herman Alexie headlines the third edition of F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film at The Vic Theatre in Victoria, July 17–19. The festival brings a newly restored print of The Business of Fancydancing alongside a full slate of Indigenous cinema.
If you grew up reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or caught Smoke Signals (or its spin-off, made years later, Hey Viktor! featuring Cody Lightning; review link), let’s just say this year’s F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film is worth checking out, locals and tourists to Victoria, BC alike.
Now in its third year, this event is bringing Sherman Alexie to The Vic Theatre. The writer behind some of the most recognized Indigenous storytelling in contemporary literature and film is headlining this edition, and the centerpiece is a newly restored print of The Business of Fancydancing, the film he wrote and directed, followed by a post-screening Q&A. He’ll also sit down with actor and physician Evan Adams (Smoke Signals, Bones of Crows) for a featured conversation on acting, writing, and directing.
Brandon Mitchell’s Adventures of the Pugulatmu’j: The Search for Gluscap expands Mali and Puug’s journey with richer Mi’gmaw mythology, environmental themes, and folklore-driven adventure.
When exploring Brandon Mitchell’s Adventures of the Pugulatmu’j graphic novel series for young readers, it’s best to begin with the first volume. I had to find a copy to understand how it all started before diving into volume two, The Search for Gluscap, which came out last month (May 5). In particular, I wanted to learn how Mali first met Puug, a guardian of the woods. Without that context, jumping in with a later volume is not quite the same as watching a film series, where important events are often recounted early in the narrative.
What makes this series appealing is how naturally it presents Mi’gmaw culture and daily life in New Brunswick, where the tale takes place. Rather than treating tradition as something distant or historical, Mitchell shows a living world where ancient beliefs remain intertwined with the present. The series also trusts that readers have been following the story since book one rather than pausing to repeat key details. Once I realized that within the first few pages, I knew I had to stop, find the first volume at a local library, or simply buy it.
Siksikakowan The Blackfoot Man offers a visually grounded look at Blackfoot masculinity, but its slow pace and loose structure may leave some viewers wanting a stronger throughline. Still, its intimate perspective and rejection of old screen stereotypes make it a worthwhile watch.
For decades, pop culture has sold masculinity through bodies in motion: the fighter, the cowboy, the indian and Hercules, the man who never flinches. But everyday life rarely works that way. Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man offers a different view from an Indigenous perspective, shaped by a specific community and their own sense of cultural identity.
That’s what makes this documentary special. Even here, we see one young adult have posters of Bruce Lee and other screen icons plastered around his room. Nearly every culture has absorbed those images. It’s nearly impossible growing up with media that presents idealized heroes as the model for what men should become. However, it’s about what not only him and other men do every day which matters more. The masculinity portrayed here is not about adulation, but about coming of age and finding one’s place.
If you love comics, pop culture, and stories with real punk spirit, The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne features a bit of everything to get your heavy metal spirit on!
Sonya Ballantyne is just like many other nerds, and just because she’s from a First Nation should not make a difference at all. When she helped pen and direct The Death Tour, a movie I reviewed two years ago, I knew there’d be some work of hers I’d eventually follow up on, and to read The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne is an eye-opening revelation about what she loved when growing up. Not only does she love her Star Wars, but she’s a DC Comics enthusiast too!
And she must watch wrestling, hence that movie! To call her unbeatable is an understatement, and reading her life story in this self-titled graphic novel really highlights where she came from, what obstacles she had to face while growing up, and how she managed to carve a niche that’s truly punk. It’s less about fighting against the establishment and more about knowing where the curve balls come from. Whether that’s dealing with bullies at school who can’t see past her skin colour or navigating grandma’s overprotectiveness, what’s reflected upon here doesn’t dwell on the negativity.
In Visions From The Fire, Damon Quinn’s search for identity deepens through dreams, spirits, and painful truths. Wanda John-Kehewin and Nicole Marie Burton shape a thoughtful second chapter that blends coming-of-age drama with Indigenous spirituality and quiet emotional power.
Wanda John-Kehewin and Nicole Marie Burton’s graphic novel The Dream series is beginning to take shape. With the release of the second volume, Visions From The Fire, the next stage of Damon Quinn’s journey is becoming clear. What’s presented here is more than a traditional coming-of-age story. To appreciate where it is heading, though, it helps to begin with the first book, Visions of the Crow.
Here, Damon feels like a ne’er-do-well, struggling simply to survive as high school graduation draws near. It is easy to sympathize with him. At school, he is bullied because of his mixed heritage. As a Cree-Métis teen, he is left wrestling with questions of identity and belonging. He does not know who his father is, and he desperately wants answers. At home, his relationship with his mother is strained by her alcoholism, often leaving him to spend as little time there as possible.
This may be the season to be jolly, but for others it can also be a time for reflection. 7 Generations A Plains Cree Saga invites that quieter pause, asking us to look back in order to understand what we carry forward. While it isn’t a holiday tale like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, it shares a similar impulse, using reflection as a means of understanding responsibility, memory, and the path ahead.
This anniversary release includes mini-essays and a prologue to explain why this story matters, and to explain a bit of Cree culture. Available to purchase on Amazon USA.
David A. Robertson and Scott B. Henderson’s 7 Generations A Plains Cree Saga marks its 15th anniversary this year, and the newly released collected edition offers a powerful reminder of just how emotionally devastating, and quietly resonant, this story remains. It’s been recoloured and relettered, which makes its message all the more powerful. At its centre is Edwin, a young man who cannot find a reason to live. When his mother discovers him at death’s door during an unplanned visit, even a desperate rush to the hospital seems insufficient. The book opens not with hope, but with exhaustion.
It’s a moment many people encounter at some point, particularly during the holidays, when expectations, memory, and pressure collide. In that sense, Edwin’s despair feels painfully recognisable. I couldn’t help but feel for him, namesake coincidence aside. What changes everything, though, is the way life reasserts itself, not as a lecture or a solution, but through story.
If you grew up reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or caught Smoke Signals (or its spin-off, made years later, Hey Viktor! featuring Cody Lightning; review link), let’s just say this year’s F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film is worth checking out, locals and tourists to Victoria, BC alike.
