imagineNATIVE

The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is excited to welcome you to our in-person Festival in Toronto from June 2-7, 2026. With an inspiring lineup of feature films, curated short film programs, live-performance events, exhibitions, and so much more, we have something for everyone! For our 2026 Festival, we are choosing to open up spaces for much-needed dialogue that reflects what many of our artists and audiences are feeling at this moment. We want to share stories that will empower our continued resistance to the status quo. We will see works that uplift hope and strength and continue to speak truth to power. We know that Indigenous knowledge and ways of being are true pathways to a sustainable future. These ways are ancient. They have been laid out for us as the original instructions of how humanity can coexist with our Mother Earth. No borders, man-made laws, nor colonial governments can supersede the original caretaking instructions of the lands that Indigenous Nations have been carrying since time immemorial. Kicking off our 26th annual Festival is our Opening Night Screening feature AKI, directed by Darlene Naponse, an exquisite meditation on the relationship between community and the earth. AKI stuns with unforgettable cinematography matched by an ingenious soundtrack by Juno Award–nominated cellist Cris Derksen and multi-instrumentalist Julian Cote. With over 126 works as part of the officially selected program representing 56 distinct Indigenous Nations from 20 respective countries, we welcome everyone to celebrate with $10 tickets for film screenings, and many free, pay-what-you-can, or low-barrier rated events. Celebrating the close of our Festival is the Closing Night Screening of Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), directed by Zacharias Kunuk, a traditional Inuit tale about a betrothed love lost, the promise of a new life gone awry, and the hope of love returned, with a lingering troll and magic realism steeped throughout. With authentic performances by first-time actors, Wrong Husband brings Inuit culture and folklore to life in stunning cinematic fashion. 🔗 Visit our link in bio to read the full announcement! . . . . . #imagineNATIVE

Tickets are on sale NOW for the 26th annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, taking place June 2-7, 2026 (Toronto) and June 8-14, 2026 (online)! Get your Festival access at imagineNATIVE.org/box-office. Get the right Festival access for you! We’re breaking down all of our current ticketing options so you can plan your perfect Festival season. 🎟️ Single Screening Tickets: In-person ($10): Access to one screening during our in-person Festival in Toronto (June 2-7, 2026). Only $8 for seniors and students with ID when purchased at the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office during the in-person Festival. Tickets can be purchased on the Event Schedule. Online ($8): Access to one feature film or one short film program during the online Festival (June 8-14, 2026), subject to location geoblocking and distribution rights. Tickets can be purchased on the Event Schedule. 🎉 Special Event Tickets: Make the most of your in-person Festival experience in Toronto with tickets to our special events. Tickets can be purchased on the Event Schedule. 🍿 Ticket Packages: 5 Ticket Package ($45): 5 tickets to any in-person Festival screening. Can be purchased via the Box Office. 10 Ticket Package ($80): 10 tickets to any in-person Festival screening. Can be purchased via the Box Office. 💼 In-Person Festival Pass ($250): Includes 1 ticket to all in-person screenings (8 tickets can be redeemed in advance; all others can be redeemed at the on-site Box Office on the day of the screening), 1 special event ticket, access to Industry Days and the imagineNATIVE Swapcard platform, 15% discount on Festival merchandise, and discounts with select imagineNATIVE partners. Can be purchased via the Box Office. 💻 Online Festival Pass ($50): Access to all of the films available to watch during our online Festival, subject to location geoblocking and distribution rights. Can be purchased via the Box Office. . . . . . #imagineNATIVE #IndigenousFestival #IndigenousFilm #IndigenousMedia

The imagineNATIVE Programming Team has curated a series of recommendations to help you navigate what to watch at this year’s Festival. Visit the Event Schedule to see when screenings take place and to book your tickets. We have something for everyone! 🎬 Land-Based (AKI, Short Film Program: On the Land, Ea, Short Film Program: Land Meditations, River of Spirits, Boca Vieja, Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband)) 🎬 Intergenerational + Family (Short Film Program: What's to Come, Short Film Program: Families by the Fire, SPI, Short Film Program: Legendary Lineages, The Colleano Heart, Journey Home, David Gulpilil, Meadowlarks) 🎬 Strong Matriarchs (Short Film Program: Parenting Under Pressure, Nika & Madison, Walls – Akinni Inuk, Mārama, Blood Lines) 🎬 Traditional + Contemporary Legends (Short Film Program: Legendary Lineages, Short Film Program: Revitalized Legends, Short Film Program: Survivance, Short Film Program: Families by the Fire, Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband)) 🎬 Resistance (Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising, Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild], Short Film Program: In Defiance, Mārama, Nika & Madison, River of Spirits) 🎬 Sixties Scoop + Residential Schools (Meadowlarks, What We Carry) 🎬 Abstract Expression (Levers, Short Film Program: Love Has No Gender, Short Film Program: Land Meditations, Dream Touch Believe) 🎬 For a Good Laugh (Short Film Program: Crack-ups, Short Film Program: Witching Hour) 🎬 In Community (AKI, Ceremony, Short Film Program: Love Has No Gender, Powwow People, Boca Vieja, Journey Home, David Gulpilil) 🎬 Developed Through the imagineNATIVE Institute (imagineNATIVE Originals, Mārama, Klee | part of Short Film Program: Witching Hour) . . . . . #imagineNATIVE #IndigenousFestival #IndigenousFilm #IndigenousMedia

