First Peoples, First Screens Program Shows in Ontario this Fall

This Fall Cinema Politica Ontario, in partnership with the Ontario Arts Council, is proud to present six in person Ontario screening events featuring works from our program First Peoples, First Screens (2^nd Edition).

Cinema Politica launched the first instalment of First Peoples, First Screens (FPFS) in 2016, with the objective of celebrating and circulating Indigenous cinema by and about Indigenous peoples in Canada, as well as to connect younger audiences to Indigenous film and video across the country.

The First Peoples, First Screens Across Ontario program is built from a strong and diverse collection of several films selected and presented by Indigenous guest curators—featuring Jess Murwin (Mi’Kmaq) and Conor McNally (Métis) working with Cinema Politica’s programming team. Ranging from experimental to animation, documentary to fiction, and shorts to features, the program brings together creative expression and socially-engaged storytelling by Indigenous makers from across Turtle Island.

The First Peoples, First Screens Across Ontario shares a showcase of 20 films in total (divided into four thematic clusters: E’pit – Faam – Ikwe – Femme – Woman, Decolonizing Memory, This Land and Revitalizing Language) as well as an opportunity for audiences to interact with some of the artists and guest speakers.

Cinema Politica Ontario believes that this program presents innovative and provocative perspectives that celebrate the diverse talents and perspectives of Indigenous artists while also connecting audiences to urgent and under-represented socio-political issues in Ontario. The events are all free to the public and filmmakers from Ontario, when possible, will be featured at screenings.

The Screenings (all at 7PM):

Sept 17, 2022: Our first screening is hosted by OPIRG Peterborough and will feature the “E’pit – Faam – Ikwe – Femme – Woman” program cluster, to be held at the P.R. Community and Student Association.

Sept 19, 2022: Kingston OPIRG will host a screening of the “Decolonizing Memory” program cluster at the AKA Autonomous Social Media Centre.

Sept 28, 2022: SG̲aawaay Ḵ’uuna (Edge of the Knife) will screen as part of the program at Nat Taylor Cinema (York University) (this will be a hybrid event – both online and in person). This screening is presented in partnership with OPIRG York, and will feature a post-screening discussion with director Helen Haig-Brown.

Feb 7, 2023: SG̲aawaay Ḵ’uuna (Edge of the Knife) will screen at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Image Arts, with a post-screening discussion with director Helen Haig-Brown.

Feb 15, 2023: SG̲aawaay Ḵ’uuna (Edge of the Knife) will screen at Carleton University’s Film Studies Program with the Faculty of Canadian and Indigenous Studies. A post-screening discussion with directors Helen Haig-Brown and Gwaii Edenshaw, along with researcher Kahente Horn-Miller (Mohawk) will follow the projection.