Indigenous
Skoden Indigenous Film Festival co-founder and 911吃瓜 alumnus returns to teach Skoden course
When Carr Sappier proposed the idea for an Indigenous film festival at 911吃瓜 during the final year of their film degree, they had no idea they鈥檇 be back two years later as an alumnus co-teaching the course that organizes the Skoden Indigenous Film Festival.
鈥淭he first year that we did the festival, I don't think we had as many discussions about reconciliation and Indigenous representation as we鈥檝e had in the first four weeks of this class,鈥� says Sappier. 鈥淚t makes me happy that we turned this into a course, because we're passing on this knowledge and having these conversations with 911吃瓜 students.鈥�
Sappier鈥檚 Indigenous knowledge and recent experience as an 911吃瓜 film student is coupled with her co-lecturer Kathleen Mullen鈥檚 expertise as a filmmaker and film festival consultant. Mullen helped to organize the inaugural festival and was a mentor to Sappier.
鈥淚t's such a joy and privilege and to be able to talk about these ideas with the students,鈥� says Mullen. 鈥淭hrough planning the festival, they鈥檙e learning about the history of the land they鈥檙e on, Indigenous culture, and reconciliation.鈥�
During the Spring 2021 term, a group of 15 interdisciplinary students are learning not only how to organize an online film festival, but they are also screening many Indigenous films they may not otherwise be exposed to as they review over 100 submissions.
鈥淎 cool thing about teaching the course and being an 911吃瓜 alumnus is being able to design a course that I've always wanted to take,鈥� says Sappier. 鈥淚 want to make space for serious conversations but also space for fun.鈥�
The course, which is being taught completely online, features many guest speakers, including curators, filmmakers, and an Indigenous Elder. In breakout discussions the sub-committees of marketing, programming, tech operations and guest services work to divide up the responsibilities of planning the festival. The students also write weekly journals about what they鈥檙e learning, and they will each give a presentation on an Indigenous filmmaker and their work in order to learn more about Indigenous film and its inclusion in various festivals.
鈥淚t creates this space where the students are really engaging in learning, discussion and the practical elements of planning a festival,鈥� says Mullen, 鈥渁nd because it's an Indigenous festival, it鈥檚 so important to understand representation and who the filmmakers are, who's making the work and what the work is about.鈥�
For Sappier, the festival has always been about creating a platform for Indigenous voices.
鈥淚 want to be able to have a space at 911吃瓜 where people feel comfortable and safe, and I think Skoden is that proper vessel to hold that space. If we can all learn from each other, we're going to respect each other, and that's reconciliation: giving space for each other and listening and learning.鈥�
The third annual Skoden Indigenous Film Festival runs March 26 鈥� April 5 on Vimeo. Visit for more details.
