Inkwo for When the Starving Return
Inkwo à la défense des vivants
Amanda Strong
2024
| 18 min 27 s
Stop Motion Animated Short
English and Dene
Awards and Festivals
Official SelectionToronto International Film Festival (2024)
Official SelectionOttawa International Animation Festival - Panorama (2024)
Official SelectionAtlantic International Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia (2024)
Official SelectionVancouver International Film Festival (2024)
Official SelectionEdmonton International Film Festival (2024)
A Spotted Fawn Productions and the National Film Board of Canada co-production
Tag Line
Dove, a gender-shifting warrior, uses their Indigenous medicine (Inkwo) to protect their community from an unburied swarm of terrifying creatures.
Short Synopsis
Two lifetimes from now the world hangs in the balance. Dove, a young, enigmatic, gender-shifting warrior, discovers the gifts and burdens of their Inkwo (medicine) to defend against an army of hungry, ferocious monsters. Dove’s courage, resilience and alliance with the Earth culminates in a battle against these flesh-consuming creatures, who become stronger with each body and soul they devour. Inkwo for When the Starving Return is a call to action to fight and protect against the forces of greed around us.
Long Synopsis
A mesmerizing tale of courage, identity and the enduring power of truth, Inkwo for When the Starving Return is an animated adaptation of an original short story by award-winning Tlicho Dene storyteller Richard Van Camp. Spotted Fawn Productions, led by Michif/Metis director Amanda Strong, carried the story into its innovative film form. This collective vision shines through in tender moments, urgent choices and epic confrontations that blur the boundaries between the physical and the supernatural.
The film features the extraordinary voice talent of Paulina Alexis (Critics Choice Award winner), Tantoo Cardinal (Order of Canada) and versatile television producer, actor and storyteller Art Napoleon.
Spine-tingling and thought-provoking, Inkwo unravels the saga of a young, enigmatic, genderfluid warrior. Faced with external threats and internal struggles, this protagonist must forge their identity while embracing the power of Inkwo and taking a stand to defend the remaining humans and animals on Earth.
The gift of Inkwo, rooted in medicinal knowledge and the healing arts of true humanity, propels Dove on a perilous path. They must combat violent beings that possess the ability to take spirits from humans, leaving eerie, voided copies in their wake. Throughout their quest, Dove forms a bond with a frog helper and forges alliances that transcend the boundaries between human and animal. This unlikely fellowship unites against the encroaching horde.
Inkwo for When the Starving Return is a call to action, a rallying cry to fight and protect against evil forces and restore the balance of our planet.
Director's Statement
It’s rare for a story to remain timeless within an exceedingly long production schedule. I vividly remember getting goosebumps when Richard Van Camp invited me into his “Wheetago War” universe to create an animated film. His short story offered a balance of terror and beauty and challenged me to explore important and relatable topics: the gender spectrum, greed and destruction of the land, and the return of ancestral medicine and teachings. With this story, I knew we were embarking on something special, and it was my dream to lead this production and process into new creative and technical territories.
The process ignited the project’s path of dreaming and trusting the unknown journey ahead. To do this in a way that honours the complexities and nuances of a story requires time. The label “short film” tends to shrink the extensive scope of the work undertaken at every step. Inkwo for When the Starving Return was woven together carefully and collaboratively, pulling into it important backstories and context from Richard’s bigger world. For seven years, collective hands and minds treaded carefully down our path of growing and artfully creating Inkwo for When the Starving. Its title offered both the beauty and burden to carry and represent.
The many layers of this story drew me inward. As a person who regularly shifts within the spectrum, I resonated with the positionality of gender fluidity. I also resonated with the discomfort of the “creatures”—their burden and how to properly represent them in a way that was responsible to the power they hold. What did it mean to write about them and build puppets of these creatures that hold such poisonous energy? Do we remove them? Name them? Embrace that they are very much a part of our world? What does it mean to summon them knowing that they have been waiting for this moment to rebuild themselves from Western society’s neglect and greed? It felt like the right time to advance the physical builds and capabilities of our characters, to witness the magic on screen when the still frames begin to blend in motion.
This story is a call to action in the face of what two lifetimes from now could become. Indigenous futurisms are important spaces for dreaming our worlds and how things might be. What will our world be like? In this case, Richard set the bar for Dove’s future. It was important to me to ensure that I was the right person to tell this story. Working with Richard and his Elders brought Protocols and language into the project, which we integrated into the process of developing the film’s characters, environment and costume design. This is indicative of how the making of Inkwo for When the Starving Return has truly been, at its core, a collaborative and community effort. In addition to addressing pressing sociopolitical, economic and environmental problems faced by industrial Western society, this is a film that brings us back to the moral compass of Indigenous oral storytelling.
