Press Release: imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Showcases Media Artists Of All Backgrounds As Part Of Their 2023 Special Events Lineup
Toronto - Returning for another year of digital festivities, the
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival (imagineNATIVE) will feature 21 digital and
interactive works from Indigenous artists from around the world. This year’s festival
theme aims to showcase works that “make our spaces feel like visiting
grandma/totah/kookum.”
Kicking off the festivities will be this year’s Welcome Gathering featuring Manitou
Mkwa Singers, Cotee Harper, Skye Dancers, and Poet Jennifer Alicia, followed by the
Opening Night Party, sponsored by CBC, with multiple DJs performing, including
headliner Boogey The Beat. On October 18, 2023 imagineNATIVE’s Art Crawl will take over multiple venues and gallery spaces to bring 7 exhibitions and 19 artists to the city for an interactive multi-gallery experience.
Back for another year is the iNdigital Space and imagineNATIVE Arcade open from
October 18 to October 21, 2023, at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Gallery for free. Presented
alongside iNdigital Space partners SEGA, East Side Games, and Ontario Creates, this
large-scale presentation invites you to see, listen, and play with the diverse Official
Selection, which includes VR, 360, AR, video games, and interactive web and digital
media works.
For Indigenous screen industry professionals, imagineNATIVE’s Industry Days is
hosting several meetings, panels, and networking events throughout the festival
including the imagineNATIVE + APTN lumi Web Series Pitch, the New Media
Masterclass, a Two-Spirit + Indigiqueer Storytelling panel, an AI + the Industry panel
and a Directing from Film to TV panel.
The festival also announced this year’s film programming which can be found here
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival along with its many year-round
activities are made possible with the support of public funders, foundations, and
donors. imagineNATIVE acknowledges and gives appreciation to the Canada Council
for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Ministry of
Ontario, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Creates, Telefilm Canada, and Miziwe Biik.
For more information on this year’s festival, visit imagineNATIVE.org/festival.
To purchase tickets to the Festival, visit imagineNATIVE.org/festival/box-office.
- The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
(imagineNATIVE) announced its 2023 programming today at its press launch event in
Toronto. This year’s programming features films from around the globe spanning 74
Indigenous Nations and 40 Indigenous languages, including Māori, Innu-aimun,
Inuktitut, Northern Sami, and Yakut to name a few.
This year’s theme of “homecoming” will ensure feelings of welcoming, warmth, and
kindness are interwoven into every space of the festival week in Tkaron:to (Toronto).
From October 17-22, 2023 (Toronto) and October 23-29, 2023 (online), imagineNATIVE
will showcase 14 feature films, 70 short films across 11 short film programs, 21 digital
and interactive works, and 17 audio works. Each work presented at the festival is led
by an Indigenous creative. The Festival will also present 7 exhibitions throughout the
city, and many live musical performances.
Fancy Dance from director Erica Tremblay will open this year’s festival with Cody
Lightning’s irreverent comedy Hey, Viktor! closing out the festival.
With 70 short films featured at imagineNATIVE this festival, there’s something for all
audiences. Grouped thematically, the short films will be showcased in short film
programs including the Witching Hour, Queerdom, “That's My Baby!”, From Land to
Water, For The Grandbabies, Into The Unknown, Staying Vigilant, Embracing Loss,
Long Line of Ladies, A Mother’s Love, and You Know Who You Are.
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival along with its many year-round
activities is made possible with the support of public funders, foundations, and
donors. imagineNATIVE acknowledges and gives appreciation to the Canada Council
for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Ministry of
Ontario, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Creates, Telefilm Canada, and Miziwe Biik.
A full rundown of the imagineNATIVE Film+Media ArtsFestival Official Selection can be found below:
 |
| Opening Night Film |
Fancy Dance Dir. Erica Trembla United States, 90 min
Since her sister’s disappearance, Jax (Lily Gladstone) has cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga Reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of losing custody to Jax’s father, the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world and at the mercy of a failed justice system.
 |
| Closing Night Film |
Hey, Viktor! Dir. Cody Lightning Canada, 102 min
In the quarter-century since the release of Smoke Signals, Cody Lightning, one of its former child actors, has seen better days. He’s spent the years since milking his fifteen minutes sour as a Z-list celebrity whose swings at reviving his career via self-made zombie films are matched only by his hard partying. A light at the end of the tunnel comes in the form of a financier who wants to produce Smoke Signals 2, an effort that will call on him to reunite with much of the original film’s cast and his ineptitude to take on any professional or adult responsibilities.
