A major disturbance more than 400 years ago interrupted nature’s law along the shores of the West Coast of California, Mexico, and beyond. A chain reaction ensued, forever changed our coastlines, seascapes, practices, and Indigenous life. However, a new wave is upon us. Allowing the space to not just survive, but to thrive, Indigenous life reflects nature’s law and rebounds. “Haagua” depicts the timeless connection between Great Great-Grandmother Ocean and her great-grandchildren. Great Great-Grandmother speaks from the past and prays into the future. Birthed and sprung from water, a timeless memory of survival thrusts us forward to a current time. To thrive, surfing. More than a sport, surfing is a re-cognition of cultural practice and a re-creation of an original lifestyle. Re-generation is seen in the film’s featured surfers—Andy Nieblas (Acjachemen) David Flores Ramos (Nahua), Shuuluk Leo-Retz (Kumeyaay), Kaliko Kahoonei (Hawaiian), Amon B. Chavez (Nahua-Carib), Reg Macarro (Payomkawichum-Ojibwe) and Marc Chavez (Nahua-Xicano). “Haagua”, an Indigenous Surf Film stars Jacinda S. Townsend (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians) and Shuuluk Leo-Retz (Viejas Band Kumeyaay Indians). The 15-minute short film is Directed by Octavo Coutiño and Marc Chavez and Produced by Native Like Water, an NGO, non-profit, serving Indigenous communities internationally.

HAAGUA

This surfing documentary depicts the timeless connection between Great-Great-Grandmother Ocean and her great-grandchildren. HAAGUA recognizes a cultural practice and recreates an original lifestyle.

Niitstitapi (The Real People) journeys the continental divide where North America marks the beginning of the traditional territory of The Blackfoot Confederacy, an ancient alliance of Blackfoot people who, along with the Buffalo, have always inhabited a vast area of mountains, rivers, lakes, and short grass prairie that stretches from the Rocky Mountains into the great plains. Today, the Blackfoot Confederacy comprises the Sitsika Nation, Kainai Nation, and Piikani Nation in Canada, and the Blackfeet Nation in the US.&nbsp;Despite being forced onto reserves and compelled to assimilate in bleak residential schools during the 19th and 20th centuries, the Niitstitapi from these Blackfoot Confederacy communities all share the same language and culture and cooperate to protect and preserve their land and way of life. Through the eyes of members of each of the four bands, Niitstitapi explores themes of cultural revival and permanence and how those values are practiced in daily life.&nbsp;

Niitsitapi

Niitstitapi (The Real People) journeys across the vast ancestral territory of The Blackfoot Confederacy – an ancient alliance of Blackfoot speaking people bound together by land, language, and culture.

In this poignant 18-minute documentary, viewers are taken on a journey into the dark history of the Isle a la Cross Residential School. This institution was part of the Canadian government's policy of forced assimilation of Indigenous children. Survivors of the school bravely step forward to share their harrowing stories of physical and sexual abuse, cultural suppression, and the profound loss of their language and identity. Through powerful interviews with the survivors themselves, as well as their families and community members, the documentary sheds light on the lasting impact of residential schools on Métis survivors, their families, and their communities. It explores the deep wounds inflicted by the school and the ongoing struggle for justice and recognition that the survivors have faced. Despite their tireless efforts, the survivors have yet to receive a formal acknowledgment from the Canadian government for the immense harm they have endured. Nevertheless, the documentary also serves as a testament to the unwavering resilience and hope of the survivors. They continue to fight for their rights and for healing, sending a powerful message of strength and determination. Through its heartfelt storytelling and profound insights, this documentary invites viewers to confront a painful chapter in Canadian history and to join the survivors in their quest for justice and acknowledgement.

Waiting for Justice

WAITING FOR JUSTICE tells the story of the Isle a la Cross Residential School. This institution was part of the Canadian government's policy of forced assimilation of Indigenous children.

Ajna, Alen, and Lejla are born from wartime rapes after the Bosnian war. They share their powerful stories of growing up as children of the enemy in a society with deep wounds and many taboos. They have founded "The Forgotten Children of War Association" to advocate for the rights of war children and restore the dignity of their raped mothers.

Echoes of Conflict: The Forgotten Children of War

Born from the horrors of wartime sexual violence during the Bosnian War, three members of the Forgotten Children of War Association come forward to share their stories.

North America

SJFF 25 - Film Block - E

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You can watch most films in the 2025 SJFF program at home on our Eventive Virtual Cinema platform from April 14 – 20.

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