TEDx Vancouver 2026 Speaker Bio


April Johnson

April Johnson

Producer, Kids & Family Television

April Johnson is a filmmaker and producer currently residing in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is of Métis/Nehiyaw (Muskoday First Nation) and European settler descent. She attended the University of Victoria and the Indigenous Digital Film Program (IDF) at Capilano University and has worked as a video-journalist at Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) as well as on numerous Indigenous film and television projects since completing her studies.

In 2017 April participated in Canada’s National Screen Institute (NSI) IndigiDoc course, a development program that provides training and financial assistance for Indigenous documentary filmmakers. With the support of the NSI, April produced the Leo-nominated doc Cedar, Tree of Life, for APTN and the Documentary Channel.

In 2019, April completed the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) mentee program and worked alongside the head of scripted development at Great Pacific Television and Thunderbird Entertainment (TSX-V: TBRD). While working at Great Pacific Television (a Thunderbird Company) she worked as an Associate Producer on Season 1 of Reginald the Vampire, starring Jacob Batalon (Spiderman: Homecoming) for Amazon, Syfy and Hulu.

During the pandemic April produced and directed Stardust, a short documentary chronicling the creation of a memorial blanket for her mother following her brother’s accidental fentanyl overdose. Stardust was screened at both the 2021 Gimli Film Festival as well as Los Angeles Skins Festival. With the support of the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), April also wrote, produced and Directed Serving Shaid, a comedic satire about the Indigenous shopping experience. Serving Shaid has premiered at Los Angeles Skins Fest, the American Indian Film Festival in San Fransisco and Acimowin Film Festival.

In 2022, April began her working relationship with Lark Productions on Season 2 of Farming for Love. With the ensemble cast of Season 2 including an Indigenous 2-Spirit farmer, April worked in casting and scouted an Indigenous dater, thus leading to an Indigenous LGBT2Q+ romantic storyline on CTV, CTV.ca and Crave. April is currently in post-production on a Cree live-action/animation hybrid web-series entitled Kokum & Dot through her production company, Ekosi Productions Inc. She is also a recent graduate of Filmmakers in Indigenous Leadership and Business Affairs (FILMBA) program in partnership with Capilano University.

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