It’s a touching experience and a responsibility to dive deep into written worlds, to build a wireframe that can lift words off the page and have them dance into motion. Collaboration is a gift, and the gift is in the making. It’s a precious place to envision what is possible when the sum of talents, and passion for a story, collide. It’s a terrifying, mysterious and organic journey.
Amanda Strong, a Michif/Métis Artist
Amanda Strong is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation. She grew up in Mississauga, Ontario, where alongside her late maternal grandmother, Olivine, she was actively involved in Métis community service and politics. Née Bousquet, her grandmother was born and raised in St. Boniface, Manitoba, and Strong’s family lines are readily recognizable Red River Métis families: Bousquet, Carriere, Wilkie, Azure, Fisher and Laframboise. They were active members of the historic Red River communities, including St. Boniface, Lorette, St. Vital, Pembina and Turtle Mountain, spanning both sides of the border. Her family participated in the Métis resistance and the Battle of Batoche, fighting for the rights of Métis and First Nations Peoples.
For Strong, being Michif/Métis is integral to her work—to live out the vision instilled by her grandmother, to show where her own family, community and nation come from, and to honour connection to her First Nations relatives and the land. Strong was also deeply honoured by her adoption in 2022 by Chief Willie Walkus of the Gwa’sala ‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations, where she was given the name T’lakwaga (Copper Woman).
When Strong isn’t immersed in parenthood and filmmaking, she can be found at the hockey rink or the baseball diamond, in community beading circles, at hide-tanning camps, Cree-language classes and other cultural or community-based activities.
Poster
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Trailer - Coming soon!
Excerpts
Team
Amanda Strong
Director/Producer
Photo
Maral Mohammadian
Producer (NFB)
Photo
Photo : © Maral Mohammadian
Nina Werewka
Producer
Photo
Haydn Wazelle
Executive Producer
Photo
Richard Van Camp
Writer
Photo
Bracken Hanuse Corlett
Writer
Photo
Credits
a film by
AMANDA STRONG
This film was animated and produced in Vancouver on the traditional unceded territories of the COAST SALISH PEOPLES including the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) and səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) Nations and in Montreal on the traditional unceded territories of the HAUDENOSAUNEE and MOHAWK Peoples
director
AMANDA STRONG
screenplay
BRACKEN HANUSE CORLETT
RICHARD VAN CAMP
AMANDA STRONG
Based on the short story WHEETAGO WAR by RICHARD VAN CAMP, from the short story collection, NIGHT MOVES (published by Enfield & Wizenty, 2015), which was inspired by ART NAPOLEON’s interview with his late grandmother SUZETTE NAPOLEON and published in BUSHLAND SPIRIT: OUR ELDERS SPEAK (Twin Sisters Publishing, 1998)
producers
AMANDA STRONG
MARAL MOHAMMADIAN
NINA WEREWKA
executive producers
AMANDA STRONG
HAYDN WAZELLE
ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN
LUPE DANYLUK
– CAST –
dove
PAULINA ALEXIS
auntie
TANTOO CARDINAL
frog
ART NAPOLEON
voice director
NICOLE OLIVER
director of photography
DEAN HOLMES
design supervisor and art director
MAYA MCKIBBIN
production designer
KATE STRANSKY
post-production supervisor
KEITH MORGAN
technical director
ELOI CHAMPAGNE
stop motion animators
ANNA BEREZOWSKY
JUAN SOTO
PAYTON CURTIS
DEANNA PARTRIDGE-DAVID