Filmed in a startlingly fresh and hilarious mockumentary style, Cody Lightning’s directorial debut, Hey, Viktor!, marks an exciting new chapter in his prolific filmography. Equal parts gut-busting comedy and existential self-inquiry, Lightning’s film takes no prisoners and, in a hyper-meta approach, looks at the absurdity that goes into making a film.
Cafe Daughter Dir. Shelley Niro Feature Canada, 90 min
Based on the play of the same name by Kenneth T. Williams, and inspired by true events, Café Daughter is a coming-of-age story about Yvette Wong, a young Chinese Cree girl in 1960s Saskatchewan, who explores and embraces her Cree identity after the passing of her mother. Her journey to reconnect is further bolstered by Maggie Wolf, a part Mi’kmaq girl, who encourages her to take pride in who she is and where her family comes from. When Yvette’s ancestry is revealed, the attitudes of her fellow students and teachers soon turn to discrimination against her and her dreams of going to medical school. In the face of all of this, Yvette chooses to persevere and succeed.
This screen adaptation is the latest in the expansive and prolific oeuvre of director Shelley Niro. Rooted in the experiences of Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck, Order of Canada, Niro and the film’s cast compose a story of inspiration and champion what is possible in overcoming adversity and forging your own path.
I'm Just Here for the Riot Dir. Asia Youngman, Kathleen Jayme Feature Canada, 78 min
I'm Just Here for the Riot is a feature-length documentary that dives into the mob chaos and dramatic aftermath of Vancouver’s shocking 2011 Stanley Cup riot. Through riveting archival footage that plunges viewers into the madness and gives privileged access to key characters who experienced that night and its fallout, the film tells the untold story of the world’s “first smartphone riot.” A decade after a night that shocked the world, I'm Just Here for the Riot reveals how this was a prelude for the toxic social media mob mentality we’re all struggling to grapple with today.
Inky Pinky Ponky Dir. Ramon TeWake, Damon Fepuleai----Feature New Zealand, 60 min
Lisa (Amanaki Faletau-Prescott), a young fakaleiti (3rd Spirit), has ambitions beyond her seemingly small world and dreams of being her school’s Queen of the Ball. It won’t be an easy road, but as she deals with her mother’s rejection of her identity and the open bigotry she faces at her high school, she never loses sight of who she is or what she wants. After her romance with Mose (JP Foliaki), the school’s rugby captain, is targeted by her fellow classmates, tensions rise as Lisa bravely refuses to not be true to who she is, and more importantly, who she wants to be.
In Inky Pinky Ponky, co-directors Damon Fepulea’i and Ramon Te Wake form a portrait of hope, pride, and persistence in the face of intolerance. Anchored on a magnetic performance by Faletau-Prescott, Te Wake and Fepulea’i bring us into Lisa’s world, a reality of pain and joy, and show that the latter will always win out.
ISHI Dir. Dana Claxton---Feature Canada, 113 min
In August of 1911, a Native-American man mysteriously appeared in the town of Oroville, California. He walked out of the bush, starving, not speaking and visibly traumatized. Town residences, unable to determine where he came from, called in University of California anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and T.T. Waterman, who determined the man was from the Yahi people from the Nation of Deer Creek. The man was brought back to the UC campus and given the name "Ishi," meaning "man" in the Yahi language. As in most history, the story of the Yahi, is tragic. After the California gold rush in 1849, Ishi's people were massacred. It is estimated around 1908, Ishi escaped the massacre by hiding in the bush, surviving on his own, lonely, without community and forced to hide from a world now filled with his people's executioners.
This hybrid feature documentary is based on the performance of James Luna, who toured a performance piece called ISHI: The Archive Performance reflecting on Ishi's story and the impact of colonization that exists today.
