Marie Clements’ Bones of Crows tells a powerful story of the abuse Indigenous communities have faced for generations. Cree matriarch, Aline Spears was born in the 1920s to a big happy family. When one day, she and her siblings are forcibly taken from their homes and loved ones to be sent to a residential school. There, they suffer psychological, physical, and cultural abuse at the hands of the priests and nuns who run the school.

By Canadian journalist and filmmaker, Brian D. Johnson, The Colour of Ink follows a Toronto-based artist and ink maker named Jason Logan who supplies unique sets of ink for top visual artists like the legendary Robert Crumb, using materials of all kinds, including from landfill beaches. Not only does the film dive into ink’s boldest hues of colour, but it also explores whether the digital era may just end this craftsmanship for good.

From Vancouver actor and director, Anthony Shim, Riceboy Sleeps is a tale of the heartache and struggle immigrants face when moving to another country. After losing her husband, So-young and her son Dong-hyun relocate to Canada. Taking place in the 1990s, both are faced with uphill obstacles of brutal bullying, racism, and sexism.

From Anishinaabe director and TIFF veteran, Darlene Naponse, Stellar is an experiential film that follows a dreamy romance in an unexpected haven of a Northern Ontario dive bar. As natural disasters strike outside, the flirtation between She (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) and He (Braeden Clarke) continues. Remaining untouched by massive wildfires and floods, this film pays homage to what Indigenous communities have endured over time and evidently flourished in.

A few other special mentions to include in this roundup are Métis writer-director-actor Gail Maurice’s ROSIE, Clement Virgo’s Brother, and Luis De Filippis’ Something You Said Last Night.