🕹️ The 2026 iNdigital Youth Collective has wrapped! Over eight weeks, emerging Indigenous artists aged 14-24 dove headfirst into Unreal Engine 5 to explore the world of game design. We’re proud of how far each participant has come, taking their ideas from concept to creation through so many new and unfamiliar tools, embracing challenges along the way. Each participant brought so much of their creativity to the table, building unique interactive worlds that reflect their voices and imagination. Thank you to @IndigenousScreen , @Canada.Council , @OntarioArtsCouncil , and @TorontoArtsCouncil for supporting this program. Want to experience their work for yourself? You can check out their original games at the iNdigital Space + Arcade at this year’s Festival! 🗓️ June 3-7, 2026 📍 TIFF Lightbox, Gallery | 350 King St W, Toronto, ON 🎟️ FREE, open to the public Learn more about the iNdigital Space + Arcade and other Festival events by visiting our link in bio! . . . . . #iNdigitalYouthCollective #iNdigitalSpace #IndigenousArt #UnrealEngine #Unreal5

📢 Attention Indigenous actors interested in a live table read event! 📢⁠ ⁠ ACTRA Toronto is proud to partner on @imaginenative Institute’s Screenwriting Shorts Lab, a professional development program for four Indigenous creatives looking to write a short film script. The selected screenwriters will develop an original short script from treatment to final draft, working closely with Indigenous story editors and select imagineNATIVE staff throughout the process. ⁠ ⁠ We are looking for Indigenous performers to take part in table reads of these scripts!⁠ ⁠ The table reads will take place in person on June 4 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the CBC Studios Atrium (250 Front St. West, Toronto). Four scripts (9-12 pages in length) developed in the lab will be read by selected group of performers. Performers will be reading for several roles across different scripts, and sometimes within the same script. ACTRA Toronto members (Full, Apprentice, or AABP) in good standing will be prioritized for the roles. Only performers over the age of majority will be considered.⁠ ⁠ An honorarium of $400 will be provided to the selected readers. ⁠ ⁠ The call for applications will close on May 15, 2026 at 5:00 pm ET.⁠ ⁠ Head to the link in our profile to apply now!

🌱 Registration is open for Seedlings Childcare! Seedlings Childcare is for Indigenous artists and guests attending the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival with children 5 to 12 years of age. This service ensures industry professionals and other guests have the ability to attend programming throughout the day, knowing their children are being cared for in a safe environment. Seedlings Childcare is located close to the TIFF Lightbox, where most of our Festival programming will take place, making it convenient for parents to go back and forth. Children will be provided with snacks throughout the day, as well as the opportunity to engage in culturally relevant activities and programming. 📅 June 3-7, 2026 | 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM 💻 Capacity is limited. Registration is required. Contact [email protected] to register. Provided in partnership with @SummerhillClub babysitting agency. Special thanks to @balancingactcanada , @RooAndYou and @DreamcatcherCharitable for their support of Seedlings. . . . . . #imagineNATIVE #IndigenousFestival

The Commons (@imaginenative , @vtapevideoart , @savac_ , Reel Asian, and @fadoperformanceartcentre ) are pleased to present the film curation WHAT A BUZZ KILL! for this year’s @doors_opento ! Visit the Bachir-Yerex Presentation Space at @401richmond on Saturday, May 23, from 10AM–5PM for a rotation of short films hand-picked by leading curators, imagineNATIVE’s Kaitlynn Tomaselli and Reel Asian’s Kelly Lui. Through five short films, we encounter themes of anxieties, loss, and disconnection in an ever-changing city. WHAT A BUZZ KILL! asks us to tune out the street-level buzz and listen more closely and intimately to the world around us. Featured films: NAJA (LITTLE SISTER) by @fussingi HONEY FOR SALE by @gidagaakoons_ RAT+CAMMIE=FOEVER by @riss_rat DON’T TAKE MY JOY AWAY by @omargabriel____ DICKE BEAU’S OLDEN LOBES SPEECH by @dickiebeau Free and open to all ages, this drop-in screening program runs throughout the day! Stop by, tour The Commons, and enjoy short films in one of Toronto’s thriving arts and cultural hubs. Film still from HONEY FOR SALE (dir. Amanda Strong, 2009)