Muru Dir. Tearepa Kahi---Feature New Zealand, 102 min
When Community Sergeant “Taffy” Tawharau (Cliff Curtis), a Māori police officer, returns home, he is faced with a dilemma. Indigenous activists in the vicinity have been holding militant boot camps and are suspected of plotting to kill the country’s Prime minister... or so the police have said. Taffy is given the choice to infiltrate the activists’ group and become an informant, a decision that will soon blur the lines between who he is as a proud Māori and his sworn duty as an officer.
With Muru, director Tearepa Kahi weaves a tense thriller that finds pressure in questions of competing loyalties between colonial forces, community, and the struggle for liberation. Aided by Curtis’ onscreen presence as Taffy, Kahi’s film builds its powder-keg narrative from historical events circa 2007 and leads its audiences on a charged ride to its explosive finale.
Red, White & Brass Dir. Damon Fepulea'i----Feature New Zealand, 85 min
When the window for securing a ticket to the Tonga versus France Rugby World Cup game closes, Maka (John-Paul Foliaki) is forced to get creative for his chance to see his favorite team. The only way he can make it work is to perform with his brass band at this monumental match. The problem is that he doesn’t have a band, instruments, or any musical ability at all. To make this group a reality, he’ll have to convince his friends and family in Wellington’s Tongan community to join him in his quixotic endeavor.
With Red, White & Brass, director Damon Fepulea’i whips up a charming tale of what’s possible when you band together against improbable odds and set your sights on a goal that’s just out of reach. Foliakileads the film’s colorful ensemble through their many hilarious misadventures and feel-good finale.
The New Boy Dir. Warwick Thornton---Feature Australia, 116 min
With the arrival of a mysterious nine-year-old Aboriginal boy (Aswan Reid), the lives of the denizens of a rural monastery in 1940s Australia slowly come out of balance. Secrets are uncovered and tensions are stretched to their breaking points as the boy begins to display otherworldly gifts, driving the head nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett), to the brink of spiritual madness.
The latest film by the prolific Warwick Thornton (who wrote, directed, and lensed this film), The New Boy meditates on the nuances of survival, belief, and collective joy in the face of some of colonialism’s worst efforts. The film paints a world where its inhabitants ride the edge of darkness and the divine and are forced to rely on each other to endure. Buttressed by powerhouse performances from Reid and Blanchett, Thornton’s vision of a new possibility for cross-cultural understanding and acceptance questions what angles we have not approached to heal the scars of struggle.
Feature (Documentary)
Veins of the Amazon Dir. Alvaro Sarmiento, Diego Sarmiento, Terje Toomistu Feature (Documentary) Peru, 72 min
Observation of an important infrastructure in Amazonia: downstream on a cargo boat that brings passengers and goods to the isolated communities in the Peruvian rain forest. Cargo boats form a non-lieu, a space of transition for the travelers taking journeys that can last days, as well as for the Indigenous communities living on the edges of the Amazon River, fighting for the survival of their cultural traditions and struggling to adapt to modernity.
Tautuktavuk (What We See) Dir. Carol Kunnuk, Lucy Tulugarjuk Feature (Documentary) Canada, 82 min
After experiencing a traumatic event in Igloolik (an Inuit hamlet in Foxe Basin, Qikiqtaaluk Region in Nunavut), Uyarak leaves her community and family in Nunavut to live in Montréal. When Covid-19 lockdowns close off the Canadian Arctic from the rest of the world, Uyarak is further separated from her closest friend, eldest sister, Saqpinak. This extreme situation blurs the lines of both the fictional lives of the sisters and the non-fiction lives of the film’s directors, Lucy Tulugarjuk and Carol Kunnuk, who play the sisters.
The film becomes a series of vignettes of heartache and healing – both in the dramatic based-on-true-events narrative and the lived reality of these characters and creators.
WaaPake(Tomorrow) Dir. Jules Koostachin Feature (Documentary)
WaaPaKe (Tomorrow) explores how children of Indian Residential School survivors -- including three generations of director Dr. Jules Koostachin’s own family -- are moving beyond the burden of intergenerational trauma and into healing.
Vaychiletik Dir. Juan Javier Pérez Feature (Documentary) Mexico, 83 min
This film is a fragment of Juan Javier Pérez's father's life, a story Juan has known since childhood. Through his dreams, José received a gift given by the gods. A gift that brings consequences. Now that he is at a mature age in life, José would like to rest, but he is not allowed. Vaychiletik explores this fierce yet beautiful reality, forged from the dreams of the Mayan people of Mexico.
