FILM SCREENING
in partnership with imagineNATIVE
PASSING MOMENTS
a short by Melissa Girvan
5 min | Drama
An older woman drops her keepsakes, and as she picks up her belongings the memory of a childhood friend begins to haunt her. As she moves through the cycle of her memories, she struggles to find peace amidst the longing.
Melissa Girvan (Mi’qmaq) made her first music video with Wapikoni, entitled Every Afternoon. She took the opportunity in 2015 to direct her third film, which is a poetic essay on loss and love.
GODS ACRE
a short by Kelton Stepanowich
15 min | Drama
Lorne Cardinal stars in this unsettling, powerful short of a man determined to protect his land at all cost. As the water slowly rises in a frighteningly familiar future, the man must choose to abandon all that he knows or give in to the rising tide.
2016 Winner of the Cynthia Lickers-Sage Award for
Best Canadian Short Drama
Kelton Stepanowich (Chipewyan) is a filmmaker from Fort McMurray, Alberta. He is currently developing his first dramatic feature through Telefilm Canada’s microbudget program
COLONIZATION ROAD
a documentary by Michelle St. John
50 min
In towns throughout Ontario, there are startling reminders of the colonization of Indigenous territories and the displacement of First Nations people. Anishinaabe comedian and activist Ryan McMahon takes us to his hometown of Fort Francis and down its main drag, which is called Colonization Road. Similar streets have similar names in towns and cities across the province, direct reminders of the little-known Colonization Roads Act of 1872 and its severe impact on First Nations, their treaties and their land in the name of “Canadian settlement.” On his journey through Ontario, McMahon explores the history of these roads, meets with settlers in solidarity and raises significant questions about “reconciliation” and what it means to “decolonize.”
Michelle St. John (Wampanog/Carib/Jewish) is a two-time Gemini Award–winning actor with more than 35 years of experience in film, television, theatre, voice and music. Michelle was a co-founder of Turtle Gals Performance Ensemble, a Native women’s theatre company based in Toronto.
IMAGINENATIVE
imagineNATIVE is the world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content. The organisation is recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for excellence and innovation in programming and as the global center for Indigenous media arts. About imagineNATIVE
2-SPIRIT CABARET
in partnership with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
A late-night showcase of spoken word, music, and performances featuring 2-Spirit, Trans and Queer-identified Indigenous artists.
SEE FULL LINE-UP HERE
Note: The 2-Spirit Cabaret will be held at Buddies in Bad Times’ Cabaret space at 12 Alexander St, Toronto.
BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES THEATRE
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre creates vital Canadian theatre by developing and presenting voices that question sexual and cultural norms. Built on the political and social principles of queer liberation, Buddies supports artists and works that reflect and advance these values. About Buddies
Friday November 11 @ 7:30 PM
Aki Studio & Buddies in Bad Times | Tickets $15