ImagineNATIVE 26 – What We’re Looking Forward To

It is that time of the year again and the imagineNATIVE 26 Film Festival is currently in full swing.

While Hollywood North News can’t be there physically. We are still dedicated to covering the amazing films, documentaries and shorts coming out of the event. So take a look at our picks that you might want to keep an eye out for in the future. Alternatively, if you have some suggestions on things we should check out let us know in the comments.

Meadowlarks

Based on her own documentary Birth of a Family. Tasha Hubbard’s Meadowlarks stars top Indigenous actors (Michael Greyeyes, Carmen Moore, Alex Rice and Michelle Thrush) as four Cree siblings. Separated since childhood and now in their 50s, who agree to meet for the first time over a holiday weekend in Banff. The film debuted as a Special Presentation at TIFF 2025 played at VIFF 2025 where it won the Panorama Audience Award and screened at the 2026 Seattle International Film Festival.

The film has been enjoying an extensive festival run to date. Most recently as opening the Yorkton Film Festival to a full house, with many international festivals expected throughout the year. It launches on CRAVE and APTN on Friday, June 5, 2026.

Uncomfortable truths should not be hidden, and films like this can be an excellent source of education and of hope. Dealing with the very real repercussions of the Sixties Scoop. The director having directed the documentary on which this is based lends to its authenticity.

Nika & Madison

Madison (Star Slade) is a university student living in Toronto. During a visit back home to the rez, she finds herself in the back of a cop car after getting into a bar fight. Her childhood friend Nika (Ellyn Jade) finds Madison being assaulted by the arresting police officer.

Nika fights him off, putting him in a coma. Scared and knowing the (in)justice system often works against victims, especially Indigenous women, they go on the run — first finding protection under the jurisdiction of the rez, then running further into the bush. Running out of options, with police forces hot on their tail, the friends find out how much they rely on each other and the support of their community to face the music.

We’ve been fans of Star Slade since Burden of Truth and the synopsis leaves me just having to know what happens next, so this is definitely going in a yes pile.

What We Carry

What does reconciliation look like for the descendants of a residential school teacher? Katrinka and her daughter Bracken explore this and many other questions after they open a trunk full of memories. A trunk belonging to Katrinka’s mother, Jennifer Notley, an English school teacher who travelled by boat, train, and plane to answer the call for a position at Desmarais (St. Martin’s) Residential School in Treaty 8 territory.

The discovery of Jennifer’s history leads Katrinka and Bracken on a journey to meet with community members from the Bigstone Cree Nation. Many of whom attended St. Martin’s, to get a full picture of the impacts of residential schools, and more specifically, Jennifer’s impact on the community. Jessie Anthony’s debut documentary feature provides a fresh perspective on reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, with many challenging but much needed discourses on privilege, accountability, and healing.

An interesting documentary looking at another side of the residential schools story. This feels like a story that rarely gets told and that there are things to learn.

What do you think of our picks? Again feel free to share your own in the comments.

imagineNATIVE Film Festival