Give as a gift
A Q&A will follow the in-person presentation of this film.
Every meme has its story.
#skoden delves into the origins of NDN country’s most iconic meme to redefine the man at the center of it all, Pernell Bad Arm. In the early days of social media, a notorious image circulated of an Indigenous man with raised fists, ready to strike. The photo was initially shared to mock and reinforce stereotypes of Indigenous peoples, but one word added to the image would change it forever.
SKODEN – an Indigenous shortening of “let’s go then” – ignited an instant Indigenous pop culture icon that spread like wildfire across Turtle Island and beyond. But underneath the viral fame was a kind and generous Blackfoot man from Kainai who faced immense challenges while living on the streets. This documentary seeks to reclaim Pernell’s humanity, offering a deeper, more complex portrait of the man behind the meme.
This is his story.
CAPTIONED
CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of Addiction
This film is generously supported by: Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group, Peterborough-Kawartha NDP
WORKSHOP: Just Get Over It & Microcredential
10AM - 12PM Saturday January 31 2026
COGECO STUDIO - SHOWPLACE PERFORMANCE CENTRE
#skoden is one of three films at ReFrame 2026 being offered as credit towards a Microcredential alongside participation in a Just Get Over It training conducted by First Peoples House of Learning.
Be sure to watch to the end of the film, in-person or online, and register your participation via the QR code that will appear on screen.
Just Get Over It is offered by First Peoples House of Learning. Facilitators draw on their personal stories as they walk participants through the timeline of colonialism. This highly interactive workshop provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on and better understand the experiences on Indigenous communities across Canada.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP IS REQUIRED
You may also be interested in Endless Cookie or Yanuni
Filmmaker Biography(ies):
Niitsitapi, amateur physicist, frybread-eating machine: Damien Eagle Bear is a multifaceted filmmaker from the Kainai First Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy.
Damien started with the short experimental documentary Napi, which asks the question: what will happen when the Blackfoot trickster gets behind the camera? The film premiered at the opening night of the 37th American Indian Film Festival in 2012, and since then, Damien has continued to expand his skillset from directing to producing, including premiering two films—q’sapi times and Big Momma—at the Vancouver International Film Festival in the same year.
With his latest project, he returns to directing for the feature documentary #skoden, which delves into the origins of NDN country’s most iconic meme to redefine the man at the center of it all.
Damien’s work explores the themes of belonging and Indigenous resiliency.
WORKSHOP: Just Get Over It & Micro Credential
#skoden is one of three films at ReFrame 2026 being offered as credit towards a Micro Credential alongside participation in a Just Get Over It training conducted by First Peoples House of Learning.
Be sure to watch to the end of the film, in-person or online, and register your participation via the QR code that will appear on screen.
Just Get Over It offered by First Peoples House of Learning. Facilitators draw on their personal stories as they walk participants through the timeline of colonialism. This highly interactive workshop provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on and better understand the experiences on Indigenous communities across Canada.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP IS REQUIRED
You may also be interested in Endless Cookie or Yanuni
A Q&A will follow the in-person presentation of this film.
Every meme has its story.
#skoden delves into the origins of NDN country’s most iconic meme to redefine the man at the center of it all, Pernell Bad Arm. In the early days of social media, a notorious image circulated of an Indigenous man with raised fists, ready to strike. The photo was initially shared to mock and reinforce stereotypes of Indigenous peoples, but one word added to the image would change it forever.
SKODEN – an Indigenous shortening of “let’s go then” – ignited an instant Indigenous pop culture icon that spread like wildfire across Turtle Island and beyond. But underneath the viral fame was a kind and generous Blackfoot man from Kainai who faced immense challenges while living on the streets. This documentary seeks to reclaim Pernell’s humanity, offering a deeper, more complex portrait of the man behind the meme.
This is his story.
CAPTIONED
CONTENT WARNING: Discussions of Addiction
This film is generously supported by: Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group, Peterborough-Kawartha NDP
WORKSHOP: Just Get Over It & Microcredential
10AM - 12PM Saturday January 31 2026
COGECO STUDIO - SHOWPLACE PERFORMANCE CENTRE
#skoden is one of three films at ReFrame 2026 being offered as credit towards a Microcredential alongside participation in a Just Get Over It training conducted by First Peoples House of Learning.
Be sure to watch to the end of the film, in-person or online, and register your participation via the QR code that will appear on screen.
Just Get Over It is offered by First Peoples House of Learning. Facilitators draw on their personal stories as they walk participants through the timeline of colonialism. This highly interactive workshop provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on and better understand the experiences on Indigenous communities across Canada.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP IS REQUIRED
You may also be interested in Endless Cookie or Yanuni
Filmmaker Biography(ies):
Niitsitapi, amateur physicist, frybread-eating machine: Damien Eagle Bear is a multifaceted filmmaker from the Kainai First Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy.
Damien started with the short experimental documentary Napi, which asks the question: what will happen when the Blackfoot trickster gets behind the camera? The film premiered at the opening night of the 37th American Indian Film Festival in 2012, and since then, Damien has continued to expand his skillset from directing to producing, including premiering two films—q’sapi times and Big Momma—at the Vancouver International Film Festival in the same year.
With his latest project, he returns to directing for the feature documentary #skoden, which delves into the origins of NDN country’s most iconic meme to redefine the man at the center of it all.
Damien’s work explores the themes of belonging and Indigenous resiliency.
WORKSHOP: Just Get Over It & Micro Credential
#skoden is one of three films at ReFrame 2026 being offered as credit towards a Micro Credential alongside participation in a Just Get Over It training conducted by First Peoples House of Learning.
Be sure to watch to the end of the film, in-person or online, and register your participation via the QR code that will appear on screen.
Just Get Over It offered by First Peoples House of Learning. Facilitators draw on their personal stories as they walk participants through the timeline of colonialism. This highly interactive workshop provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on and better understand the experiences on Indigenous communities across Canada.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP IS REQUIRED
You may also be interested in Endless Cookie or Yanuni
