For all the mysteries in the story it tells, this feature debut by Manitoba artist and filmmaker Rhayne Vermette succeeds first and foremost as a heartfelt tribute to the people and places of her Métis community. Set and shot in Treaty 1 territory – which includes Winnipeg and the surrounding area – Vermette’s film captures the subtle shifts within a family after a woman returns to reunite with her young daughter after an absence of many years. The fact that the characters are played by Vermette and members of her own family adds to the acutely intimate nature of Ste. Anne, though the film’s grace and beauty make this an extraordinary kind of home movie. The winner of the Best Canadian Feature prize and a Canada’s Top Ten selection at TIFF last fall, it may be the year’s most unique and entrancing first feature.