Sudbury filmmaker's short documentary Collective Resistance will have its northern Ontario premiere

After screenings in the United States, United Kingdom and India, Sudbury filmmaker Isak Vaillancourt will get to show his short documentary, Collective Resistance, to a hometown crowd.

The film, which follows two 2SLGBTQ+ Afro-Indigenous leaders and activists, will have its northern Ontario premiere at the Junction North International Documentary Film Festival this Sunday.

"This documentary intends to reimagine new possibilities for relationships and blackness which are rooted in mutual understanding, rooted in solidarity and joy," Vaillancourt said.

While screening his film around the world, Vaillancourt said a lot of audience members were not even aware that Afro-Indigenous communities exist in Canada.

"So it's really an opportunity for anyone to learn more about activism work that's being done in Toronto, and also activism work that's being done across Canada," he said.

The documentary follows activists and storytellers Ravyn Ariah Wngz and Shanese Indoowaaboo Steele as they talk about their identity and work to bridge the gap between Indigenous and other racialized communities.

"We really want to kind of shift that focus and explore the connection between Black and Indigenous relations through this lens of social justice, through this lens of love and care," Vaillancourt said.

Collective Resistance is one of several northern Ontario premieres at the Junction North festival this year.

"This is the first time in many years that we have spread our wings again and we're screening from three locations downtown at Imagine Cinemas as well as Place des Arts and here at the Sudbury Indie Cinema," said festival director Beth Mairs.

She said some of the other highlights include the northern Ontario premiere of the documentary Boil Alert, about Indigenous activist Layla Staats's work to shine a light on the struggle for clean water in many First Nations communities.

Mairs said another highlight is the northern Ontario film Dear Friend: Where Have You Gone? It follows Jayden Martin, an artist from Englehart, Ont. and the obstacles he faced to succeed at his craft.

The Junction North festival opened Thursday and runs through Sunday.