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SHORTS 1: CONNECTIONS TO OUR LAND AND ANCESTORS



ONCE UPON A TIME IN REYNOLDS GEORGIA

Directed by NIKKOLE MATHIS (US 2020 09:59).

A short documentary about my father and grandparents.

DEAR GEORGINA

Directed by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip (US 2019 14:30). Closed Captioning.

A Passamaquoddy elder tries to sharpen the blurry outlines of her identity.

WITHOUT A WHISPER - KONNON:KWE

Directed by Katsitsionni Fox (US 2020 26:46).

WITHOUT A WHISPER - KONNON:KWE is the untold story of how Indigenous women influenced the early suffragists in their fight for freedom and equality.  Mohawk Clan Mother Louise Herne and Professor Sally Roesch Wagner shake the foundation of the established history of the women’s rights movement in the US.  They join forces on a journey to shed light on the hidden history of the influence of Haudenosaunee Women on the women’s rights movement, possibly changing this historical narrative forever.

SKY AELANS

Directed by Edward Manuga, Georgianna Lepping, Jeremy Gwao, Regina Lepping, Zahiyd Namo, Junior Patrick Makau, Manner Lévo, Neil Nuia, & Daniel Kakadi (Solomon Islands 06:00). English Subtitles.

Decades of logging have drastically changed the landscape and lifestyle of those who call the Solomon Islands home. Now, the last untouched forest of the country is at risk of being lost. The Indigenous communities who live in the high mountain forests, known locally as the “Sky Aelans” or Sky Islands, are the last guardians of these sacred spaces. This film is a reflection and celebration of the vital bond that these communities have with their Sky Aelans. 

TAMATOA

Directed by Sarah Louise Maddick (New Zealand 2019 11:16)

Tamatoa is a coming of age short film based on a young Maori boy Toa who has Autism.  The film follows Toa's journey as he navigates the challenges of his condition and his internal perspective of the outside world.  Throughout the film Toa begins to find courage through the strength of his relationships with his grandmother Nana and his mother Lani.  As tensions rise at Toa's school, he is faced with a decision. Will he retaliate against his bullies or will he find another way to overcome the conflict?  Inspired by real relationships this film is dedicated to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their loved ones. We hope to inspire audiences to strive for a more inclusive, diverse and understanding society.

L'EAU EST LA VIE (WATER IS LIFE): FROM STANDING ROCK TO THE SWAMP

Directed by Sam Vinal (US 2019 24:17). Trailer.

On the banks of Louisiana, fierce Indigenous women are ready to fight—to stop the corporate blacksnake and preserve their way of life. They are risking everything to protect Mother Earth from the predatory fossil fuel companies that seek to poison it.

THE VOLCANO’S LAST WISH

Directed by Guenny K. Pires (Cape Verde 2020 25:14). Trailer.

The Volcano’s Last Wish is a story of both humility and pride. Humility in the face of the awesome forces of nature, and yet pride in one’s connection to such indomitable spirits. Indeed, our connection to the land we tread on all the days of our lives can become as deep as any relationship we have with another human being. It is in this way that the volcano that both anchors and supports Mr. Musa’s village takes on the kind of personification and identification we find natural wonders supporting in many indigenous cultures throughout time around this Earth.   The Volcano’s Last Wish is a celebration of life in all its forms – past, present, and future and Grounded firmly in the writer’s home country of Cape Verde, West Africa. It is the lifting of a glass to make a toast. It is the warm handshake of a friend and the embrace of family. It is a loving tribute to the mythology of a place and people in time and of the uniqueness and power of each of our individual and collective surroundings in the natural world. It is the universal joy in a story worth telling.