animation director
DEANNA PARTRIDGE-DAVID
dove character model
SHAAWAN FRANCIS KEAHNA
lead puppet fabricator
PATRICK ZUNG
lead costumes
NORA ROGERS
puppet consultant
GEORGINA HAYNS
– PUPPET FABRICATION –
Standing Figure LLC
puppet generalists
NICK SOO
JULIA SOO
WHITNEY WILDER
GATES CALLANAN
sculpts
PATRICK ZUNG
KYLEIGH BELL
MAHALA MILLER
MOCHI LIN
head mechanics
PATRICK ZUNG
JULIA SOO
armatures
LINSEY BUNGENER
JEREMY SPAKE
NICK SOO
GILLIAN POVEY
GABRIEL TEMME
silicone and mold making
JOSEPHINE ORTIZ MERIDA
LINSEY BUNGENER
KATHI ZUNG
MOCHI LIN
painting
JOSEPHINE ORTIZ MERIDA
LINSEY BUNGENER
KYLEIGH BELL
cnc joint making
SAM SCHENKMAN
ANDREW BRUZGA
costume fabricators
NORA ROGERS
ELODIE MASSA
project managers
JOEL KRETSCHMAN
WHITNEY WILDER
SAM SCHENKMAN
associate producer
GABRIEL TEMME
costumes design
GEORGINA FRANKI
NORA ROGERS
MAYA MCKIBBIN
sets and props fabricators
BEN PLANTE
ELLY STERN
SOF PICKSTONE
JESSE BYIERS
fabricators
LIA FABRE-DIMSDALE
DANNY GUAY
REBECA SPIEGEL
CELINA MCLEOD
ZARA WAZELLE
JAGODA LALIK
DAWSON WOOD
JOSHUA PAULSON
puppets maintenance
ELLY STERN
JESSE BYIERS
puppet wigs
JESSE BYIERS
lead camera
CHRISTIAN WILSON-BROWN
gaffer and grip
KEN YOUNG
DANNY GUAY
editors
AMANDA STRONG
MICHAEL BOURQUIN
assistant editor/dit
DANNY GUAY
visual effects supervisors
KEITH MORGAN
RYAN GROBINS
lead compositors & vfx artists
KEITH MORGAN
MAYA MCKIBBIN
matchmoving
CALEB ELLISON
KEITH MORGAN
ELOI CHAMPAGNE
visual effects
SURAJ NEJI
RASHEED BANDA
EMILY BARNES
CHELLYSIA CHRISTEN
cg-double rigger
JEREMY BOT
3D animation
SURAJ NEJI
KEITH MORGAN
CALEB ELLISON
3D roto animation
CHELLYSIA CHRISTEN
compositing
SURAJ NEJI
KATRINA PLEASANCE
RASHEED BANDA
JOSHUA PAULSON
CHELLYSIA CHRISTEN
CARMEN WONG
VINCENT MCCURLEY
EOIN DUFFY
ELOI CHAMPAGNE
SERGE VERREAULT
render farm support
SÉBASTIEN DION
FABIEN CAPUS
post-production coordinators
DELORES SMITH
NINA WEREWKA
composer
EDO VAN BREEMEN
additional composition
JENEEN FREI NJOOTLI
MATTHEW CARDINAL
additional musicians
JEFF INNES
SAM DAVIDSON
sound design
EUGENIO BATTAGLIA
HUMBERTO CORTE
additional sound design
RAMACHANDRA BORCAR
LUC RAYMOND
supervising sound editor
EUGENIO BATTAGLIA
additional sound editing
RAMACHANDRA BORCAR
TRAVIS MERCREDI
foley
KARLA BAUMGARDNER
JOCELYN CARON
foley recording
LUC LÉGER
re-recording
GEOFFREY MITCHELL
ISABELLE LUSSIER
cultural consultants
HENRY AND EILEEN BEAVER
GEORGINA FRANKI
CEASE WYSS
DELORES SMITH
tłįchǫ language consultants
GEORGINA FRANKI
ROSIE BENNING
research and development
MAYA MCKIBBIN
CARLO JANUSZ LAURITSEN BECKER
SHAAWAN FRANCIS KEAHNA
DEAN HOLMES
CATRIONA MURPHY
ZOE CIRE
MICHAEL FUKUSHIMA
DORA CEPIC
NATTY BOONMASIRI
ZOE GLASS
RASHEED BANDA
SUNA GALAY
ED FILMS
KATHLEEN HEPBURN
TIFFANY MONK
storyboards and animatic
MAYA MCKIBBIN
– EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART AND DESIGN –
research administrators
MARIA LANTIN
KEITH DOYLE
ALAN GOLDMAN
research coordinator
DANIEL GARROD
research technician
SEAN ARDEN
environment and texture artists
GABE KWOK
SKYE ALLEN
DAWSON WOOD
CALEB ELLISON
ELIZABETH HILLS
THOMAS HUANG
VINCENT ISABEL
FELIPE SALLES FONSECA
student researchers
RAYNE BURNING
SOF PICKSTONE
HAMED RASHTIAN
OLUWASOLA OLOWO-AKE
1st assistant directors and production managers
NINA WEREWKA
DEANNA PARTRIDGE-DAVID
technical support
VINCENT MCCURLEY
MATHIEU TREMBLAY
post-production IT consultant
ASHLEY HARVEY
technical coordinator
LUC BINETTE
titles
EOIN DUFFY
online editor
SERGE VERREAULT
behind the scenes
CASSANDRA CROSS
administration and studio management
