October 17th – 21st, 2007
Announces Opening and Closing Night Galas
www.imagineNATIVE.org (website launching September 1, 2007)
Indigenous filmmakers and media artists step up to the spotlight at the 8th Annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, which runs in Toronto from Wednesday, October 17th until Sunday, October 21st, 2007.

This year the festival showcases more than 125 works by Indigenous people at the forefront of innovation in film, video, radio and new media from around the globe.

Opening the five-day festival will be the Canadian premiere of the Sundance hit FOUR SHEETS TO THE WIND, the feature debut by Sterlin Harjo. Beautifully crafted and set under gorgeous Oklahoma skies, this poignant and wryly funny story of family and healing begins the morning Cufe Smallhill (Cody Lightning) finds his father quieter than usual, an empty bottle of pills at his side. Fulfilling his dad’s wish, Cufe sinks his father’s body in the pond to spare him the big circus of a funeral. Cufe, his cousin, and mom decide to fake a funeral to satisfy the community, and Cufe’s beautiful and tormented sister MIri (Tamara Podemski) comes home just long enough to convince Cufe to leave the reserve and visit her in the city. Once there, shy Cufe meets a girl who gently opens up his world. This film was honoured with a Special Jury Prize for Acting at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival for Torontonian Tamara Podemski, marking not only the first time a First Nations Actor has won an award for acting at Sundance, but also a first for any Canadian actress.

Also screening on opening night is the world premiere of renowned Canadian author Thomas King’s first film, I’M NOT THE INDIAN YOU HAD IN MIND. Produced by Big Soul Productions, this spoken word video explores the stereotypical portrayal of First Nations people in the media and offers insight into how First Nations people today are changing old ideas and empowering themselves in the greater community. This year’s opening night gala sponsor is CTVglobemedia.

The imagineNATIVE closing night film will be the world premiere of TKARONTO, the feature film debut of local Métis writer-director Shane Belcourt. The film is a reflective and thought-provoking exploration of two Aboriginal thirty-somethings, who make an unexpected connection at the pinnacle of a common struggle: to stake claim to their urban Aboriginal identity. This super-indie feature was made in just eight months from script to post-production with a cast and crew of 10 on a meager $20,000 total budget. It is a first exploration of Shane Belcourt’s Métis heritage in a narrative work, one heavily influenced by the legacy of the filmmaker’s father, Métis Rights leader, Tony Belcourt. The closing night gala is sponsored by the Independent Film Channel (IFC).

“The imagineNATIVE Festival is a unique opportunity for Indigenous artists from across the globe to share stories past, present and future using contemporary media. Audiences of all backgrounds will be challenged, surprised and inspired by the diverse and innovative work on offer,” says imagineNATIVE Interim Executive Director Kerry Swanson.

About the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is an international festival that celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples at the forefront of innovation in film, video, radio, and new media. Each fall in Toronto, the festival presents a selection of the most compelling, distinctive Indigenous works from around the globe. The festival’s screenings, parties, panel discussions, and cultural events attract and connect filmmakers, media artists, programmers, buyers, and industry professionals. The accepted woks reflect the diversity of the world’s Indigenous nations and illustrate the vitality and excellence of our art and cultures in contemporary media.

For more information, please visit us at www.imagineNATIVE.org

Tickets are available starting October 1st at the Festival Box Office at the Manulife Centre (main floor, north entrance) 55 Bloor Street West (southeast corner of Bloor and Bay), 416 967 1528.