The 21st annual imagineNATIVE film and media arts festival is about to kick off. Starting on Oct. 20 and ending Oct. 25, the six-day line up is ready for launch, with adjustments made this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淪o ImagineNATIVE is usually really focused on Indigenous gathering,鈥� said artistic director Niki Little.
鈥淓very year we come together for the five days, and last year we upped to six days which was really exciting,鈥� she said.
鈥淔or us this year, that part is a really big element that we are going to be missing in a way,鈥� she added.
One of the missing elements will be the live welcoming ceremony that usually sees a full house with packed seats. No events will be hosted for a live audience this year, but the ceremony will still go on鈥攋ust in an online format with both pre-recorded and real time performances.
鈥淯nfortunately, we won鈥檛 be able to share food, but we鈥檒l still be able to share some elements of connecting through culture and grounding it in that way, and moving onto collectively watching,鈥� said Little.
While normally there are themes for the festival, this year it was divided into colors to represent the Medicine Wheel.
The event begins with yellow on the opening night, which includes a number of international short films, including, 鈥溍妋卯c锚t么s锚t: Many bloodlines鈥� by Theola Ross (Cree); Jack Steele鈥檚 (Wiradjuri) 鈥淏etween Two Lines鈥�, and Ngariki Ngatae鈥檚 (M膩ori) 鈥淭e Wao Nui.鈥�
The nights will then follow with red, black, and white, in that order.
And to fit with the push toward good health now, there are giveaway prizes鈥攋ust new to this year鈥攎any of which were selected specifically for their health and wellness benefits. More the $20,000 in prizes from Indigenous companies in total will be given away.
A number of screenings and Q&A鈥檚 feature in the festival too, including with Shadow of Dumont director Trevor Cameron.
鈥淲e often hear about Louis Riel, and Gabriel Dumont often gets overlooked, so it鈥檚 really great insight into that,鈥� said Little of Cameron鈥檚 film, which will share some lesser known M茅tis history.
And there will be a Q&A with 鈥淏rother I Cry鈥� director Jessie Anthony, who just won an award for best emerging filmmaker for the film at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF).
Two well-known book adaptations will be featured, Little said.
鈥淲e have some really strong works鈥� Eden Robinson鈥檚 鈥淢onkey Beach, adapted by Loretta Todd, and then we also have Thomas King鈥檚 鈥淚nconvenient Indian鈥�, adapted by Michelle Latimer. This played at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) and won the People鈥檚 Choice Documentary Award,鈥� said Little.
Sterlin Harjo鈥檚 film 鈥淟ove and Fury鈥� is another major feature on the program schedule this year.
A number of awards will be presented, including one to Lorne Cardinal for a lifetime of achievement鈥攖he August Schellenberg Award of Excellence.
Cardinal actually had the privilege of working with Schellenberg in the past.
鈥淎ugust was always a good voice鈥� He was a voice for the underdog, and he always stood up for people鈥� He had no qualms about stepping in and going, 鈥楬ey talk to that person with respect.鈥� And then his professional ethic鈥� working with him on set鈥� I was always impressed with how he had a very high bar of professionalism,鈥� said Cardinal.
鈥淎nd if you had a Hollywood syndrome and think you鈥檙e a star and everybody waits on you, he鈥檇 dispel that really quickly,鈥� he said with a laugh.
Cardinal says it鈥檚 an honour to be receiving the award.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the highlights of my life, considering that I knew Augie. I worked with Augie鈥� He was another guy who was a mentor of mine. I look up to these guys who set the way鈥� Gordon and Tantoo and August鈥� All those guys, they opened up the door for us young bucks coming up and made sure that things were a little easier for us, so we didn鈥檛 have to go through what they went through,鈥� he said.
There are a variety of passes available for the festival at https://festival.imaginenative.org/multi-passes/
A really unique addition to this year, according to Little, is an interactive VR game and art show.
And there is also the Pitch prize, which is a cash prize awarded to help with the development of a web series.
鈥淭here鈥檚 over 153 artists in total, and around 90 different nations, so it鈥檚 a lot of folks we鈥檙e presenting. People will not be bored,鈥� she said.
