Short Films

Films

Spanning between past and present, Hidden Letters follows two millennial Chinese women connected by their fascination with the secret written language of Nüshu.

Documentary | 87 min

Hidden Letters

Odehimin is reconnecting with yourself and learning to love yourself.

Documentary | 3 min

ODEHIMIN (Heart Berry)

"If we lose the language, we will no longer be Haida – Haida is the only thing that distinguishes us from other people." - Delores Churchill. Retake follows the journey of co-directors Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida) and Helen Haig-Brown (Tsilhqot'in) as they work to produce Edge of the Knife, a feature-length film told entirely in the critically-endangered Haida language. The film tells the story of a traditional Haida legend, showcasing the Haida culture in many ways that have never been seen by a broad audience. In this short documentary, you’ll meet the cast and crew of the film as they live, work and learn alongside Haida elders and speakers. Today, there are only 24 fluent Haida speakers left; many of the actors had to learn the language to learn their lines. See the celebration - and the struggle - as Gwaai, Helen and a 56-person cast and crew seek to make a movie in the historic Haida village site of Yan. The islands of Haida Gwaii, off British Columbia’s west coast, have been home to the Haida people for thousands of years - the land, sea and forest sustain them. In 1862, a smallpox epidemic in BC devastated many communities and the effects of the illness still echo today. Yan itself suffered a 90 percent loss of its population. Survivors resettled in the nearby community of Masset where they were met with racist and genocidal government policies, seeking to assimilate the Haida people and erase their culture and language. The Haida people resisted; holding on to their way of life in secret, speaking their language quietly and behind closed doors. In 2017, over 150 years later, Gwaai and Helen chose Yan for this ambitious film project; one that would help preserve and revitalize the Haida language. Retake offers an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Edge of the Knife, including the challenges of working in a remote, formidable location and in a critically-endangered Indigenous language. For the cast and crew, the project was an opportunity to learn or reconnect with the language that lives deep within themselves and Haida Gwaii. Directed by Kristi Lane Sinclair (Haida/Cree), this stunning film captures the difficulties and the joys of filmmaking and ultimately, the land and the language that make the Haida people who they are.

Documentary | 24 min

Retake

The 2021 Indspire Awards represents the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its own people. Twelve First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals are celebrated in this special presentation.

Award shows | 47 min

2021 Indspire Awards

Alanis Obomsawin’s film reveals how a Cree community in Manitoba has been enriched through the power of education.

Education | 97 min

Our People Will Be Healed

It started with short skits to entertain friends and family. Before long, the Bighetty brothers had gone viral, with tens of thousands of video views on social media and requests to perform from communities across Western Canada. Their show? Four puppets - Marcel, Baptiste, Michel and The Chief - each with their own personality. They might remind you of the renowned Muppet or Sesame Street franchises, but with one distinct difference: these puppets are clearly Indigenous. And they seem to have minds of their own. The hilarious antics of these little dudes revolve around everyday occurrences in their community, their wit and charm on display as they slide back and forth between English and Cree. When they aren’t hamming it up in front of a cell phone camera for an online video, they’re getting a smile-a-second from kids at school performances. When the brothers take their show on the road, they’re treated like rock stars: the puppets are mobbed by children and elders stop to talk to the Bighetty brothers, engaging with their puppet alter egos. Most have never seen a puppet that looks like an Indigenous person before. The Bighetty brothers were born with the gift of humour. Led by Russell, the eldest brother, they created characters based on what they saw around them in their own community. It wasn’t long when they realized that having the puppets speak Cree would be a fun way to help engage children in learning the language. Tragically, Russell passed away in the spring of 2018. In this documentary, brothers Ken, Andrew, Kelsey, Dan and Russell explore the deep wound of Russell’s death, but also their determination to keep the joy of their performances alive. Rather than sadness, the surviving brothers choose a legacy of love and laughter while passing on their language. One of the most overlooked things in Canadian society is how joyful and fun-loving Indigenous culture is. This story shows how the infectious power of laughter can change lives.

Biography | 22 min

Bighetty & Bighetty

“I got used to this park because everything is in French. There’s no English-speaking people here.” Florida is a winter wonderland for these Québécois snowbirds. They leave the Canadian cold behind for a totally French trailer park where no one speaks English - and everyone has a good time. Long-time snowbirds Rollande, Yvette, Julien, Monique, Agathe, and Nelson are all getting older, but still make the trip to Florida every year. They’re here to spent their winter days having fun in the sun.

Documentary | 28 min

Snowbirds

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