Indigenous

Remember, back in the 90s, learning that the world’s rainforests were the “lungs of the earth?”  Remember hearing about their destruction and specifically Sarawak, the Penan and their indigenous uprising there, the mysterious disappearance of Bruno Manser?  If you do, you’ll appreciate this documentary. The Borneo Case fills in a lot of the blanks, for […]

The 2016 Victoria Film Fest provided such a swath of Canadian cinema one would expect a scythe in scale of  Duncan’s majestic hockey stick to be astride the VFF headquarters. Bushels of debut filmmakers were harvested for the Victoria audience’s enjoyment. Kathy Kay and her intrepid army of cinephiles deserve much respect and credit for […]

Sterlin Harjo’s Mekko is an indelible and powerful story of what happens when the missing return. Told without sentiment or pulled punches, it is Rod Rondeaux’s command performance as the title character that is a triumph to behold. With some parts sweet and playful, and others rough and desperate, Rondeaux’s layers of characterization makes Mekko […]

Adam Garnet Jones’ Fire Song is a bold, uncompromising and necessary film that breaks new ground in Canadian cinema, and, more importantly, within Indigenous storytelling. Homophobia is no stranger to Indian country and stories of coming out are rarely given the stage they deserve in the arbours, campfires and living rooms of our nations. Boasting a […]

Le Dep is a story of an indigenous woman put into an impossible position by her family, who must rise through unrealistic expectations in order to survive danger very close to home. Such familiar themes could be subject to trite or possibly naïve storytelling, but the performances of the two lead actors, Eve Ringuette and […]