Mom/Mama Dir. Xun Sero Feature (Documentary) Mexico, 79 min
In this documentary, Mexican Tzotzil director Xun Sero confronts his past with honesty, understanding, and forgiveness. As a Mexican Tzotzil, Xun grew up between the sacrality both of Guadalupe Virgin and Mother Earth. As a son, he grew up among the derision of not having a father and blaming my mother for it. Mom is a dialogue between mother and son exploring their contradictions, knowing and recognizing each other, and reflecting on naturalized violence and its reproduction.
Witching Hour
Dear Stephen King, instead of using Indian Burial Grounds in your books, have you thought of using European Burial Grounds?
Dir. Joey Clift Witching Hour United States, 1 min
An open letter to Stephen King asking him why he's so scared of Native American people.
Skádja Dir. Eili Bråstad Witching Hour Norway, 17 min
Inspired by the power of nature, Skádja is a queer story from Sápmi about regaining freedom and
autonomy. Unborn Biru Dir. Inga Elin Marakatt Witching Hour Norway. 19 min
A desperate Sámi widow steals silver from a dead body, in order to survive and feed her daughter and unborn child. But the silver is cursed, and it has consequences for all of them.
The Untold Tales of Tūteremoana - Whiro Dir. Keely Meechan Witching Hour New Zealand, 22 min
After the loss of her grandmother, Whiro becomes the target of a witch hunt when strange occurrences begin in her family’s traditional resting place.
Сu-Ckoo Dir. Evgeny Nikolaev --Witching Hour Russian Federation 22 min
In the depths of winter, a Yakut man moves to an abandoned house where he begins to experience strange events. As he tries to understand the unknown he unwittingly exposes a shocking secret.
Queerdom
Headdress Dir. Taietsarón:sere 'Tai' Leclaire Queerdom United States, 10 min
Amidst a music festival, a Queer Native Person witnesses a Non-Native wearing a ceremonial headdress, prompting a deep introspection to deliver the ultimate retort.
Can I Love You? Dir. Kymon Greyhorse Queerdom United States, 14 min
When an acceptance letter to college arrives, a Navajo girl faces the challenge of relinquishing her role as a mother figure.
pî-kiwîk Dir. Keisha Erwin Queerdom Canada, 10 min
In this heartfelt, short documentary, Keisha Erwin shares their transformative journey of reconnecting with their family and culture in Northern Saskatchewan, demonstrating the power of healing through reconnection.
I AM HOME Dir. Kymon Greyhorse Queerdom United States, 3 min
A heartfelt, poetic journey, an intimate love letter that delves into self-discovery and cherishing one’s roots.
Dear Kin Dir. Alexis Anoruk Sallee Queerdom United States, 3 min
A captivating web series intertwined with evocative photographic portraits celebrating Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ individuals and their unique narratives.
The Roof Dir. Alexander Bocchieri Queerdom United States, 20 min
A leaky roof leads a Northern Cheyenne teen on a soul-stirring journey, revealing an unexpected truth and a profound bond with family and community beyond their wildest imagination.
"That's My Baby!"
Club Kid Alley Dir. Tyler J Sloane "That's My Baby!" Canada, 4 min
A love letter to queer nightlife, let Bom Bae bring you into Toronto’s Club Kid Manor as they prepare for a glittery night out.
BUTTERFLY/BATAPLAI Dir. Veialu Aila-Unsworth "That's My Baby!" United States, 7 min
Raya loves make up but her family does not. Torn between her dreams and her Papua New Guinean family’s strict religious beliefs, she finds comfort in her ancestors.
Ancestral Threads Dir. Sean Stiller "That's My Baby!" Canada, 12 min
Former model, Joleen Mitton is on a mission to use fashion as medicine for Vancouver’s Indigenous community. She takes us inside Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, a multifaceted celebration of traditional and contemporary Indigenous identity.
Brolesque Dir. Libby Hakaraia "That's My Baby!" New Zealand, 15 min
How far would you go to make your grandmother happy? A young Māori man ventures far outside his comfort zone to create an experience for his grandmother that she will never forget.