The @marchedufilm is 4 days away, and we're back with our last ICA Producer Delegation spotlight for @cannes.docs ! Meet our final producer, @alexalexlaza 🌸 Alexandra Lazarowich (she/her) is a Cree writer, director and producer from Northern Alberta in Canada. Her work focuses on consciously challenging fixed ideas about Indigenous peoples by creating immersive and experimental films. She is currently in post-production on her first Documentary Feature TURTLE ISLAND RAP set in the world of Indigenous hip-hop in the US and Canada. Alexandra is also in production on RUNNING SMOKE, a three-part miniseries for CBC about a legendary Indigenous NASCAR driver arrested in one of the biggest illegal tobacco busts in North American history. Alexandra is a founding member of the Indigenous Cinema not-for-profit @cousin_collective , which aims to fund Indigenous artists from around the world to produce original works. To date COUSIN COLLECTIVE has supported over 27 artists since it was founded in 2018. In addition to Directing and Producing documentaries, Alexandra is an accomplished Screenwriter. She wrote for RESIDENT ALIEN (Seasons 3 and 4) for @syfy , distributed worldwide by @netflix , and is in development on her first scripted Feature, a romantic comedy about her parents' unlikely love story. 🔍Learn more about Alex at alexandralazarowich.com. --- #MDF26 #MarcheDuFilm #ICAatMDF26 #IndigenousCinema #IndigenousStorytelling #NarrativeSovereignty #IndigenousFilmmakers #imagineNATIVE #CannesDocs #CannesDocs26 #CoProSocialClub

📢 We’re hiring Indigenous actors for a live table read event! In partnership with @ACTRAToronto , we are looking for Indigenous performers to take part in table reads of scripts from the imagineNATIVE Institute’s Screenwriting Shorts Lab for an event during the 2026 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival! The table reads will take place in-person during an Industry Days event, Table Read Club: Live Short Script Table Read, on June 4, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the CBC Studios Atrium (250 Front St W, Toronto, ON). The Screenwriting Shorts Lab is a professional development program for four Indigenous creatives who are interested in writing a short film script. Each year, the selected screenwriters develop an original short script from treatment to final draft, working closely with Indigenous story editors and select imagineNATIVE staff throughout the process. For the live table read event, the selected performers will read four scripts (each 9-12 pages in length) developed in the Lab. Performers will be reading for several roles across different scripts, and sometimes multiple roles within the same script. @ACTRAToronto members (Full, Apprentice, or AABP) in good standing will be prioritized for the roles. Only performers over the age of majority will be considered. An honorarium of $400 will be provided to the selected readers. If you have any questions, please contact Bliss Bondy at [email protected]. 🔗 Apply via the form in our bio by May 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET! . . . . . #ACTRAToronto #imagineNATIVE #LiveTableRead #IndigenousFilm #TableRead

In Thunderheart (1992), Graham Greene delivers a powerful performance as Walter Crow Horse a grounded, sharp, and quietly commanding tribal police officer who sees through systems that weren’t built for his people. With wit, strength, and unwavering integrity, he becomes both a guide and a truth-teller, embodying resilience and the reality of Indigenous life beyond the surface. Buy a ticket to Graham Greene Tribute Night now ! Link in our bio. Eventbrite. All proceeds from the event will go towards @imaginenative #GrahamGreene #film #Thunderheart

Copresented by A Space Gallery and imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Jason Baerg aen nistwayr mayshkotoonikayhk/First Story May 5 – July 11, 2026 Artist Talk May 22, 2026, 7–8 pm Reception is part of imagineNATIVE's annual Art Crawl June 4, 2026, 5-10 pm @jasonbaerg @aspacegallery @imaginenative @401richmond

In Stories We Tell, we travel across the country through short films, offering the best from 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers across Canada. Made in Canada, these stories form a powerful love letter to the diverse communities that stretch from coast to coast. Featuring: ⭐️ Same Time Next Year?, Dir. Anushay Sheikh @anushaysheikh ⭐️ Can’t make a flower grow by pulling on it (On tire pas sur une plante pour qu’elle pousse, Dir. Gabrielle Bergeron-Leduc @gb_leduc ⭐️ Niimi, Dir. Dana Solomon @dana.solomon_ ⭐️ The D Word, Dir. Mya Van Dyk @pisspisspisstits ⭐️ Good Daze, Dir. Jonelle Belcourt @nellbel ⭐️ Can You Feel It Now?, Dir. Isak Vaillancourt @isakvail ⭐️ Queen Mother (Inang Reyna), Dir. King Louie Palomo @kinglouiefilms ⭐️ ACCISMUS, Dir. Brandy Marien @elusivebrandeen ⭐️ Pink Light, Dir. Harrison Browne @hbrowne24 📍May 30, 11:45AM at TIFF Lightbox Cinema 2 Community Partner: @imaginenative Screening Sponsors: @telefilm_canada , @cmf.fmc , @gctalent , @the_cmpa