Vancouver's Tracey Friesen remembered for long-standing commitment to social and environmental justice
The former executive producer at the National Film Board of Canada believed in the power of documentary filmmaking to drive social change
Tracey Friesen.
VANCOUVER’S LATE TRACEY Friesen is being remembered for her long-standing commitment to social and environmental justice.
The former executive producer at the National Film Board of Canada, where she worked for over a decade, believed strongly in the power of documentary filmmaking to effect social change. With the NFB, she earned credit on nearly 40 film and digital projects, including Being Caribou, ScaredSacred and SHAMELESS: The ART of Disability
Friesen died on January 6 after being diagnosed with cancer in September.
In a post yesterday, Creative BC called Friesen “an irreplaceable figure in British Columbia’s motion picture industry”. She had helped the organization promote sustainable production practices and championed systemic change.
“News of her passing comes as a painful blow to everyone who worked alongside Tracey during her 11+ years with the NFB in Vancouver, where she was a cherished colleague and wonderful spirit,” Suzanne Guèvremont, government film commissioner and chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada, said in a statement today. “As everyone who knew her can attest, she was a fantastic person, so full of energy and ideas and life, and her loss is keenly felt at the NFB.”
Friesen was born on BC’s central coast and raised in Deep Cove, and studied for her MBA at SFU. In 2016, Friesen published Story, Money, Impact: Funding Media for Social Change, a DIY guide for documentary producers. The book led to the founding of Story Money Impact, a charity that continues to encourage courageous filmmakers who are driving systemic change.
In 2020, Friesen joined the Canadian Media Producers Association as the managing vice president of the CMPA BC Branch. During her time with the organization, she championed many sustainability initiatives and was the inaugural staff lead on the CMPA’s sustainability and climate action committee.
Reynolds Mastin, president and CEO of CMPA, described Friesen as a “bright light”. “She was relentless in her belief in the power of media to drive positive social change, and as a leader, her optimism was truly infectious,” Mastin said in a post this week. “She cared deeply about people and about the planet. And this is reflected in the impact she made throughout her career—as a producer at the NFB, as the founder of Story Money Impact, and as a champion of independent producers, leading the CMPA-BC Branch. She will be deeply, deeply missed.”
“Tracey had a deep, even spiritual, connection to British Columbia—both the land and its people,” added Trevor Hodgson, chair of the CMPA-BC branch council. “Drawing on this passion, she was an inspirational leader and strong advocate for BC’s independent producers, who was deeply engaged in her work, and extremely supportive of our CMPA-BC members.”
Prior to joining the CMPA, Friesen was the director of communications and engagement at the David Suzuki Foundation.
Telefilm Canada said Friesen was a true champion of Canadian talent. “Her positivity and dedication have left an indelible mark on our industry,” the organization stated. “From her tireless championing of sustainable filmmaking to her belief in creating social impact through documentaries at Story Money Impact, to her leadership at the CMPA, her career has inspired us all to strive for, and believe in, a better future. She will be deeply missed.”
Friesen was also a former board member of the Whistler Film Festival Society. WFFS executive director Angela Heck stated: “Tracey truly loved the festival and shared how much of a special place it held in her heart. Tracey and I worked together at the National Film Board for many years and our paths have intertwined ever since. I have relied on her insight, advice, and friendship for almost a quarter century. It is a personal and professional loss that reverberates through our community now. Her positive energy and decisive, thoughtful demeanour could cut to the heart of an issue with precision, clarity and kindness. Her mischievous blue eyes and sparkle are remembered with fondness.”
Friesen helped launch Roundhouse Radio 98.3 Vancouver as its first director of programming. Other organizations she was involved with include Social Venture Partners, Women in Film & TV Vancouver, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & TV. 
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