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Festival coverage

ImagineNative

2 June – 14 June 2026

ImagineNative
ImagineNative

Taking place in Toronto, ImagineNative is the world's largest presenter of Indigenous-made media, supporting Indigenous artists to share their voices, perspectives, and cultures. This year's festival is truly global in perspective, with contributions from the Americas, Africa, northern Europe, East Asia and Australasia.

ImagineNative is committed to inclusivity. Most screenings have subtitles and audio captions, and signing (in ASL) will be available at some Q&As. There are some sensory friendly screenings, content warnings are available where appropriate, and wellness workers will be present for anyone who needs additional support, in acknowledgement of some of the distressing themes that festival films address.

The festival runs from 2 to 14 June.

Other years (1)

Box office and information

Latest reviews

  • Meadowlarks
    Review preview for Meadowlarks

    It is all very gently done.

    Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
    Four siblings, torn apart by the Sixties Scoop, reunite for one week.
  • Lethal Ethel
    Review preview for Lethal Ethel

    Its upbeat vibe and lightness of touch means it can take on serious subject matter without compromising its natural charm.

    Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
    A mockumentary about a Naskapi vampire making her first film.
  • Aanikoobijigan
    Review preview for Aanikoobijigan

    This is not the first documentary to explore the issue of colonial looting, but its unique angle makes it stand out.

    Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
    Trapped in museum archives, Ancestors bend time and space to find their way home. History, spirituality, and the law collide as tribal repatriation specialists fight to return and rebury Indigenous human remains, offering a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place.
  • Marama
    Review preview for Marama

    One of the most impressive films of the year to date.

    Jennie Kermode · 5 out of 5
    A young Māori woman travels to Victorian England after receiving a letter promising information about her birth parents. As she peels back the layers of colonial deceit, she is driven to avenge her shattered ancestry.
  • Wrong Husband
    Review preview for Wrong Husband

    An atmospheric, beguiling piece of work.

    Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
    An Arctic fairy tale about a couple who, though promised to each other at birth, become separated.

Features

  • Rock star spirit
    Shane Belcourt on Louis Cameron and Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising
  • Family reunion
    Tasha Hubbard on exploring the aftermath of the Sixties Scoop in Meadowlarks
  • From the withered tree
    Taratoa Stappard on colonial hierarchies, Ariana Osborne and Marama
  • The dying house
    Taratoa Stappard on colonial horrors and inventing the Maori Gothic with Marama
  • Tales from the tundra
    Zacharias Kunuk on telling traditional stories in Wrong Husband