Toronto’s Indigenous Film and Industry Slates Aim to Grow Audiences and Spark Biz by Reflecting the Diversity of Global Screen Culture — SkimNews
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- Toronto International Film Festival presents 10 Indigenous-led world premieres across six TIFF programs, with “In the Heart of the South,” “Brace Your Heart” and “Angh” selected for Platform.
- Marie Clements adapts her stage play “How We Stand,” following three Indigenous sisters navigating separated lives amid 1970s political and cultural change in Los Angeles.
- Nyla Innuksuk directs “In the Heart of the South,” starring Anna Lambe as an Inuk filmmaker whose plans are disrupted by estranged friend Zorga Qaunaq; TIFF programmer Kelly Boutsalis calls it a critique of Canadian arts institutions from an Indigenous perspective.
- Amanda Kernell’s “Brace Your Heart” follows a young Sápmi woman pressured to accept a local leader’s courtship after inheriting her father’s reindeer herd, with most actors—including the leads—reindeer herders.
- Theja Rio’s “Angh” is described as the first feature from the Naga people, as far as TIFF programmer Jason Ryle’s research indicates, and follows a Naga family after a Christian missionary arrives at their Indo-Burma border village.
- Jaap van Heusden and Vinnie Karetak co-wrote and co-directed “In Alaska,” collaborating on every scene involving Inuit characters and drawing cast and community support, including Karetak’s dog, son and friends.
Why it matters: The 10 world-premiering features give Indigenous filmmakers access to global buyers and audiences while showing contemporary Indigenous lives beyond identity alone. The lineup also makes collaboration part of the filmmaking itself: Inuit co-director Vinnie Karetak shaped “In Alaska” scene by scene, while “Brace Your Heart” draws performances from working reindeer herders.
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