The Alexander Ball Dir. Jessica Magro "That's My Baby!" Australia, 30 min
Samoan-Māori-Australian trans woman of colour, Ella Ganza, and the Meanjin (Brisbane) ballroom scene prepares for one of the biggest ballroom events of the year: The Alexander Ball
From Land To Water
Baigal Nuur - Lake Baikal Dir. Alisi Telengut From Land To Water Canada, 9 min
The formation and history of Lake Baikal in Siberia are re-imagined with hand-made animation, featuring the voice of a Buryat woman who can still recall some words in her endangered Buryat-Mongolian language.
Drumoh Dir. Armando López Castañeda From Land To Water Mexico, 3 min
Drumohre is the language of the first that lived here. The more days go by, the less they speak it. Here you no longer see anyone who understands it.
Distant Dir. Keli Mashburn From Land To Water United States, 7 min
A "pandemic dream film," inspired by the work of Elise Paschen. This film mirrors itself as rich soundscapes play over vast landscapes, creating a lonely tension between the visible and the invisible.
The Golden Age Dir. Bawaadan Collective From Land To Water Canada, 20 min
A morality tale for adults played out as an allegory to the loss of connection between humans and animals, and the global pandemic.
Ajá (Water) Dir. Dennis Noel López Sosa From Land To Water Mexico, 5 min
An exploration and reinterpretation of the chontal people’s mystic ceremony of rain pleading.
Biolumin Dir. Moe Clark, Victoria Hunt, James Brown From Land To Water Canada, 5 min
An experimental examination of threshold states. Moving through deep space-time in underwater realms, mirrored bodies spiral, suspend, and dance through te reo maori and nêhiyawêwin lamentations.
kobechenonk Dir. Zephyr McKenna From Land To Water Canada, 3 min
Documentation of time spent stewarding the ReSistering/Queering Place garden on the Niwa'ah onega'haih'ih/Kobechenonk/Humber river, and reflections on water and grief.
For The Grandbabies
Starlight Sojourn Dir. Chantal Rousseau, Darcy Tara McDiarmid For The Grandbabies Canada, 4 min
A vibrant animation with natural soundscapes depicts Yukon wildlife traversing through the night.
Ni Wapiten - I see Dir. Noémie Echaquan, Julie Ottawa For The Grandbabies Canada, 3 min
A child’s call to action for the people of the world to do better for Mother Earth and future generations.
NANGULVI Dir. Segundo Fuérez For The Grandbabies Ecuador, 5 mins
An adorable stop-motion animation short about a bear and a musician who recruit their friends to help a group of Indigenous women fight a mining corporation on their lands.
follow Dir. Brent Owen Beauchamp For The Grandbabies Canada, 3 min
A boy learns not to run off on his mother and that not everything is what it seems.
Nemi Dir. Nicolás Zarco For The Grandbabies Mexico, 8 min
An elderly woman missing her family journeys to the past to revisit her younger self and reunite with her loved ones.
The Bull of Cold Dir. Alexander Moruo For The Grandbabies Kazakhstan, 9 min
A young Sakha boy apprentices under his reluctant grandfather as they build an ice sculpture of the Bull of Cold, but something goes wrong when the boy takes the project into his own hands.
Rieban - The Fox Dir. Sara Margrethe Oskal For The Grandbabies Norway, 8 min
After struggling to hunt fish and satisfy her hunger, a mischievous fox gets creative when she comes upon a fisherman heading home with his catch of the day.
Whistling Woods Dir. Barry Billinsky For The Grandbabies Canada, 12 min
When a group of kids reach the limits of their boredom, they turn to each other for entertainment, playing Truth or Dare, telling spooky stories, and doing what we’re all told not to do... whistle in the woods.
Into The Unknown
Katele (mudskipper) Dir. John Harvey Into The Unknown Australia, 14 min
Martha, an Indigenous woman works tirelessly in a laundromat loading machines and folding washing, ready for the collection of her boss. When a mysterious visitor arrives, Martha is reminded of the life she has left behind.
