Languages of Sovereignty
A special edition of Indigenous Film from BC & Beyond
in line with the United Nations declaration of 2019 as
the International Year of Indigenous Languages
Curated by Sonia Medel and Sarah Shamash
Cultural Advisor: Jules Koostachin
In line with the United Nations declaration of 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, Indigenous Film from BC and Beyond recognizes and celebrates language sovereignty as an act of self-determination and resurgence. Our curatorial vision weaves together creative short and feature films from First Nations, Metis, Inuit, Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous filmmakers from across Turtle Island and Abya Yala. These cinematic voices engage hemispheric dialogues that meditate on language as inextricable from land, identity, memory, (de)territorializations, cultural heritages, her/histories, and socio-politics. As a whole, this program aims to forge critical relationships between and across spatio-temporal, cosmological, political, and cultural boundaries.
LANGUAGES OF SOVEREIGNTY – PROGRAM 1
Short Films, Dialogue & Reception
Tuesday, August 27 | 6:45 PM | VIFF Vancity Theatre
LANGUAGES OF SOVEREIGNTY – PROGRAM 2
Mid-length Films
Friday, August 30 | 5 PM | Cinematheque
LOS ANDES SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Monday, August 26 | 6:30 PM | Cinematheque
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
Monday, August 26 | 9 PM | Cinematheque
Saturday, August 31 | 8 PM | SFU Woodward’s
SGAAWAAY K’UUNA – EDGE OF THE KNIFE
Saturday, August 31 | 1 PM | SFU Woodward’s
Free Admission with VLAFF Membership ($2)
MATAINDIOS
Saturday, August 31 | 3:15 PM | SFU Woodward’s
Free Admission with VLAFF Membership ($2)
Jules Arita Koostachin
Cree from the ancestral lands of the Moshkeko, and a member of Attawapiskat First Nation, Jules was born in Moose Factory where she was raised by her Cree grandparents, as well as with her mother in Ottawa. In 2010, she completed graduate school at Ryerson University in Documentary Media where she was awarded an Award of Distinction and an Academic Gold Medal for her thesis documentary film Remembering Inninimowin. She is a PhD candidate with the Institute of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at UBC with a focus on Indigenous documentary. Her educational and arts practice endeavours address environmental and Indigenous issues. Jules’ company VisJuelles Productions Inc. has a number of productions, and her youth series AskiBOYZ is currently airing on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Jules’ second CBC documentary OshKiKiShiKaw: A New Day was released in 2019. Jules has been working with Indigenous community for many years supporting Indigenous women and children who face barriers. She hopes to continue shedding light on socio-political issues that urban and rural Indigenous peoples face.
SFU Woodward’s
