Nya’waap Illyuw Uuchyuwp—Our Way of Knowing is a twenty-minute film that shares the origin story of the Barona Band of the Kumeyaay, never before shared publicly. The film interweaves live action and original animation with songs and storytelling by Kumeyaay elders. Produced in collaboration between the Barona Band of Mission Indians and Winikur Productions, this film helps preserve this vital cultural knowledge.

Nya’waap Illyuw Uuchyuwp—Our Way of Knowing

A prehistoric hunter-gatherer (Herman Gambhir) faces the primal conflicts of survival and mourns the loss of his love. When faced with a looming storm, he finds shelter in a cave and discovers the inspiration he needs to reconnect with her once again.

The Traveler

An essential element of maintaining culture in First Nations communities is nurturing the practice of knowledge keepers passing on their cultural wisdom. For the Canoe Cultures program in Vancouver Canada, an Indigenous-lead non-profit carving centre, Mike Billy Sr. and Jr. are an example of the transference of knowledge from one generation of Squamish Nation War Canoe builder to the next. In this short film they both share their experiences of passing and receiving the torch and the future they imagine that keeping this legacy alive can bring. Through this age-old tradition the uninterrupted connection between ancestors and the present generation is maintained and flourishes.

Canoe Connections

Warrior Up! is a 13 x 22-minute documentary series that follows inspiring Indigenous youth making positive change in their communities! Whether it’s defending the land, learning nearly lost Indigenous hunting and building techniques, feeding unsheltered relatives or helping decolonize the fashion industry, the young changemakers featured in this series are making an impact. Warrior Up! shares their inspiring journeys of activism in engaging, entertaining ways as our three hosts take turns traveling Turtle Island, jumping in to lend a hand alongside these young warriors. Inuk actor Anna Lambe, from Iqaluit, Nunavut, Anishnaabe actor Joshua Odjick, from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, and actor Joel Oulette, who has family ties to the Cumberland House Cree and Red River Métis Nation, find themselves shooting arrows from horseback, improvising a rap, walking the runway, building a pit house and packing blessing bags, learning just what it means to be a warrior.

Warrior Up!  (episode 1)

Preserving Culture Shorts: Nya’waap Illyuw Uuchyuwp—Our Way of Knowing; The Traveler; Canoe Connections; Warrior Up!

Virtual Admission

DIIFF 2024 <h1>Dreamspeakers Festival Society</h1>Registered Name:&nbsp;DREAMSPEAKERS FESTIVAL SOCIETYBusiness No:&nbsp;132950791RR0001 ﻿The Dreamspeakers Festival Society is a registered non-profit charitable status organization that produces an international film festival that celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples innovation in film, video, radio, and new media, presenting selections of Indigenous works from around the globe since 1993. The festival attracts and connects filmmakers, media artists, programmers, buyers, and industry professionals. The works accepted reflect the diversity of the world's Indigenous nations and illustrate the vitality and excellence of our art and culture.Beginning in 2018 The Dreamspeakers Festival Society also produces Rubaboo - Alberta’s only Aboriginal multi-disciplinary arts festival. Rubaboo is a philosophy about what sustains us; it’s about feeding the spirit, and it’s about thriving. Rubaboo features Aboriginal theatre, music, dance, art, food, family and youth events, artist workshops, cultural workshops and visual arts. Its mandate is to encourage collaborations and to develop new artistic works and present these works in progress to a broad audience both during the festival but also through full production and touring. We’re committed to giving Aboriginal artists this forum and platform to perform their art, grow as artists, contribute their work to the community, and to bring audiences of all backgrounds together to enjoy the vast artistic expressions that exist in Aboriginal culture.The Dreamspeakers Festival Society goal remains the same for the past 25 years, which is to connect in a meaningful way, to learn how to be more impactful to the needs of artists and our greater community. The activities we propose will advance our effective strategic planning for years and puts us in a better position to honour the original vision of the Dreamspeakers founders to be a resource for Aboriginal filmmakers, storytellers, artists and community. We can create more opportunities and make a better impact on arts, culture and our collective identity. And we can do it all here based in Edmonton!

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This year’s festival has over 40 films, filmmaker panels, an animation workshop and more. Each film was selected by our jury from over 200 entries. There are documentaries, shorts, features, animations, and films from seasoned professionals and first time directors.

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