Memories Dir. Adriel (Strenneth) Rosenfeldt Into The Unknown Canada, 4 min
Robin’s mind is full of her memories and experiences and is home to a figure of her consciousness who makes decisions to keep Robin safe and happy. This figure is faced with a challenge. She must make the hard decision whether to destroy the memories and everything connected to them or to try to live with them in harmony.
Ta'i Dir. Mii Taokia Into The Unknown Cook Islands, 4 min
Tai lives in a world that is both beautiful and dangerous. The Pacific islands that were once teeming with life are now being destroyed by the island eaters. These machines are massive, towering beasts that consume everything in their path, leaving nothing but a barren wasteland in their wake.
Home Dir. Barry Billinsky Into The Unknown Canada, 17 min
Disaster strikes Kikino during the annual baseball extravaganza, forcing those that can to bunker down. Local internet celebrity Kit Kat Thompson escaped this place once before, what makes this time any different? Everyone struggles to determine what the future might hold, how to survive, and where exactly is Home.
Starbound Dir. Madison Thomas Into The Unknown Canada, 11 min
Starbound is a short sci-fi/ family drama that explores the return of eight-year-old Billy Campbell after being abducted by aliens four years earlier.
Do Digital Curanderas Use Eggs In Their Limpias? Dir. Roberto Fatal Into The Unknown United States, 13 min
A struggling Latinx healer considers abandoning the physical world for promises of a digital utopia.
N'xaxaitkw Dir. Asia Youngman Into The Unknown Canada, 16 min
After moving to a new town, a teenager must navigate peer pressure when her next-door neighbour convinces her to explore a nearby island in search of a legendary lake monster.
Staying Vigilant
Redlights Dir. Eva Thomas Staying Vigilant Canada, 14 min
A woman vigilantly trails the cops who pick her friend up after a night out. She doesn’t know where they are taking her, but she knows she will not become a victim.
To Be Silent Dir. Tace Stevens Staying Vigilant Australia, 9 min
A personal story about the subtle ways in which racism can show itself in the workplace, and a lesson in trusting your gut when things don’t feel right.
No Māori Allowed Dir. Corinna Hunziker Staying Vigilant New Zealand, 44 min
The rural town of Pukekohe in Auckland is shaken when confronted with its hidden past; the segregation and racism towards Māori is uncovered.
Embracing Loss
Heart Like a Pow Wow Dir. Chief Lady Bird Embracing Loss Canada, 5 mins
A beautifully poetic animated short illustrated by Chief Lady Bird and spoken by Tara Williamson, Heart Like a Pow Wow shares the evolution of grief through love from an Anishinaabe perspective.
A Bear Named Jesus Dir. Terril Calder Embracing Loss Canada, 5 min
What does it look like to be in the presence of someone who looks and sounds like a loved one but is unrecognizable at the same time?
Four Nights and a Fire Dir. Alex Nystrom Embracing Loss United States, 13 min
A man’s spirit lingers, watching over his son as he processes his grief while keeping a sacred fire to light his father’s journey back home to the spirit world.
A Boy and His Loss Dir. Michelle Derosier Embracing Loss Canada, 7 min
A boy carrying the heavy burden of loss decides to join the dead in order to free himself of his grief until a divine intervention shows him the way of letting go.
Grape Soda in the Parking Lot Dir. Megan Kyak-Monteith Embracing Loss Canada, 8 min
This animated short paints a mosaic of Taqralik Patridge’s childhood memories and the loss of her grandmother’s Scottish Gaelic and her father’s Inuktitut languages that English had caused.
I Won’t Remain Alone Dir. Yaser Talebi Embracing Loss Iran, 15 min
An elderly couple struggles with the decision to donate their son’s organs while coming to terms with his impending death.
Fast Eddie Dir. Keely Meechan Embracing Loss New Zealand, 14 min
A film memorializing a man who lived his life to the fullest, shooting for one last adventure with the love and support of his family by his side.
Long Line of Ladies
Nisihkason Lex Dir. Kaayla Whachell Long Line of Ladies Canada, 14 min
Alexa navigates the world around her as a young Indigenous woman. Through her Digital Voice project, she creates a safe space for herself and her friends to speak about life’s hardships.
Mother (EADNI) Dir. Liselotte Wajstedt Long Line of Ladies Sweden, 7 min
With captivating animation that skews the lines between reality and imagination, Mother (EADNI) is a retelling of childhood memory and the inherent connection to land between mother and daughter.