ROBYN LAWSON
VICTORIA ANGELL
CAMILLE FILLION
LAETITIA SEGUIN
LAURA MITCHELL
ROSALINA DI SARIO
production coordinators
BARRY AHMAD
DOMINIQUE FORGET
JASMINE PULLUKATT
production assistants
DANNY GUAY
MARK ANTHONY HOGAN
legal counsel
NATHANIEL LYMAN, Chandler Fogden Lyman Law Corporation
CHRISTIAN PITCHEN, National Film Board of Canada
interim financing provided by
RBC Royal Bank of Canada
RBC Relationship Managers
IRINA RACE
HANNAH HONG
Bank Legal Counsel
JULIET SMITH, Dentons LLP
In association with
DADA IBIS MEDIA
accounting
SAMANTHA WILSON
SYDNEY LECLAIRE
marketing
JUDITH LESSARD-BÉRUBÉ
LEENA MINIFIE
HARMONIE HEMMING
publicist
NADINE VIAU
special thanks
SKEKEMXIKST TALU HANUSE * DENISE AND ED PRZYBYLO * PEG SERENA * GAIL AND DERRY STRONG * NOELLE HANUSE * MICHAEL FUKUSHIMA* ROBERT AND EVELYN CORLETT * RAMONA PARTRIDGE-DAVID * BREE ISLAND * SHIRLEY VERCRUYSSE * WILLIAM F. WHITE INTERNATIONAL INC. * MIXED CREATIVES * FRANCESCA ACCINELLI * LAUREN DAVIS * ADAM GARNET JONES * JENNIFER BRAUN * MITCHELL REASER * JHOAO CUNDARI * LAMAR “REGGIE” FORD * CEASE WYSS * ARRAN MURPHY * BIRD RUNNINGWATER * CHRIS GATCHALIAN * SHAAWANO CHAD URAN * DUSTY HAGERUD * JULIE RAGLAND * HENRY JOKELA * FLORENT REVEL * HEATHER RENNEY * GRANVILLE ISLAND BROOM CO. * ANDREW HARRON * JESSE WENTE * JEROME KASHETSKY * BEN KICKNOSWAY * ALANIS OBOMSAWIN * KERRY SWANSON * ADAM PIRON * SIKU ALLOOLOO * WINSTON HACKING * FEMKE VAN DELFT * SHOY * DOROTHY VISSER * ROB TURRIF * TUG PHIPPS * JIM RANDALL * KAT SCHULTE * DALE VRBA * BRIAN ELLIOT * ALEX MESA * LISA LAYDEN
production baby
KIYAM XWATQOM HANUSE CORLETT
– FUNDERS –
Canada Council for the Arts, Shaw Rocket Fund, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Indigenous Screen Office, Telefilm Canada, The Sundance Institute, BC Arts Council
a co-production by
SPOTTED FAWN PRODUCTIONS
and
THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA
© 2024 Wheetago Productions Inc. | National Film Board of Canada
Media Relations
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About Spotted Fawn Productions
Spotted Fawn Productions Inc. is an Indigenous-owned and led production company centred in animation and moving-image art. SFP was founded in 2010 by owner, producer and Emmy-nominated director Amanda Strong (Michif/Red River Métis, Manitoba Métis Federation). The studio’s award-winning productions specialize in the handmade aesthetics of stop-motion animation to generate films, books, exhibits and interactive works that have been seen worldwide, celebrating Indigenous content on screens and beyond.
With each production, SFP’s foundation focuses on process, learning, collaboration and collective making, while uplifting and creating space, training, resources and skills development for Indigenous, BPOC, LGTBQT2S+ and emerging artists. The team at SFP explores cyclical methods of Indigenous storytelling and nonlinear systems of production and dissemination.
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About the NFB
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a leader in exploring animation as an artform, a storytelling medium and innovative content for emerging platforms. It produces trailblazing animated works both in its Montreal studios and across the country, and it works with many of the world’s leading creators on international co-productions. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including seven Oscars for NFB animation and seven grand prizes at the Annecy festival. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.