imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival taking place June 3-8, 2025 (Toronto) and June 9-15, 2025 (online)

I know that everyone in the New York and elsewhere in the film world is focused on the fact that the Tribeca Festival is this week, however there  is another film festival imagineNATIVE in Toronto. It is the largest festival screening Indigenous films in the world.  It’s a glorious selection of films and events that will open your eyes to the Indigenous populations of the world.

Because I did not think I would have time to do the festival I said I was going to pass on covering the festival. However I ended up with a large number of films to screen, “if I got the time” , and on this past Memorial Day Weekend I found myself with some time to kill and I waded into what I was sent.

There are a lot of great films here running the gamut from experimental and animated shorts to full on drama and documentaries. I got lost in the films. And I found myself sending time just viewing the shorts like candy in a sampler.  I wasn’t going to write anything up, but when you get somewhere past 25 films, you realize that you really need to do something.

Now because I was watching the films just for me, I didn’t take notes on everything. I say that because while I have a list of some of the titles I saw below, I saw a large number of other film that I didn’t write up. Its not for laziness or because they are bad, but more because I wasn’t planning on writing anything so I didn’t take notes.  You need to realize that everything I have seen for the festival is really good so if you see something buy a ticket and go…..

Or stay at home and watch the films because the festival has a streaming element where you can get these wonderful films at home. Seriously if you want to see some great films go to the website and get access to a bunch of them.

I had previously reviewed some of the films:

ENDLESS COOKIE

QUEENS FLOWERS

REMAINING NATIVE

SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO

And what did I watch and what did I make notes about?

MANN'S SPARKS is an unexpected delight. It's images from Michael Man's films cut to Beach House’s 2015 album Depression Cherry. With it Ryland Walker Knight has made a film that you drift off to. One of the great finds of the year.

HAKA PARTY INCIDENT is a look at an "incident" in 1970 that sparked tension and discussion between Maori and non-Maori in New Zealand. One part documentary, one part theater piece and one part essay. It's an interesting mix of material.

CONFLUENCE is a trippy short film where five story tellers talk about Winnepeg and their lives. Its a fun trip.

UASHESHKUN has a father tries to save his daughters soul. It's a really good short, that I can't full describe lest I wreck it for you.

THE SAINT AND THE BEAR has a woman sitting on a bench on a cold and snowy night has a man sick down next to her unexpectedly. This is a good little film that is also a bit of a head scratcher.

ONE DUCK DOWN is a medatative experiment film that is trippy.

Witness: Arctic Indigenous Voices has several Artic Indigenous filmmakers discussing the way that climate change affects their lives and the lives of their community. It’s a very good look at the cost of global warming beyond the fact the glaciers are disappearing.

CIRCLES is a animated film about matriarchal Cree society and how their ideas work to keep the community together

Now that you have my thoughts go to the website and check out the slate. Details are here.