Whirlflow Dir. Kathleen Mantel Long Line of Ladies New Zealand, 5 min
A spoken word poetry piece that flows from darkness to light, signaling a breakthrough from the cycles that we find ourselves in.
Gabriela Dir. Evelyn Lorena Long Line of Ladies United States, 16 min
A coming of age story about a young, undocumented Guatemalan woman at odds between her socio-economic status and her dreams of being on a prestigious country club swim team.
Metal Belt Dir. Blackhorse Lowe Long Line of Ladies United States, 14min
With the help of a sister, a Navajo woman escapes New Mexican militia slave traders to find her way back home.
Long Line of Ladies Dir. Shaandiin Tome, Rayka Zehtabchi Long Line of Ladies United States, 20 min
A young girl coming into her womanhood is embraced by her family and empowered to continue the Flower Dance Ceremony, a celebration gifted by the Creator to her people.
Our Grandmother The Inlet Dir. Jaime Leigh (Demetra) Gianopoulos, Kayah George Long Line of Ladies Canada, 9 min
An ancestral connection and love for the water runs deep between a grandmother and granddaughter, sustaining the fight against the impacts of industrialization.
A Mother’s Love
Istén:'a Dir. KJ Edwards A Mother’s Love Canada, 5 min
A woman visits her late mother in her dreams. A reminder that when our loved ones pass, they are never really far away.
the sky is very pretty Dir. Aracely Méndez A Mother’s Love Mexico, 17 min
Mothers bear the weight of uncertainty for their futures while their daughters continue to live out their childhood playing and dreaming within the walls of a Mexican migrant and refugee shelter.
Entre Nous Locataires Dir. Elijah Alexander Chenoweth A Mother’s Love Canada, 7 min
In the midst of an impending redevelopment eviction, three mothers share their stories of raising their children at the Alma Blackwell Co-op, a residential safe space meant for families escaping domestic violence.
Camping Dir. Derek Quick A Mother’s Love United States, 8 min
A working homeless mother struggles to make ends meet but does her best to provide her daughter with a safe and loving environment despite living out of their car.
Aykuo Dir. Ayaal Adamov A Mother’s Love Russian Federation, 20 min
In this dream-like experimental drama, roles of motherhood shift between sisters when a student returns to her rural Yakut home after her sister passes.
Nigiqtuq (The South Wind) Dir. Lindsay McIntyre A Mother’s Love Canada, 16 min
An Inuk mother lives under the watchful eye of her RCMP officer husband, falling under pressure for her and her daughter to assimilate to their new life in the South.
He Karu He Taringa Dir. Tahuaroa Ohia A Mother’s Love New Zealand, 13 min
Seen through the eyes of a young boy sensitive to the world’s intense sights and sounds, a mother desperately advocates to get a diagnosis to help him.
Camping Dir. Derek Quick A Mother’s Love United States, 8 min
A working homeless mother struggles to make ends meet but does her best to provide her daughter with a safe and loving environment despite living out of their car.
You Know Who You Are
Babanil Dir. Marlikka Perdrisat You Know Who You Are Australia, 6 min
The country is where you belong. From Indigenous Australia, Babanil explores how the connection to the country links its people to the ancestors across generations and millennia.
Belonging Dir. Lucia Ortega Toledo, Daniel Califf-Glick You Know Who You Are United States, 14 min
A semi-autobiographical story of immigration, the struggle to fit in, and a particularly loud rooster.
Plastic - A love letter to the estranged Dir. Va'a Magalogo You Know Who You Are New Zealand, 14 min
Plastic/ fake/ other - What can be done when a community doesn't accept their own blood? What can be done when a community won’t share their culture with their own? What does it mean to be a Pacific person, living in the diaspora?
Pasifika Drift Dir. Alana Hicks You Know Who You Are Australia, 12 min
A new baby is on its way and the aunties have arrived to bring their children home.
The Mainland Dir. Conrad Lihilihi You Know Who You Are United States, 18 min
In Hollywood, an aspiring Hawaiian actor is compromised - does he honour his own identity or play at being ethnically ambiguous to fit a cynical diversity agenda.
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