In a country largely shaped by settler-colonialism, listening and learning are the first steps toward good allyship. This June is Indigenous History Month. To mark the occasion, we can all support Indigenous creators telling authentically Indigenous stories by watching one of the following works of Indigenous cinema.
This list includes different genres, from the supernatural to heartfelt comedy; however, each of these films is entertaining, thought-provoking, and the work of indigenous creators. You can thank us later!
The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw (2019)
In this heartwarming comedy from director Shelly Nero, Mitzi Bearclaw’s dream of making cool hats in the big city is thwarted when she must reluctantly return to the Reserve of Owl Island, BC to take care of her sick mother. Suddenly surrounded by family and familiar faces again, she finds herself falling back in love with Owl Island. The film showcases Indigenous life on the rservation while focusing on the warmth and joy of the community that surrounds Mitzi. Understanding the centuries’ worth of injustices and tragedies committed against Indigenous communities is undeniably important in acknowledging Indigenous History Month, but it should not be the only thing acknowledged. Stories like this, which celebrate Indigenous joy and laughter, are just as important. Arguably, Nero’s film is the strongest act of resistance there is.
Monkey Beach (2020)
In this grounded supernatural film directed by Loretta Todd, Lisa is summoned to her hometown of Kitamaat, BC, by her cousin’s ghost. When Lisa arrives home, she discovers her brother has been lost at sea. Longing to rescue him, Lisa’s clairvoyant powers end up causing her to shift between Kitamaat and the spirit world. Throughout Lisa’s journey, the lines between the two worlds blur until they feel coexistent. She learns to reconnect with her spirituality and come into her power, alongside dealing with her grief. The film beautifully showcases and highlights what Indigenous ways of thinking and being can look like in a contemporary setting.
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)
Directed by Zacharias Kunuk, Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner is an epic story based on an Inuit legend, set thousands of years ago. The film follows the titular Atanarjuat, a hunter in love with a woman named Atuat, who is unfortunately betrothed to the chief’s son, Oki. After besting Oki in a duel for Atuat’s hand, Atanarjuat’s brother is killed, and Atanarjuat is forced to flee the community. In exile, he vows to avenge his brother’s death, reunite with his forbidden love, and bring harmony back to the tribe. This cinematic classic was the first Inuktitut language film ever made and was voted the best Canadian film of all time in the fourth edition of Canada’s All-Time Top Ten List (2015). The story itself has been passed down for generations, remaining as timeless and grand as the myths of Ancient Greece.
Bones of Crows (2022)
From director Marie Clements, Bones of Crows tells the multi-generational story of Aline Spears and her family. Young musical prodigy Aline and her siblings are suddenly removed from their family unit and forced into the residential school system, burdened with traumas no child should have to endure. Over the coming decades, Aline fights alongside her descendants against the systems that allowed such injustice to occur. Along the way, Aline must confront the memories of her time at residential school and her experiences as a code talker during the Second World War. Ultimately, the film sees its heroine grow into a matriarch who works to better the world. .
The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019)
From directors Kathleen Hepburn and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open follows the journey of Áila and Rosie, two Indigenous women from very different worlds. Together, they attempt to navigate Rosie’s pregnancy and abusive relationship with her boyfriend. The film explores the difference in privilege between the light-skinned, college-educated Áila and Rosie, who lives with her abusive boyfriend and his mother in a housing project. But as the film progresses, it becomes more clear that Áila doesn’t always know how to help, and Rosie may be more capable than she ever imagined. The film discusses the autonomy of Indigenous women and the abuse Indigenous women face at disproportionate levels, while also conveying that it is possible to find a way out of these difficult situations, as well as the systemic ways that Indigenous family units are often fractured and how Indigenous women deserve sovereignty over their bodies alongside the chance to build a family if they so wish.
Blood Quantum (2019)
In this action horror feature from director Jeff Barnaby, a zombie apocalypse has broken out. In a remote Mi’kmaq community, the virus only seems to affect their white neighbours, while the Indigenous people in the community are immune. Alongside being a gripping take on zombies that brims with tension and exciting action, the film also works as an allegorical retelling of the beginnings of Canadian colonialism. Blood Quantum comments on the “blood quantum” eugenics system, which has been used in North America to determine what “percentage” of a person is Indigenous, and from there determines what rights and status to which a person has access .
Before Tomorrow (2009)
Directed by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Piujuk Ivalu, Before Tomorrow takes place in a remote Inuit community circa 1840. As rumours of white settlers arriving begin to swirl around, Ningiuq and Maniq are dropped off on a remote island to dry and store a bountiful catch of fish for the winter, only to be left waiting in vain for their return trip. As summer begins to turn into fall, they eventually realize that they must find their way back for themselves, and that the terrifying rumours may have been true all along. In this intimately stunning feature, pre-colonial Indigenous knowledge and practices are highlighted alongside the beauty of nature and the environment.
