Skoden Indigenous Film Festival

The Skoden Indigenous Film Festival returns for a two-day online event March 26-27, featuring Indigenous filmmakers and creatives from across Canada and British Columbia.

Skoden Indigenous Film Festival

When: Program March 26 & March 27, 2021, films available to watch until April 5th
Where: Online
Tickets: Pay what you can, book online here (suggested donation $10 per program)

The festival was created in 2019 by Simon Fraser University film students Carr Sappier (Wolastoqew) and Grace Mathisen from SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts.

The annual film festival is maintained through a semester-long interdisciplinary class taught by Sappier and Kathleen Mullen, a filmmaker and film festival consultant. SFU students from all faculties are invited to participate in building this festival. Read more about the Skoden Indigenous Film Festival course in SFU News.

Skoden is an Indigenous slang term meaning ‘Let’s go then!’. According to Sappier: “Skoden represents a sense of happiness, inclusion and a space where all filmmakers can feel like they are part of something that holds them up in respect.” Mullen adds: “We are sharing experiences and knowledge through this course and for me this is what SKODEN means—Let’s Go Then! with humour, dialogue, and respect.”

More than 100 films were submitted to the festival, and this year’s features include an eclectic selection of filmmakers including comedian Jay Cardinal Villeneuve (Is That One of Your Jokes), rising-star Asia Youngman (This Ink Runs Deep), and hip-hop artist Diana Hellson (The Foundation: Indigenous Hip Hop in Canada). 

The festival will open with a welcome ceremony led by Elder Syexwaliya and will also include a series of Q&A sessions. Festival-goers can access five film programs that include: Program 1: Healing the Nation; Program 2: Back to Grassroots; Program 3: Future Generation; Program 4: Potpourri, a program ranging from Indigenous life to music videos; and Program 5, the feature film Shadow of Dumont by Métis director Trevor Cameron.

View the full festival lineup online here, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates.