Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes)

Hop Along Hang On

September 2021 •English

Rose the rabbit seeks her way home in this poetic story of reclamation, recovery, and reconciliation.

The Myth of the Water Goddess

October 2022 •Spanish

A little girl will have to sing to the mythical goddess of water so that this valuable liquid can reach her community.

Lautaro

September 1978 •German

The Mapuche tribe asks their Gods for help in difficult situations, including illness and drought. When the Spanish conquerers on their horses invade their country, the indigenous people think that they are aliens. The Spaniards capture and enslave many of the Mapuche tribe. Lautaro, a young captured native, realizes that these aliens are human beings without any divine power. He learns to use their weapons and organizes a resistance movement against the intruders.

Biidaaban: First Light

August 2018 •English

Toronto’s town square is flooded. The city’s infrastructure has merged with local flora. In this radically different future, people have found a connection to the past.

Felix Goes West

August 1924 •English

Felix gets into trouble with a tribe of Indians out west, and is chased by a bear.

Little Thunder

January 2009 •English

This animated short, inspired by the Mi'kmaq legend "The Stone Canoe" explores Indigenous humour. We follow Little Thunder as he reluctantly leaves his family and sets out on a cross-country canoe trip to become a man.

Dance with the Heart

October 2019 •Spanish

Marina is a girl who discovers the legends and traditions of her ancestors on a magical journey through the nature that surrounds her and takes her to Shark Island. Short film spoken in the Comcáac language.

Crash Site

July 2015 •English

After her parents' death, Kaley must move from the reserve to the city to live with her older sister. After an argument, Kaley runs away to return home. During her journey, she meets a superhero who tells her how to hone her own powers.

Totem Talk

April 1997 •English

Traditional Northwestern Indigenous spiritual images combined with cutting-edge computer animation in this surreal short film about the power of tradition. Three urban Indigenous teens are whisked away to an imaginary land by a magical raven, and there they encounter a totem pole. The totem pole's characters—a raven, a frog and a bear—come to life, becoming their teachers, guides and friends. Features a special interview with J. Bradley Hunt, the celebrated Heiltsuk artist on whose work the characters in Totem Talk are based.

Grape Soda in the Parking Lot

May 2023 •English

Taqralik Partridge asks what if every language that had been lost to English — every word, every syllable — grew up out of the ground in flowers? Taqralik’s grandmother’s Scottish Gaelic and her father’s Inuktitut unfold in memories of her family, of pain, and of love.

A Bear Named Jesus

April 2023 •English

At Archer’s Aunty Gladys’ funeral, he hears a tap on the window — it’s a bear named Jesus, who has come for Archer’s mom. “A Bear Named Jesus” is an allegory for religious interference, with an aching yet humorous look at estrangement and mourning for the loss of someone still living.

That Lazy Boy

August 2008 •Spanish

Atzimba is going to marry Jose. Her father sends his future son-in-law to take care of various duties. But the young man's cleverness doesn't do a lot of good.

Fuego

July 2021 •Spanish

Xóchitl is an indigenous woman who must fight for her freedom before the birth of her baby, since she finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship. She will have to face a town full of prejudices and accomplices of her abuser. However, Xóchitl has the inner strength of her lineage, which will manifest itself in her favor.

Boos and Arrows

October 1954 •English

Casper the Friendly Ghost helps Little Feather go hunting.

February Sixteenth Nineteen Forty-Seven

June 2023 •English

Picchu

July 2022 •Spanish

Picchu is a story that follows the journey of an Andean girl named Mayu and the unconditional support of her mother. The path will not be simple. Mayu will rely on her determination and her mother's teachings to overcome her fears and doubts to fulfill her destiny. Picchu reflects the reality of many children around the world.

Akateko. La aparición de san Miguel Arcángel

January 2020 •Spanish

Chinanteco. Jujmi La niña del Río

January 2017 •Spanish

The Mountain of SGaana

May 2017 •English

As a young fisherman cruises along a rugged shoreline, a tiny mouse in Haida regalia appears and starts to knit a blanket. A story unfolds on the blanket as it grows longer, illustrating the ancient tale of Haida master sea hunter Naa-Naa-Simgat and his beloved, Kuuga Kuns. When a SGaana (the Haida word for “killer whale”) captures the hunter and drags him down into a supernatural world, the courageous Kuuga Kuns sets off to save him. Will the lovers manage to escape the undersea Mountain of SGaana, or will they, too, become part of the Haida spirit world forever?

Rarámuri pie ligero

January 1993 •Spanish