Victoria Film Festival presents Indigenous film event

The Victoria Film Festival will present a four-day event highlighting Indigenous films starting Thursday. 

F1RST: A Celebration of Indigenous Film will screen 12 Indigenous-made films at the Vic Theatre from June 19 to 22.

"I wanted to showcase films that were not trauma-based, and celebrate Indigenous Peoples, especially around Indigenous Peoples Day," said event organizer Katie Pootoogook-Manomie, who is Inuk.  

Pootoogook-Manomie said that free workshops designed by and for Indigenous people will be offered for those looking to enter the film industry. 

"Victoria has many opportunities for Indigenous people that are interested in the film industry, and that's what we're trying to highlight here," said Pootoogook-Manomie. 

One of the films being featured is Sweet Summer Pow Wow, a love story by director Darrell Dennis. 

Dennis, from the Secwepemc Nation in B.C.'s Interior, said the film tells the story of young Indigenous people who fall in love on the powwow circuit, summer celebrations that happen across North America where First Nations people dance, drum and sing. 

Dennis, who co-wrote the film with Katya Gardner, said a love story is something all young people can relate to.

"When you're looking at movies about Indigenous people, we don't get to see these stories being told about us, where it's the simple things," Dennis said.

"With our stories, it's usually about these big traumatic things like poverty and trauma." 

Dennis, who been in the film industry for more than 30 years, said that Indigenous people are increasingly telling stories centred on strength rather than trauma. 

"We want to see our stories being told as hopeful stories, stories where we are the heroes, not the sidekicks or victims," he said. 

Dennis said that with more Indigenous people in the film industry, more Indigenous humour is being written into scripts.

"Humour is such a huge part of our culture that was rarely ever seen in shows before because it was non-Indigenous people making them," he said.

Sweet Summer Pow Wow was filmed on Vancouver Island, and will screen at the Vic Theatre at 2:30 p.m. on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day.