“I’m proud to be here to share my culture and learn about yours.”
– Telesh Bégin, artist and elder from Mashteuiatsh, during the opening ceremony of the inaugural edition of Indigenous Perspectives.

Within the broader spirit of sharing, providing an additional platform for Indigenous filmmakers is now a given at REGARD. Indigenous perspectives include the points of view, beliefs and cultural understandings that communities hold with respect to their history, identity and relationship with the land. That is the focus of this competition, whose second edition is proudly curated by programmers Jess Murwin, Vincent Careau and Rosalie Guay.

In the galvanizing Pidikwe, four generations of women are connected by the healing power of traditional and contemporary dances. Dance is also part of Derick’s spiritual healing in Marungka tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black). Seen through a unique hybrid narrative approach, the protagonist returns to his birthplace, starting a journey through childhood memories and two-spirit life. In a fantastical animated story, the sublime Inkwo for when the starving return invites us to fight back against greed through the story of Dove, who must master the powers granted to him to fight voracious creatures. A documentary that raises awareness about homelessness, De l’ombre à la lumière, is proof that narrative independence is necessary for Indigenous people to tell their own stories of struggle, to show that they remain present despite being marginalized, and to prove they can be masters of their own healing. Combining elements of existential drama and science fiction, Vox Humana tells a story about human connections and their complications. Finally, closing this program of many styles and tones, The Beguiling is a satirical horror movie about a first date.

Vote for your favorite short film from the Indigenous Perspectives program in the Focus competition by filling out this form