Ācimowin Film Festival

WELCOME
ᑕᓂᓯ! Tansi! Tawnshi! Edlanat’e! Aba washded!

Ācimowin Film Festival is located in Treaty 6 territory – the traditional lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dene, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and Métis nations.

The inaugural Indigenous film festival in Saskatchewan, known as Mispon, was organized by Janine Windolph and the late Trudy Stewart in Regina, situated in Treaty 4 territory. In Saskatoon, the Ācimowin Film Festival stands as the pioneering Indigenous film festival and currently holds the distinction of being the sole Indigenous Film Festival in the province. The vision for this festival extends beyond mere entertainment; it aims to champion the development of a thriving film industry on the prairies. The goal is to inspire artists and visual storytellers to either remain rooted in their ancestral lands or to join the vibrant community of artists already present.

In addition to fostering a sense of place, Ācimowin Film Festival seeks to establish year-round film programming for youth. Collaborating closely with like-minded community organizations that share the festival's core values, it aspires to forge lasting connections that contribute to its success and future endeavours. The festival's inception is driven by a commitment to inspire the next generation of Indigenous filmmakers and bolster the burgeoning film movement in Saskatchewan. The overarching objective is to make Ācimowin Film Festival an annual fixture, addressing the void in the province's film scene concerning authentic representation of Indigenous people both on and off the screen.

The festival's mission goes beyond entertainment, aiming to provide a platform for Indigenous voices to share their narratives, offer a learning experience for allies, and fulfill a crucial need for proper representation, particularly for the youth. Ācimowin Film Festival envisions a transformative shift towards a more equitable and just world, introducing Indigenous filmmaking to the prairies as a catalyst for cultivating an inclusive film industry accessible to all, while elevating Indigenous Cinema.