada’s racialized creators are an untapped screen industry advantage, uniquely positioned to produce culturally connected stories that resonate across both global markets and domestic audiences. EXNW amplifies this competitive edge,” says Barbara Lee, RESO Founder and EXNW Creator & Executive Producer.

This year’s program places a major focus on Canada, Asia-Pacific and the Future of Co-Production, examining how Canadian producers can strengthen relationships across some of the world’s fastest-growing content markets, including South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and the Philippines.

Panels and industry discussions will explore new approaches to co-production, financing structures, soft money incentives, and international market access, creating pathways for Canadian stories to scale globally.

Schedule at a Glance

The three-day event opens on Friday, July 24 with the EXNW AI Filmmaking Hack-a-Thon, exploring the growing impact of artificial intelligence on how content is created, produced, distributed, and monetized. As Canada continues to invest heavily in AI research, infrastructure, and technology development, the event will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to examine the policies and safeguards needed to support innovation while protecting creators, intellectual property, and the long-term sustainability of Canada’s screen sector.

The EXNW Ball and Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 25 honouring racialized creatives, past, present, and emerging, whose work continues to shape and transform technology, entertainment, and media.

Featured guests include acclaimed actor, writer, director, and producer Randall Park, best known for Fresh Off the Boat, Always Be My Maybe, and his role as Jimmy Woo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Park will participate in an exclusive fireside conversation with Julie Kim.

The EXNW Global Connector Award will be presented to five groundbreaking racialized creatives whose work has transcended borders and created global impact:

• Randall Park (in recognition of his contributions to film and television and his role in advancing authentic representation of Asian diaspora communities on screen)
• Prem Gill (former CEO of Creative BC)
• Lalita Krishna (Chair, Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators)
• Jose Javier Reyes (Chairperson and CEO, Film Development Council of the Philippines) 
• Larry Grant (Elder-in-Residence, First Nations House of Learning, University of British Columbia) 

On Sunday, July 26 the summit wraps up with a High Tea Service, and additional AI and film talks. View the full agenda online.

With its focus on future-proofing the screen industry through innovation, international collaboration, and creator empowerment, EXNW 2026 hope to continues to build momentum as a key platform for advancing Canada’s position in the global content economy. Follow on Instagram for updates.

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