Geordie Day | Top 40 Under 40 2025

Age: 35

Occupation: Filmmaker, NightSchool Films/Two Canoes Media

Geordie Day had always dreamed of being a travel documentarian. In 2022, that dream took him to Rome to film Pope Francis’s apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system. As Day watched Indigenous peoples from Canada dance in full regalia, with drums echoing through St. Peter’s Square, he had an important realization.

“I didn’t need to go abroad to find profound beauty and culture; it was all around me, right here at home,” Day says. “There’s incredible richness and diversity in Indigenous communities across Alberta, and I’m lucky to be able to film it.”

Day has shared powerful stories about political and social issues by collaborating with Cree/Iroquois/French journalist Brandi Morin on five Indigenous rights documentaries. Their 2023 film, Killer Water, exposes the coverup of water pollution in and around Fort Chipewyan, Alta., and its impacts on Indigenous communities living in Alberta’s oilsands region, and won the 2024 Canadian Hillman Prize — one of journalism’s highest honours.

His 2015 documentary, Unnatural Enemies, tackled Alberta’s controversial attempts at wolf management, and won the Genesis Award from the American Humane Society in 2016. He has also directed and produced more than 50 episodes of documentary television for major platforms. His feature film, Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story (2019), hit U.S. theatres, topped iTunes charts in Canada and earned strong revenue in the video-on-demand market, a rarity for independent Canadian documentaries.

Day’s international recognition has consistently shed light on important issues, all while showcasing the strength of Calgary’s film industry. As the owner of Calgary-based NightSchool Films and a partner at Two Canoes Media, Day also creates lucrative video campaigns for major brands including McDonald’s and DoorDash, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with Calgary’s film industry.

“There’s a lot of opportunity here, not just in traditional filmmaking, but also in corporate and branded content, which has helped me build a sustainable career,” he says.

Thank yous
“My wife, Hao; my parents, Kirstie and Larry; my twin, Paul; the rest of my family; my business partner, Holly Fortier (Two Canoes Media); my journalism partner, Brandi Morin; and everyone who has trusted me with their story.”